Petition To Stop Travel Insurance Companies Denying Immediate Care To Stoke And Heart Attack Patients

If you have five minutes spare PLEASE could you sign this very important petition. I understand it is more important to me than others, BUT this is a situation that could happen to ANYONE who travels abroad after taking out travel insurance.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-travel-insurance-companies-denying-immediate-strok.html

As current policies stand, if you are taken ill on holiday and your GP back in your home country cannot be contacted YOU WILL be refused care. In the case of serious illness, particularly stroke and heart attacks this is NOT acceptable. Immediate care is required and should be given. Heart attacks kill. Stroke kills...Time is brain!

Thank you in advance to anyone who does take the time to contribute, sign or sharing this petition.

Oooops please forgive the typo in title...should read STROKE. But cannot edit it  :)

If in Europe, surely this is where the EHIC card (formerly the E111) comes into its own? Don't leave home witout it...

Just a point but if you have an existing EHIC card you might want to check that it is still valid... with a validity of five years its easy to forget to renew it...

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Hi Foxbat

Unfortunately it was in Turkey (non EEA/EU), so my EHIC card/E111 was not useable. No matter where I travel, even if in Europe I take extra fully comprehensive cover no matter what.

This was purely denial of care and repatriation despite having medical cover and repatriation as standard. Sadly, this was a case of being cheaper for me to die and be buried in Turkey at a cost of 400 lira (approx £160 then) than thousands for brain surgery, care teams, hotels for lengthy recuperation, special aircraft home etc.

Luckily, I survived two strokes(a third of people who suffer my kind of stroke die on the spot) and still cost them a fortune for the special aircraft and intensive care team...sadly with disabilities and a death sentence I wouldn't have, had they fullfilled their obligations immediately.

This is not an isolated case either (one guy was in Spain with a heart attack but he did not mention his EHIC card, his was again private insurance)...and it must not happen to others.

Thank you for taking time to read it Foxbat  :)

elviriadreamer

On the basis of what you have told us, I'm pleased to have signed your petition.

More than happy to sign this petition, it's a disgrace that this non treatment could happen anywhere in the modern world regardless of where, This insurance company is not fit to sell it's products and should be exposed as not worth the paper it's written on

Steve Varney

 I am so sorry to hear about your stroke. However, you may find it difficult to get insured in the future as you have a pre existing condition. I had a major heart attack and find it impossible to get cover when I declare my condition. So just take out basic cover, in case something else happens, and hope E111 will help if I have a further problem. Kevin

Hi Steve...Thank you so much for signing the petition. Every signature really does count. It will run until 31 Dec 2011 when I will then present it to our government. Your comment also was appreciated. These people don't mind taking premiums but when faced with a life or death patient denial of care to anyone (not just me) is not acceptable. Many thanks :)

Hi Kevin...Try AXIA, they are for people with pre existing conditions and are very good (last year in Turkey I was taken ill and had no probs receiving immediate care/scans etc in fact they even waived my £150 excess). Yes I do struggle as costs for me are now through the roof as I have only had a curative procedure on one rupture so will continue to have leaks/bleeds. The other artery was beyond repair and couldn't be coiled or stented. As you will know having a heart condition (sorry for you too) we are not favoured by insurers. Thank you so much for taking the time to sign and wish you a healthy future  :)

THANK YOU to others, I think may be from here who have also signed...your support and comments are appreciated. Kindness from strangers is unmeasurable. Many thanks  :) 

Sorry to hear of your problem but thank you for bringing it out

Regards

Norman

Hi Norman

Thank you for signing!  I am glad I have brought it out too (but no thanks needed) as we now have 4 cases of denial of immediate care for stroke or heart attack.

Luckily we are all alive, but it is not acceptable. I wonder just how many more will come forward and state their case before the petition ends.

Anyone who wants their specific case highlighted is welcome to to contact me to arrange doing so.

Thanks again your support is appreciated  :)