Here is What you should do if you have a medical emergency while abroad on vacation?
Many citizens go on a trip during their summer vacations to rest, get to know other places, live new experiences, etc. This plan can go awry when one of the travelers falls ill or suffers a mishap and needs medical help. But can you go to the emergency room in any country in the world? Is specific documentation or insurance required? All these doubts arise, on occasions, when the trip has already begun and a mishap has occurred for which a citizen needs emergency assistance.
When a citizen urgently requires medical services, the first thing to do is contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate to find out how to act. The health systems are different between the countries of the European Union, in some, it is possible that you have to pay for the treatment directly to the hospital.
However, within the EU the situation will be easier if you carry the European Health Card (EHIC) with you. This document grants the right to receive health care when you are temporarily in a country of the European Union, exactly in these: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The card is obtained at the Social Security Service and Information Centers.
As mentioned above, in some places healthcare is not free, so the cost of the consultation or treatment must be paid in advance, later these expenses will be reimbursed, as long as the center is public and not private.
However, in emergency situations, it is recommended to have the cash to be able to bear the expenses at first.
Now, if the trip to be made is somewhere in Africa, Brazil, or India, among others, greater caution will have to be taken since they are considered high-risk destinations for a tourist to get sick.
This is due to infectious diseases, poor hygiene, and poor quality of health services.
On most trips, especially if they are too high-risk countries, it is recommended to take out medical insurance abroad or travel assistance insurance, which covers medical expenses and also guarantees the transfer to the country of origin of the traveler. affected.
Regarding these medical insurances, it is advisable to review the policy before contracting it, both the particular conditions and the general conditions, since all the assumptions are never covered.
Only what is stated in the policy will be covered, which usually applies, in the general conditions, both exclusions and economic limits.
