Travel Products - MedjetAssist vs International SOS & Amex

Wondering the merits of MedjetAssist vs Int"l SOS and Amex as it would relate to getting members out of remote parts of the world "home"

Look forward to receiving your input

You are not comparing things that are equal. MedJet Assist is not the same at all as the Am Ex travel insurance. My employer used to provide me with Am Ex but I now have to pay for it myself and plan to let it go. I am looking for a good deal to buy MedJet Assist.

I don't recall exactly how much it is but you can get a slight discount with MedJet through AARP.

I can't speak to specifically to International SOS but this is what my employer has for the whole office, which only does international travel.

I have co-workers that have needed their services and said that it was outstanding.

Sorry I don't have much information but I believe the office plan we have is very comprehensive.

I don't recall exactly how much it is but you can get a slight discount with MedJet through AARP.

I'll look that up.

I haven't used the med evac services of International SOS but I think some searching will find that they got their clients out of Lebanon during the war there about 6 or 7 years ago before the US government got people out.

I have used them though and they found me a US trained doc that could do malaria testing in Livingston Zambia. They told me on the phone from their JBN office that if they couldn't do that they might have to fly me out based on my symptoms. Fortunately they found the doc and it was something else that he treated. I also got very good phone help from them in Cambodia. I have found them to be very, very good overall.

I use Travel Nomads. I've, luckily, not had to use them, but they have a great rep and do the whole monty for evac/health insurance.

Hi Moiami,
My name is Irem and I am part of the MedjetAssist team. I'd like to help you with your question. Contrary to common belief, credit card programs and health insurance do not cover travelers as extensively as a medical evacuation program does. MedjetAssist is the premier global air-medical transport membership program for travelers. If a member is hospitalized more than 150 miles from home—virtually anywhere in the world—MedjetAssist reviews his or her condition with the attending medical staff and arranges medical transportation to the hospital of their choice at no additional cost.

Here is a comparison of Medjet benefits with other services per your question: http://medjetassist.com/membership/comparingservices.aspx
For more information on Medjet programs:http://medjetassist.com/
Best,
MedjetTeam

Hi Moiami,
My name is Irem and I am part of the MedjetAssist team. I'd like to help you with your question. Contrary to common belief, credit card programs and health insurance do not cover travelers as extensively as a medical evacuation program does. MedjetAssist is the premier global air-medical transport membership program for travelers. If a member is hospitalized more than 150 miles from home—virtually anywhere in the world—MedjetAssist reviews his or her condition with the attending medical staff and arranges medical transportation to the hospital of their choice at no additional cost.

Here is a comparison of Medjet benefits with other services per your question: http://medjetassist.com/membership/comparingservices.aspx
For more information on Medjet programs:http://medjetassist.com/
Best,
MedjetTeam

This is what we are going to purchase.

The one time I have needed International SOS, they were less than useless.

Any specifics you can share? Could be helpful to other members.

The one time I have needed International SOS, they were less than useless.

The one time I have needed International SOS, they were less than useless.

very interested to know more about what happened with Int'l SOS

very interested to know more about what happened with Int'l SOS

Yes, because I needed them twice, once in Zambia and once in Cambodia and they were very helpful.

Speaking as someone "in the business", I can say that ISOS has excellent clincal standards and usually very good equipment but they pay pretty poorly.

I've done some work for them in the past and hold them in fairly high regard but would only now do occasional short term gigs when I'm bored. This is purely for financial reasons. Why would I work on day rates of $500 when I could double or triple that by working for the competition?

The reason I bring this up is that it directly reflects on their staff retention and that reflects on the quality of their product. If ISOS hire quality staff (and they do...) but the staff don't stick around long enough to become intimately familiar with ISOS procedures it can negatively impact on the overall outcome (NOT the patient's CLINICAL outcome)....

Just my two cents worth....

Any specifics you can share? Could be helpful to other members.

very interested to know more about what happened with Int'l SOS

Yes, because I needed them twice, once in Zambia and once in Cambodia and they were very helpful.

The abridged version is that my wife needed some time-critical surgery and the hospital we chose to have the surgery at requested payment in advance (we don't have German health insurance and they do not trust an American insurance company to pay). Per their policy, our insurance provider was unwilling to pay in advance and suggested we use International SOS to arrange for payment since "International SOS has relationships with hospitals throughout Germany". International SOS's solution was to send my wife to Frankfurt for her surgery at a hospital that is 3+ hours away by train and doesn't have her doctor. I told them that this was unacceptable and asked that they come up with a more reasonable solution. They never called me back.

In the end, we bit the bullet, paid for the surgery ourselves, and are hoping that our insurance will actually pay what they are supposed to.

I had a bad experience with International SOS; others here have had positive experiences and I hope that yours will be positive as well.

