On Call Travel Protection offers emergency air evacuation services to you or your family while on vacation or exchange, plus other valuable medical and travel related services. For Gold and Villa Preferred Access members only: the standard program is included as part of your membership. Members may upgrade to the full insurance program for only $15 additional at the time you pay your maintenance fee. For non Gold and VPA Members, you may purchase this insurance for $44.99.
In a time of medical crisis, member Stephen Sherner was glad that this important benefit was available to him. Here is a summary of his recent experience, and how On Call was there to assist him:
“I had the very unfortunate experience of becoming seriously ill shortly after arrival in Cabo before New Year’s. I was treated by the doctors from the Centro Medico Cabo San Lucas with whom the Villa Group in Cabo has a relationship, who at first made “house calls” to the resort. Ultimately, I spent a week in their clinic. The doctors all spoke acceptable English and served as translators to their staff as necessary. Cash was required to pay for the “house call” and a credit card deposit was necessary at the clinic. Their facilities were very clean and their staff competent. Their equipment is not state of the art by US standards, such as film X-rays vs digital imaging, but acceptable. Ultimately, I had abdominal surgery at the Mayo clinic in Minnesota. The doctors there indicated that the treatment performed in Cabo was similar to what they’d have done, and that the Cabo doctors’ conclusion of a bowel blockage was spot on.
Once admitted to the clinic in Cabo my wife contacted On Call. They were very responsive and helpful. Forms were sent to Villa del Arco to allow access to my medical information. They had nearly daily contact with the clinic and my wife on diagnosis and prognosis, and whether medical evacuation was needed. On Call put my wife in contact with our primary insurer to open a case file, and are sending us forms to submit a reimbursement claim for any medical or extra transport costs we incurred that our primary insurer doesn’t cover – nearly $16,000 in Cabo! By the way, when looking at the medevac options it would have cost $5,000 to nearest US facility and over $10,000 to Mayo.
The management and staff at VDA were very concerned, supportive, and helpful throughout my ordeal. UVC went above and beyond to help us change and cancel reservations we obviously couldn’t use. My recovery is progressing well and we’re already discussing reservations for early 2016 as we miss our Villa del Arco friends and the warm weather in Cabo!
Steve Sherner
Member Advisory Committee
UVC International 