const3

Weekend WSJ last week had a piece comparing the various medical evacuation services one may sign up for. They mentioned the benefit comes free with Amex Plat. I did a quick search here and while I found various mentions of it, I am wondering if anyone can point me to the full description of the service and share any thoughts on it. Thanks.

idealguru

there is very little discussion i have found online.

this was also touted as the benefit of the mbna platinum amex (free for first year)

I have the benefits package and remember reading about these benefits.

NickW

I don't know about the Platinum card, but the UK Centurion card covers up to £5M in emergency medical assistance expenses including repatriation/evacuation expenses. What precisely do you want to know? I have the policy details here.

gleff

Is it for the cardholder under any circumstances, or only when travel is purchased with the card?

Is it for the cardholder only, or any ticket the cardholder purchases? (e.g. for self and family)

NickW

It covers the cardholder, their dependent children under the age of 23 and any supplementary cardholders. It applies to all travel, up to 240 days per year.

robin

Here's the blurb from Amex Plat's website benefits page:
quote Premium Global Assist® Hotline
Whenever you travel, have peace of mind knowing that you have 24/7 medical, legal, financial, and other emergency assistance while traveling more than 100 miles from home. We can direct you to English-speaking medical and legal professionals and arrange for a transfer to a more appropriate medical facility, even if an air ambulance is required. We can also help you with prescription replacements, emergency hotel check-ins and cash access, lost luggage, and more. New additions to this program include assistance with lost or stolen passports, Card cancellation, and emergency Card replacement.5

5. The Premium Global Assist Hotline must arrange all medical and visitor transportation. Because the Premium Global Assist Hotline is an assistance service, we cannot reimburse you for expenses you incur on your own.
unquote

Although not stated, in the past you had to have charged your airline/train tickets with an Amex Plat card in order to be eligible.

const3

Thanks for all your responses. Here is the link to the PDF I found on the AMEX site: http://amex.tgclientservices.com/doc...obalAssist.pdf.

It doesn't answer all the questions, but gives some more details. Its is my understanding that both Plat and Centurion cardholders getPremium Global Assist and it is not rquired that the tickets are charged to the card...

mia

"Premium Global Assist offers everything Global Express and Global Express Plus offers, as well as:
Emergency Medical Transportation Assistance
In the event that you or another covered family member becomes injured or ill while traveling, the Global Assist medical department will not only assess your need and coordinate your transportation, but they’ll also pay for the cost of the transport to the nearest appropriate medical facility."

Note that transportation to the "nearest appropriate" facility is not the same as transportation home.

dennis

gator96

As a Platinum member I will freely admit that when traveling abroad, if I'm ever involved in a medical or legal emergency, the first number I call or person I think of won't be American Express. I can picture it now, a man begins to suffer the first symptoms of a heart attack and says, "quick! Someone please call American Express!"

Phoenician Aviator

LOL, a very good point.

But, this benefit comes into play in at least a couple of somewhat likely scenarios:

1) You're at a shoddy hospital in a remote spot of a country. You need care beyond the facilities of that place. AMEX will pay for you to be taken to the nearest appropriate facility, which saves you money. They consult with the treating physician, so really, this is only a useful benefit if you're conscious and able to call AMEX!

2) They'll bring a relative/close friend to be with you if you're seriously injured or ill. Again, you'd need to be able to make the call!

Phoenician Aviator

It's for the cardholder under any circumstances. It also covers additional Platinum cardholders on the same account.

const3

I don't agree. If you get sick on some remote island in South East Asia, you may call anyone you want, but there is little they will be able to do for you. Paying for an airlift yourself will mean atleast $10,000 plus you have to figure out where the appropriate facility is. If they do that, its a meaningfull benefit for those of us who travel a lot to somewhat exotic destinations...Thats just my 2 cents. According to the WSJ article I mentioned in the op, people pay several hundred dollars per year for a similar benefit on a stand alone basis.

mia

<<people pay several hundred dollars per year for a similar benefit on a stand alone basis>>

Yes I do, because the similarity is superficial. American Express will only transport to "nearest appropriate medical facility". Medjet will move you to your home hospital, or elsewhere that you choose, and they will do this even if there is no medical necessity to move. They have a side-by-side feature comparison with American Express Platinum here.

dennis

jerry crump

This benefit has limitations such as valid only during the first 90 days of a trip. When you get the card there is a very lenghtly description of the onditions.

johnny_lats

I actually used to work for the company that provides the medical benefit for AMEX and I think most people will find it more than adequate for their needs. And it is certainly something worth having - we got calls from people with nothing but the "assistance" benefit - which means basically we would "assist" them find a company that would do the evac and they would pay out of pocket. The thing to remember here is that we are talking a "medical" benefit - which comes with enormous liability considerations. AMEX is not going to have a company provide you with a sub-standard (read less than American) quality of service because of the danger of litigation.