I've written about this question several times in this forum. MedjetAssist is the only evacuation coverage worth having, this is according to the owner or an evacuation ambulance service that transported my husband 3 years ago. The one hour flight cost $8,000 and that was in 2009. The woman was adamant that all the other companies are difficult to work with and try hard to renege on coverage provisions. I wouldn't even consider traveling overseas without MedjetAssist "membership."

I've written about this question several times in this forum. MedjetAssist is the only evacuation coverage worth having, this is according to the owner or an evacuation ambulance service that transported my husband 3 years ago. The one hour flight cost $8,000 and that was in 2009. The woman was adamant that all the other companies are difficult to work with and try hard to renege on coverage provisions. I wouldn't even consider traveling overseas without MedjetAssist "membership."

We have decided to purchase MedJetAssist.

MedJet is available to US/Can/Mex residents only.

Only time I needed it, Int'l SOS successfully med-evac'd me from Russia to Finland in the early-90's with no-hassle. All arranged by my travel insurance provider.

how do you compare this with bupa + amex plat ?

I had to use MedJet two years ago to evac my wife from Maui to So Calif. Could not speak more highly of their service. It was outstanding and there never was an issue with coverage. Would not travel without it. Hopefully one never needs it and it just provides peace of mind. That was my thought until I needed to use them. Thank god they were there when needed.

I had to use MedJet two years ago to evac my wife from Maui to So Calif. Could not speak more highly of their service. It was outstanding and there never was an issue with coverage. Would not travel without it. Hopefully one never needs it and it just provides peace of mind. That was my thought until I needed to use them. Thank god they were there when needed.

What happen to your wife?

A medical diagnois of lung cancer and blood clots in the lungs. She was on oxygen from admit at Maui General. Admit was Wed, transport was Saturday night. MedJet had a plane flown from mainland to Maui so there was a need to give flight crew required rest. The RN and RT visited wife at Hospital to check all was in order Sat morning and the pilot came by to introduse himself around noon time. Nice touch . They could not have been more caring or professional.

sorry to hear that. I was thinking in a bicycle accident or similar.

Old Penny, if you are still looking for Mejet at a discount and you are a member of aarp, then they have a deal. Use the url http://www.medjet.com/aarp to get to the right form.

Old Penny, if you are still looking for Mejet at a discount and you are a member of aarp, then they have a deal. Use the url http://www.medjet.com/aarp to get to the right form.

Since AARP is only $16 a year, and since anyone can join AARP, it's worth doing if you are going to pay for medjet.

We are the actual Inflight Medical team that comes and gets you for medical repatriation aboard commercial airlines. Evacuating you in First/Business Class, when AMEX, IntlSOS and other Assistance Companies get your frantic, OMG call. Remember, no matter who the Assistance or Travel Insurance Co. they are not the actual healthcare provider. That is subcontracted out to company like mine. MedJet Assist is one of the few exceptions where everything is in house. Our team members are NOT "hospital nurses". Our team is all former military, highly skilled and experienced at worldwide operating. All work full-time as "firefighter/medics on the street" or in helos and lear jets as flight nurses and medics, completing international medical escort jobs as a "side job".

Jim

We are the actual Inflight Medical team that comes and gets you for medical repatriation aboard commercial airlines. Evacuating you in First/Business Class, when AMEX, IntlSOS and other Assistance Companies get your frantic, OMG call. Remember, no matter who the Assistance or Travel Insurance Co. they are not the actual healthcare provider. That is subcontracted out to company like mine. MedJet Assist is one of the few exceptions where everything is in house. Our team members are NOT "hospital nurses". Our team is all former military, highly skilled and experienced at worldwide operating. All work full-time as "firefighter/medics on the street" or in helos and lear jets as flight nurses and medics, completing international medical escort jobs as a "side job".

Jim

Welcome! Excellent to have your input. From your side of the service, do you think there is a difference between the insurance companies? MedJet seems to be obviously different, what about the others?

Old Penny, if you are still looking for Mejet at a discount and you are a member of aarp, then they have a deal. Use the url http://www.medjet.com/aarp to get to the right form.

I'm getting used to asking for 'Senior' discounts. Now that I am a really qualified senior!

We are the actual Inflight Medical team that comes and gets you for medical repatriation aboard commercial airlines. Evacuating you in First/Business Class, when AMEX, IntlSOS and other Assistance Companies get your frantic, OMG call. Remember, no matter who the Assistance or Travel Insurance Co. they are not the actual healthcare provider. That is subcontracted out to company like mine. MedJet Assist is one of the few exceptions where everything is in house. Our team members are NOT "hospital nurses". Our team is all former military, highly skilled and experienced at worldwide operating. All work full-time as "firefighter/medics on the street" or in helos and lear jets as flight nurses and medics, completing international medical escort jobs as a "side job".

Jim

It is very good to hear how this does work.

None of us are getting any younger.