Health insurance coverage conflict with surgery done abroad.?!

Health insurance coverage conflict with surgery done abroad.?

Hi,

I am considering traveling abroad for non-cosmetic surgery. The main reason for doing so is the quality of care I can afford (several weeks on intensive physical therapy).

I already had one surgery for same issue here in US with limited success, and fear going thru a "re-do" even with another doctor that participates with my insurance (not the best in the world). Hence the decision of going abroad..

So, if I have a surgery abroad - can my insurance at some point "stick it to me" and deny me coverage if I ever have another problem related to this surgery abroad???

I'm trying to find out the consequences of seeking medical help abroad, and the insurance coverage is the first one that comes to mind.

3 weeks ago
About costs:

1. If I get it done here in US, with current insurance my copay is barely $300 for the surgery + $35/each phys therapy session.

2. Abroad: A lot more expensive.

The only reason for doing abroad is the reputation of doctor doing surgery & quality of care. It is a ortho surgeon that mainly operates on prof. soccer players in south america.

Pre-existing conditions are generally due to diseases or malformations that are natural, not related to surgeries.

I suppose they wouldn't do after-care for the surgery, like stitch removal or subsequent surgeries for repair or whatever, but you should be covered for general health issues.

You might want to check on what your company considers a "pre-existing condition." They may well not cover items directly related to your surgery if you got it done outside of the country, because one of the ways insurance saves money is by keeping you within a certain network of approved providers.

I'd also say, make 100% sure that your insurance won't cover something here. Yeah, it may be cheaper to do something overseas...but do you really want to have to go back overseas for aftercare? Do you want to try to sue an overseas doctor for malpractice? You may not even have any legal recourse if something goes wrong with the surgery in another country (since it didn't work that well the first time, that's a definite consideration.)

The cost savings...might not turn out to save you any money at all. If you're looking at the worst-case scenario, it might be better to spend more for care in your own country than deal with a fiasco based in another country.