Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Review your current health insurance policy with your agent to determine whether it covers illnesses or injury while traveling beyond U.S. borders. If coverage is insufficient insofar as potential hospitalization, evacuation, emergency surgery, prescription drugs or travel expenses for family members and friends to be with you, it's a good idea to purchase extra insurance coverage.
Check with your tour operator to see whether it offers any health insurance options for foreign travelers. Whether you purchase a policy through a tour, bulk up your existing health insurance policy, or shop around for a different carrier, be aware that you will probably have to pay for any medical expenses up front and then submit an itemized invoice in order to get reimbursed after you get home. Budget accordingly.
Ask your regular doctor or your pharmacist to write down the generic names of any medications you are currently taking. The generic names will have more meaning to a foreign pharmacist than brand names in the event you accidentally lose your prescription while traveling and need to get it refilled. Always pack your prescription drugs in your carryaboard and not in your checked bags.
Contact either the International Red Cross or the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers prior to your departure and ask them for a list of English-speaking on-call doctors whose offices are the nearest to your destination abroad. Likewise, if you have travel insurance that is valid overseas, ask the insurance carrier for names of doctors in the region you will be visiting.
Write down the telephone number and address of the American, Canadian or British consulate office in the nearest major city you will be visiting. Pack this with you in case you need assistance in communicating with doctors or hospital facilities that don't speak English and require a translator.
Familiarize yourself with the international hospital symbol (a large white "H" on a blue background) so that you will know where the nearest one is in the event of a medical emergency. If you haven't run across any on your trip, hail a cab and have the driver take you. It is also a good idea to always carry a cell phone that has been upgraded to handle international calls.
Ask your hotel or resort management to find a doctor for you if you are injured or are not feeling well. At larger establishments, it's likely they will already have one on-call who can assist.