Originally Posted by
radonc1
Perhaps they used the term "private provider" in order to explicitly differentiate from public or national health care systems???
In many countries, private providers are far superior to the facilities and physicians available to the general populous. (An example might be Mexico, perhaps).
You are correct that these providers would need to certify the ability to care for all levels of Covid infection. At the same time, the passengers would have to certify to having the means to pay for the care (insurance proof or surety bond).
A contrary example would be Canada where private health care is except for specific exclusions not permitted. The COVID patient dumped on a nation by a cruise line would become the responsibility of the government at some stage. The prospect of a single Canadian being denied an ICU bed or a ventilator because the space was being occupied by a leisure cruiser dumped on us by the cruise lines is, to put it mildly, not acceptable.
What the cruise lines don't suggest is improving their onboard medical care facilities to include ICU capability to care for a gravely ill COVID patient. Much easier to deposit them on shore and sail off into the sunset.