Saturday, March 5, 2011

CUBAN HEALTH INSURANCE New Rules

Cuban Health Insurance

Cuban Tourists Must Buy Health, Travel and Medical Insurance
Tourist travelling to Cuba will soon have no choice for travel health insurance. The Cuban government has passed a law that requires all touruist to ahve some from of Cuban Health insurance and Cuban travel insurance before they are allowed to vacation in Cuba.

They may buy full health insurance when they land in CUba or face having to buy an alternative communist travel insurance policy. All tourist must show a copy of Proof of medical coverage from 2010 onwards. Cuba's Ministry of Tourism headquarters via the Tourist Bureau in Canada notified tour operators today with promises of further details regarding the new policy. About 3 million tourist visited the island paradise of Fidel Castro last year, according to the ministry of Cuban tourism.

In future, if tourist arrive without coverage, a Cuban insurance company will sell them medical coverage at an airport, port or marina. Cuba government sources said about 20 per cent of visitors now arrive without coverage. Tourist Bureau employees assure touruist that Cuba will not force its insurance policies on anyone with individual or group travel health insurance coverage from Canada. Tourism is a major source of Cuba’s foreign exchange earnings.  Cuba would offer older tourist coverage they could not find or afford in thier own country because of pre-existing medical conditions.  Cuba would help keep a lid on runaway capitalist prices, by doing do a mass pooling of risk, yet shockingly we discover highly selective exclusions, worse than in this country.
CUBA HAS GOOD HEALTH CARE
Fidel Castro, president of Cuba, at a meeting ...Image via WikipediaFidel Casto has always supported teh Cuban Health Care System. Health insurance  and education have always been one of his top priorities for the People of Cuba.

Cuba is a vacation paradise that is known for its long, warm beaches and its low-cost, high-quality medical personnel.  Hospitals do not necessarily have the most modern equipment thanks to America’s embargo on trade with Cuba.  But some of Cuba’s 2.4 million annual visitors travel there to get medical care.  The CIA of the USA states that Cuba pays for oil imports by supplying about 40,000 Cuban Doctors and nurses to Venezuela. Cuba could apply its mass health care system to design a low-cost medical plan for tourists.

Many tourists have complained that most, though not all, emergency medical coverage is priced as though everyone is going to the United States, with its high-cost medical care.  Cuba does offer bare-bones medical policies that would be no match for other health care insurance and travel policies. Charges are estimated at $2.70. a day for up to $7,558 of medical emergency insurance with additional types of coverage that charge about $3.24 a day for $27,000 of medical coverage and $7,558 for transportation of deceased, injured or sick persons.

That compares with $1.81 a day or $16 a week for cuban tourist to get $5 million of medical coverage from any other international travel and health insurers. Meanwhile, a seniors aged 70 to 74, would pay $6.36 a day for a short trip any where in Cuba. Cuban heath care insurance policies would provide enough coverage for the vast majority of illnesses while vacationing in Cuba.

Travel and medical insurance coverage would be limited for someone who suffered such a serious injury or illness that they required care in the United States before returning to Canada, he said.  Cuban insurance will not assume payment for treatment of pre-existing medical conditions, known or unknown to the insured tourist. You could pay the modest premium and discover later you have no coverage when you need it.

Warning to all tourist traveling to Cuba. Don’t leave home without proper Health Insurance and travel coverage.
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