Ask Our Specialists

I certainly remember you. Thank you for contacting us again. In your situation, Atlas America would be the most appropriate choice, available at /atlasamerica-insurance/ Also, you can read /best-visitors-health-insurance/ Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Can you email me the actual wordings terms and contract for the following: Atlas America I would like to read the official actual wordings before I make decision. Thanks.

/atlas-travel-insurance/

Let's say we go to a hospital due to emergency. The hospital can be part of Atlas PPO. But usually quite a few doctors, radiologists may work on the patient and they bill separately in US. Would Atlas consider them as part of PPO since we went to a hospital which is PPO? Or does the doctor, radiologist etc all need to be individually part of the PPO network? Do you know how this works?

Yes, I know how it works. They individually need to be part of the PPO. Otherwise, the coverage would be according to out of network. That is the case with most different PPOs, not just this one. I had this problem when I took my son to ER where the hospital was in PPO network, but the physician deliberately didn't participate in the any PPO network. And I have BCBS of Texas. I had to really fight to get that sorted out. Please note that this is the problem of the healthcare of this country where attending providers in the participating hospital choose not to participate in the PPO network because you have no choice at that time, and they can afford to rob you like that. Therefore, it is not the problem of the particular insurance plan or PPO.

I priced the policies on the website. Atlas America seems to be $320 more than Patriot America (total difference for two people - my dad and mom inclusive). I used same parameters for both. Dad is 69 years old (has pre-existing diabetes) He does not have any specific heart problem. But I wonder if there is any heart-attack - what if they link it to diabetes or some such. Or what if some diabates related complication arises? Mom is 65 years old. No pre-existing conditions that we are aware of. Question: Would the "acute onset of preexisting conditions" still make Atlas America a worthwhile choice even despite the additional $320 expense for me? I know its a question that eventually I need to answer. But I just thought I'd ask what you would do if you were in my situation? Your help greatly appreciated to help with my confusion.

Anything related to pre-existing conditions would also be considered pre-existing conditions. I had purchased Atlas America last time my parents visited me.

Mom is actually 60-64 group (and thats what I used for calc). Just clarifying. Anycase - along with your answer to the below email - one other question: Atlas says "Ambulance covered when injury/sick results in hospitalization as inpatient" - what does it mean? If lets say person falls down, breaks the arm (fracture), we have to call 911 and rush to hospital ER, and they treat and put a cast for the fracture. But after that person can go back home the same day. This has happened to people. Will the ambulance be covered? Is this diff from Atlas and IMG Patriot which says UCR covered for ambulance? Appreciate your answer to this too. Thanks so much.

Read /what-is-visitors-insurance/

Though I guess the "Emergency room" or hospital "admits" a patient with fracture injury or bleeding into the hospital, treats them and then sends them home. If admission (even though release in same day) counts as inpatient or does it come as outpatient? For ambulance and Emergency "room charges" under Atlas America...I guess thats the confusion for me.

Whether it is considered hospital admission or not really depends upon how they do the coding in the bills.

Quick question: Date of departure from Home Country (India): If they depart India on May 25, 2011 then in Atlas application form, I can enter May 24, 2011 as the date right??? Since that's the date in USA? (even though in India it is May 25). So, that's TODAY's date (May 24) that I can enter in the application form, right?

You can't enter today's date. Earliest is tomorrow.

Funny thing is that your online application allows me to enter and choose May 24, 2011 (Today's date) and even in final screen where credit card info is to be entered it says 'coverage date: May 24, 2011' on the right hand side. But to be 200% safe, I'll enter May 25, 2011 even though the application form is fully allowing me to enter and process all data with todays may 24 date!

I just completed the transactions for Dad and Mom. Atlas America. Thanks. PS: You may want to refer someone to check why the online system allows todays date to be entered? I did enter May 25, 2011 (tomorrow) as start date to be safe.

Thanks. The new application was made by HCCMIS on 05/19/2011 and they are working on a lot of things to be fixed. And I am trying my best at all the levels to get everything fixed.

Thanks. One other transit related question - since the insurance covers them for the trip. Lets say they have any illness in journey or in-Transit at London,Heathrow. How do they get medical assistance in London? I guess Atlas will cover it, but will they just give the insurance info to the medical facility even if it is not in US?

They can provide all the medical insurance information to the providers and it is up to the provider how they want to handle it.