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International Assistance Any topics relating to traveling or communicating with international treatment locations are here.


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  #1  
Old 03-04-2013, 08:44 PM
Lillyth's Avatar
Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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Default Accessing Your Money in Europe

Our Bank of America card carries the special chip that makes it work in Europe, but our Wells Fargo cards do not. Any tips on accessing our money while in Spain? Did any of you have trouble?
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Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
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  #2  
Old 03-04-2013, 09:10 PM
annapurna annapurna is offline
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We used standard ATM cards and didn't have any problems. We did check with our bank to ensure that they would permit overseas use but didn't really run into any problems in all of the locations we tried. The biggest hiccup was making sure we found an ATM that had English as a option for the instructions.
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Laura - L5S1 Charitee
C5/6 and 6/7 Prodisc C
Facet problems L4-S1
General joint hypermobility

Jim - C4/5, C5/6, L4/5 disk bulges and facet damage, L4/5 disk tears, currently using regenerative medicine to address

"There are many Annapurnas in the lives of men" Maurice Herzog
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  #3  
Old 03-04-2013, 09:11 PM
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Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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That is very good news! Thank you!
__________________
Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
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  #4  
Old 03-04-2013, 11:00 PM
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jss jss is offline
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An added bonus to using your ATM card in Europe is that you won't incur the 10% for exchanging money; only the fee your bank charges for using the card.
__________________
C4/5 - ACDF in 2000
C5/6 - ACDF in 2002
C3/4 & C6/7 - M6 ADR, Nov 2009, Barcelona
Conceded defeat to a manifestly disingenuous BCBS-TX in my quest for reimbursement, Jan 2011
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  #5  
Old 03-04-2013, 11:47 PM
johnwhof johnwhof is offline
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Just after we made it to Europe in Sept, my card was compromised, I received a call from my cc company who told me to destroy my chip card, and they couriered a temporary replacement. I had no issues using it anywhere.
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18 years of back pain.
Numerous x-rays
CT scans 2002 & 2010 showing disc herniation at L5-S1
MRI in 2012 showing DDD L3-S1
Scheduled for fusion here in Manitoba later in 2012 ( never did)
Went to Germany for 3 level ADR (M6) L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 in late Sept 2012
3 months later, I feel Awesome!
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  #6  
Old 03-05-2013, 03:48 AM
Lillyth's Avatar
Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 679
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jss View Post
An added bonus to using your ATM card in Europe is that you won't incur the 10% for exchanging money; only the fee your bank charges for using the card.
Wow! That IS great news!
__________________
Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
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  #7  
Old 03-05-2013, 03:49 AM
Lillyth's Avatar
Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 679
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnwhof View Post
Just after we made it to Europe in Sept, my card was compromised, I received a call from my cc company who told me to destroy my chip card, and they couriered a temporary replacement. I had no issues using it anywhere.
Good to know. How long did it take to get to you?
__________________
Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
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  #8  
Old 03-05-2013, 12:05 PM
annapurna annapurna is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,668
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jss View Post
An added bonus to using your ATM card in Europe is that you won't incur the 10% for exchanging money; only the fee your bank charges for using the card.
Be careful, though. Some banks charge so much with per transaction and currency exchange charges that it adds up quickly. It's probably worth your while to understand their fee structure so you can decide the best way to deal with it.
__________________
Laura - L5S1 Charitee
C5/6 and 6/7 Prodisc C
Facet problems L4-S1
General joint hypermobility

Jim - C4/5, C5/6, L4/5 disk bulges and facet damage, L4/5 disk tears, currently using regenerative medicine to address

"There are many Annapurnas in the lives of men" Maurice Herzog
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  #9  
Old 03-05-2013, 12:29 PM
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jss jss is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,411
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Quote:
Originally Posted by annapurna View Post
Be careful, though. Some banks charge so much with per transaction and currency exchange charges that it adds up quickly. It's probably worth your while to understand their fee structure so you can decide the best way to deal with it.
No doubt. With our bank, Chase, there was a $3 fee to withdraw cash, and no fee for a currency exchange. My surgery in 2009 was in the early days of the banks just beginning to add fees for seeming walking in the door. Today it is entirely possible that some banks, even Chase, charging a curency exchange fee.

It would be good to understand your banks procedures on this before going.
__________________
C4/5 - ACDF in 2000
C5/6 - ACDF in 2002
C3/4 & C6/7 - M6 ADR, Nov 2009, Barcelona
Conceded defeat to a manifestly disingenuous BCBS-TX in my quest for reimbursement, Jan 2011
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  #10  
Old 03-05-2013, 03:25 PM
JeffR JeffR is offline
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 356
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jss View Post
No doubt. With our bank, Chase, there was a $3 fee to withdraw cash, and no fee for a currency exchange. My surgery in 2009 was in the early days of the banks just beginning to add fees for seeming walking in the door. Today it is entirely possible that some banks, even Chase, charging a curency exchange fee.

It would be good to understand your banks procedures on this before going.
Also note that the exchange rates you get from an ATM will never be as good as those from a good currency exchange company (transaction fee or not) so it makes sense to get some cash out ahead of time (if you are comfortable with that).
__________________
Lifelong history of back issues from a young age, spasms etc.
1995 - Weightlifting injury
1997 - Hip Injury
2009 - Trampoline injury (just bounced down on my butt)
2009-2011 Physiotherapy and medication, progress but no lasting pain relief
2010 - X-Ray DDD L5-S1, L4-L5, L4-L3
2010 - MRI Herniation L5-S1, Bulges L4-L5, L4-L3
2011 - Epidurals - No relief
2012 - Facet Injections - No relief
2012 - Discogram TBI - positive L3-S1

L3-S1 ADR M6-L w Clavel 11/28/2012
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