As a Texas physician, you understand the importance of having access to life-saving medical care should an emergency situation occur. Whether you are an extensive distance from home or traveling internationally, it is hard to know where the nearest medical facility is located. In addition, communication with medical personnel or evacuation to a better-equipped medical outfit can be tricky and expensive if you’re not adequately prepared. For situations such as these, it is crucial to consider arming yourself and your family with medical evacuation coverage.

Experiencing any type of crisis while in unfamiliar territory can be frightening as well as costly. In fact, according to MedjetAssist, people who face an emergency and need immediate medical treatment or evacuation can pay between $10,000 and $25,000 if not properly protected. Medical treatment or evacuation from a foreign country can skyrocket to $100,000 or more if one does not have evacuation coverage.

To better protect yourself, consider obtaining a medical evacuation coverage plan from MedjetAssist. These types of plans provide medical coverage, air evacuation services and medical transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility or a hospital of your choice (depending on your coverage). It can also bring you and your family back home safely if anyone suffers from an illness, injury or accident. Think of these coverage options as emergency evacuation insurance that travels with you.

There are many aspects of medical evacuation insurance you should familiarize yourself with. For starters, depending on the type of plan you choose, you could have access to a variety of benefits such as:

• The ability to be transported from a location, domestic or foreign, to a hospital of your choice;

• Direct access to a medically equipped long-range aircraft;

• Customized plans for college students and specific age groups;

• Specialized coverage if you will be in a foreign country for an extended period;

• Short and long-term programs;

• Personalized travel advisories offering inside information on the safety of specific locales.

With MedjetAssist, you are provided medical transfer regardless of medical necessity. You can also determine which hospital you would like be transferred to.

In addition, MedjetAssist provides medical transfers anywhere in the United States and internationally, as long as you are more than 150 miles away from home. MedjetAssist members have the option of multiple membership levels, including:

1. Regular Membership – An ideal annual membership for those up to age 75 who travel domestically and internationally. Members are provided protection for trips up to 90 consecutive days outside of their respective country.

2. Short-term Membership – Perfect for U.S. residents who need short-term, 24 hours a day coverage for a selected period of dates.

3. Expatriate Membership – These are available to those up to age 75 who are traveling from their home for an extended period, more than 90 consecutive days, outside of their respective country.

4. Domestic U.S. 48 Membership – If you travel domestically on a regular basis, this is the membership for you. This plan is tailored to U.S. residents up to the age of 75 who travel more than 150 miles away from their home within the contiguous 48 United States.

5. Collegiate Membership – Specifically designed for academic faculty and university students who are traveling more than 150 miles from home, these memberships range from domestic based to extended international based studies. Ask your knowledgeable advisor about specific packages.

6. Diamond Membership – The ideal plan for those between the ages of 75 and 84, these memberships require a short medical questionnaire and approval.

If you travel domestically or internationally, do not assume medical insurance, travel insurance or credit cards can meet your needs if an emergency situation should arise. Medical evacuation coverage is an affordable and solid way to protect yourself and your family.

Plus, many of these memberships have no limit on the cost of medical transport and no pre-existing condition exclusions. Costs are based on age, type of plan, length of travel and optional add-ons. While everyone hopes for a safe and pleasant travel experience with no unexpected mishaps, having some form of medical evacuation coverage can save you time, money and give you access to emergency medical care when you need it.