Laura,
Check your insurance policy.... I was happy to discover several things:
1. My policy had a worldwide rider
2. Quirón Hospital was on the approved list
(There were hospitals in Germany that were also on the approved list)
We filed a claim through the worldwide company in January and included as much information as possible, a letter of medical necessity, a cover letter discribing the full treatment that I had undergone prior to surgery and the verbiage
that the procedure is not considered experimental in Europe. To our complete delight & surprise we recieved a check for 60% of the medical, surgical & hospital costs. We made to attempt to be reimbursed for our personal expenses, accommodations and travel. The reimbursement was a huge relief, especially since my income was way down since the auto accident.... It felt like a gift!!
Laura, it was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make. I talked with several doctors, both abroad and here in the states. The consensus was the best option was ADR. I based my decision on many factors, including hospital atmosphere, country traditions and which doctor best fit me & my personality. I knew I wanted and needed a doctor who was nurturing & compassionate as well as skilled. I also spoke with patients who had surgery by the doctors and quizzed them on their experiences. We even went so far as to travel to meet one person face to face so BOTH I and my husband could be more comfortable making the decision. From my research, I think you are looking at very skilled surgeons - pick the one that "fits you the best".
Hopefully this helps... Feel free to message me if I can assist further.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJ Gene
LauraB, I wanted to mention a couple things that you might want to be aware of. First of all Skype offers an unlimited calling plan to Europe for $99.00 a year. If you sign up for it, you basically have a U.S. number that you dial from a select set of phone numbers (I have three, our home phone, my cell phone, and my wife's cell phone). Once you dial that number it prompts you to dial the full international phone number you are calling. I found this invaluable when trying to get in touch with European surgeons. I guarantee you that a telephone call will save you a lot of time in communicating with any of them.
Additionally, although your medical costs will be expensive, it will be tax deductible on Schedule A of your tax return to the extent it exceeds 10% of your adjusted gross income. The threshold used to be 7.5%, but for 2013 and going forward it is 10%. That means that all medical (and travel/lodging) costs will be tax deducible to the extent it exceeds 10%. Because your procedure will probably bring you above that threshold, you can deduct all out-of-pocket medical costs that you incur at home as well (i.e. doctor copays, prescription drug copays, mental health not covered by ins, acupuncture, massage, etc). If you file a joint return, all expenses by your spouse in this category count too. If you have children as dependents, their costs also count. Understand that this will be like Uncle Sam paying for 25% to 30% of your surgery in the form of tax breaks. Also know that you can never bring your income to down to a negative amount. If you can bring it down to zero, you will get a refund of all of your tax withholdings from your job as well as your spouse's next year when you file your return. If you have further questions on this, feel free to send me a PM or contact your personal accountant.
Gene
|