Best visitors insurance for parents with pre existing conditions

International travel has become a fairly very common activity today with people from different age groups traveling across countries while wanting to create memorable memories depending on the occasion. Parents even in their 60s and 70s travel quite often outside their home country.

This might not be such an easy decision for some, given the concerns of safety and health. Given that at this age, travelers cannot take their health for granted it is important to take travel medical insurance for parents while traveling long distances.

Let us look at the situation of elderly parents visiting the US to see the future generation of their family and to spend some with them. They normally are in the age range of 55 onwards. This is the time when people develop certain health conditions depending on their busy lifestyle and other factors.

This indicates the possibility of an existent health condition commonly known as pre-existing conditions. Visitor health insurance plans are available in the market but it is important to choose a health insurance that covers pre existing conditions plan carefully with sufficient coverage. An extremely important point to note is that the coverage for pre-existing condition is available only for the acute onset of the pre-existing condition.

Any prescription medication or any kind of routine checkup or maintenance work that is associated with the condition, will not be covered. The visitors medical insurance coverage for acute onset of pre-existing condition varies with the age. It is available to its maximum limit up to the age of 65 or 70 after which it reduces in some plans and is excluded in others.

Most people are not very clear about the meaning of the pre-existing condition. It is a health condition that the person has already been diagnosed with before the insurance becomes effective. Insurance companies use "look back " period for determining if the condition is pre-existing or not. American Visitors Insurance website provides an excellent quote compare facility to buy health insurance for people with pre existing conditions with the required input in the form and view the available plans for the input provided. This makes it easier to filter the visitor insurance for parents according to the information in the quote form.

The age, preferred start and end date during which the plan will be effective, preferred policy maximum, preferred deductible, citizenship and destination are the details required in this form. Getting quote for best medical insurance for parents with pre existing conditions on this input, will show a summary page which consists of the available plans for the entered information along with their price information for the given duration. Changing the deductible value or the policy maximum option will result in a premium price change accordingly. The equation between the deductible and the premium price is inversely proportional. Lower the deductible, higher the premium price.

Some of the most popular visitors insurance with the coverage for pre-existing condition would be:

For people up to the age of 65: Almost all the comprehensive and fixed benefit plans cover pre-existing condition up to this age. Patriot America Plus, Travel Medical plans, Atlas Travel plan, Atlas Premium America plan, Safe Travels USA Comprehensive plan are some of the popular comprehensive plans that cover pre-existing condition.

For people above 65: Atlas America and Atlas Premium America are the plans that cover pre-existing up to age 80. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive cover up to the age of 89.

Please note that any existing condition that is considered chronic is excluded from coverage. It is recommended to purchase comprehensive travel medical insurance plans as opposed to a Fixed benefit insurance plan due to it's limited coverage.

When choosing the best insurance for visiting parents with chronic illnesses in the US, several factors influence the cost of the plan:

• Age of the traveler: The visitors medical insurance cost increases with the age the traveler. Insurance plans for parents above 65 would be more expensive than the younger travelers, with pre-existing conditions.
• Type of visitor insurance: Comprehensive travel insurance offers exhaustive coverage with higher medical limits are more expensive than fixed benefit travel insurance that are more affordable.
• Medical maximum coverage and deductible options: Plans with higher coverage limits (e.g., $50,000, $100,000, or $1,000,000) will generally cost more. while higher deductibles lower it — but with more out-of-pocket costs before coverage starts.
• Destination: The US has expensive healthcare costs in the world, so insurance plans for travel to the US are generally more expensive than those covering other countries like Canada or Europe.
• Duration of Coverage: The cost of the trip insurance directly depends upon the length of travel.
• Pre-Existing conditions coverage: Plans that cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions or offer full pre-existing condition coverage (like INF insurance plans) are usually cost higher.

When choosing a visitor health insurance plans covering pre-existing conditions for seniors, it’s essential to be aware of the important factors such as:

• Age restrictions: Most of the visitors insurance plans limit coverage for elderly travelers. Check the maximum eligible age for pre-existing condition coverage, as some plans offer limited benefits after 70, 80, or 89 years.
• Pre-Existing Conditions coverage limits: Check the maximum medical coverage provided particularly for the acute onset coverage. There are plans that cover up to the policy maximum and others that have a limit of $20,000 to $40,000 depending on the age of the traveler.
• Definition of ‘Acute Onset’: Read carefully how the insurance company defines “acute onset of a pre-existing condition”. This means a sudden, unexpected recurrence requiring immediate treatment. Chronic condition flare-ups that are not sudden or unexpected may not be covered.
• Exclusions and Waiting periods: Review what not covered under the plan. Some plans do not cover routine checkups, prescription refills, or ongoing treatments for known conditions. Some may also have waiting periods before coverage begins.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation: Look if the plan includes emergency evacuation to the nearest medical facility if needed and repatriation of remains in case of death. These are significant benefits for elderly travelers, particularly for those with health risks.
• Renewability: Check if the policy offers the flexibility to be extended if the trip is longer than planned or if you require ongoing medical care.

The look-back period in visitors medical insurance is considered as an important factor in determining eligibility for coverage. It is the timeframe before the policy’s start date during which the insurer reviews your medical history to determine conditions that may be considered as pre-existing. Chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, pregnancy, and cancer are usually considered as pre-existing conditions, even if they occur outside the look back period. These conditions require ongoing care, indicating they existed before the policy's effective date. Usually the look back period ranges between 60 to 180 days to 1 to 3 years depending upon on the plan or the insurance provider. If a medical condition is treated or the symptoms is identified in that timeframe then it is considered as a pre-existing medical conditions.

Travel insurance from the USA is the best option for Indian parents visiting the US due to these key advantages:

• US-based insurers are highly regulated, offering reliable protection for travelers.
• US plans integrate seamlessly with local healthcare providers, reducing out-of-pocket costs and allowing for direct billing.
• US doctors and hospitals are more likely to accept insurance from US-based companies, ensuring better access to care.
• 24/7 emergency assistance aligned with US time zones.
• US insurance plans provide comprehensive coverage, including for the acute onset of pre-existing conditions, ideal for visitors.
• Allows for easy renewals and extensions, ensuring continuous coverage for longer stays.

Buying travel insurance from India might have limited coverage, lack of regulations, and difficulties in navigating medical care and filing claims in the USA.

When you're traveling to USA from India, dealing with a sudden medical emergency is traumatic enough. Having Cashless US travel insurance will help you settle these issues without worrying about paying huge bills upfront. With a cashless US visitor insurance, the insurance company will directly settle the eligible medical expenses with the hospital and you can just focus on getting well while not worrying about the finances. Find the most reliable, affordable, and widely accepted cashless insurance for travel to USA, so that you can travel smart and worry-free.

Even if some visitors insurance covering acute onset of pre-existing conditions for parents there are few important exclusions. These plans do not cover:

• Regular maintenance of an existing condition (eg: daily insulin for diabetes, blood pressure checks, or dialysis)
• Unexpected or planned care for the existing condition such as scheduled follow ups, procedure or surgery.
• Regular medication refill costs for chronic illnesses.
• Preventive care or wellness checkups for the condition.
• Pregnancy and childbirth if the traveler was already pregnant before start date of the policy.
• Chronic condition flare-ups that are not sudden or unexpected (e.g., an increase in blood sugar for a diabetic over time)
• Medical costs after the initial 24 to 48 hours of the acute event, depending on the plan.
• Conditions diagnosed prior to the look-back period but not disclosed, if the insurer is required to be disclosed.
• Medical conditions in travelers over the age limit set by the plan (eg: Most of the plans offer coverage for acute onset under the age of 70 years)