I'd be more concerned about this: Martinsville couple forced to pay $30K to bring home premature baby from Mexico
Not sure how this is story is at all related, but on a side note you aren't supposed to fly in your 3rd trimester. So there is a bit of operator error in this one. Zero sympathy from me.
I honestly do not know what to say about this. Get travel insurance, I guess. A couple hundred dollars and the second that baby was out they would have been on a plane coming back. Not to mention maybe stay home. I wonder if her Dr approved of the travel or tried to tell them not to go. Whatever.
The relationship between this episode and the tainted alcohol issue is that there appears to be some kind of collusion between "whoever" and the hospital that is contracted with the all-inclusives to treat visitors to the resorts. Get sick or injured due to tainted alcohol or whatever? Better have insurance for the trip because the hospital isn't going to honor what you have in the U.S., probably not for any country for that matter. Lesson learned. I question the couples decision to leave the county as well, but in no way should they have been subjected to what they experienced in Cancun. 99 and 44/100ths of the visitors to anywhere in Mexico will probably never experience what these folks have. Just make sure you're not one of the exceptions. Another more comprehensive article on the matter: Premature baby held in Mexican hospital until bill was paid arrives in U.S. This still doesn't address they way those sick or injured during their visit are treated and directed to Hospiten in Cancun.
Private hospitals expect to be paid for services rendered and care provided. I'm sure the care and treatment for a premature baby of that age and the mother doesn't come cheap. I once had a surgical procedure at a hospital in Houston and had to pay $15k usd up front. Why should it be any different in Mexico?
Ok... I admit.. I was off on the trimester sorry. (I know nothing of pregnancy - lol), but all the reports said she had been cleared by her doc.
This is what I keep thinking when I read these stories, When you travel to any other country our insurance does not cover there. It is not really the countries fault but the insurance. I am not saying that they should cover it but unless you purchase coverage that it is included. People freak out and think they should get it and get it for free but how the hell does that work, It does not. This is why travel insurance is important for people traveling that are at a higher risk. She was at a higher risk for sure being pregnant at all, She should have had coverage if she did not want to pay out of pocket. If the hospital did everything for her and she left the country how could they ever get paid. I feel like this was a bunch of rambling but my thoughts are all over the place with this.
When we were at TTR we spent way more on tips than what our travel insurance cost for the both of us, it's peace of mind and not real expensive. Insure your trip for the bare minimum to keep the costs down. Let's say a week at TTR with airfare cost you 3k we would insure it for 1.5 to 2K max and play with the trip cost online to see where the best deals are. T
