billmclaughlin
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- SJPP/Burgos 2012; Le Puy/SJPP 2013; Aumont Aubrac/Aire sur l'Adour 2014; Burgos/Santiago 2016.
This is not a dramatic story, just a simple tale.
I am an American resident of Massachusetts. I have health insurance as required under Romneycare. I have no dental insurance. I purchased a Medical/Dental insurance policy from American Express. Based on the parameters I supplied -- a trip of 40 days visiting only France -- I paid US $32 for coverage that included: medical costs up to US $100,000, evacuation to the closest appropriate medical facility costs up to US $100,000, emergency dental services up to US $750. Also repatriation of my remains in case of death. Also transportation costs for one person to visit me if I am hospitalized for more than 5 days.
While hiking in France, I chomped down on a rather stale homemade sandwich and a dental veneer detached from one of my front teeth. I held it in my hand for a few moments and then reattached it, but I knew I would have to be very careful about eating and was nervous about sleeping with the veneer in place but not secured. I had another 2 weeks to hike, perhaps three weeks before I'd be able to visit my own dentist.
I hiked a few hours to Lectoure, a town of 1200 inhabitants. Following the instructions that accompanied the insurance policy, I called American Express and an agent promised to respond by email in an hour.
It was now about 18:00, so I wasn't expecting Amex to provide a solution that same day. My immediate concern was getting through the night. I spoke to my own dentist's office and was told that I probably would not find a solution outside a dentist's office but that perhaps a pharmacy could offer a short-term solution, some temporary epoxy, since European pharmacies often supply items over the counter that in the U.S. are harder to acquire. One pharmacy had no solution. When a second pharmacy had no solution, I turned the conversation to other issues, trying to anticipate the answer I would be receiving from Amex. "Are there any dentists in Lectoure?", I asked. "Yes, three," said the gentleman waiting on me. He then volunteered that one particularly nice dentist often worked late, called his office, and made an appointment for me at 19:30. I was his last appointment of the day and he secured the veneer in a matter of minutes with a permanent adhesive. His charges: 23 euros.
The email response from Amex was an appointment the next day at 17:30 at a dental clinic in Auch, a short bus ride away. Given my location and the time of day, I think that was a fairly good response. When I let them know I had resolved the problem on my own, the Amex agent congratulated me and sent me a set of claims forms.
I submitted the claim to Amex and in less than 3 weeks received US $31.
Incidentally, my gite, the two pharmacies, and the dentist's office were all on the same street. There are advantages to being in a small community.
I am an American resident of Massachusetts. I have health insurance as required under Romneycare. I have no dental insurance. I purchased a Medical/Dental insurance policy from American Express. Based on the parameters I supplied -- a trip of 40 days visiting only France -- I paid US $32 for coverage that included: medical costs up to US $100,000, evacuation to the closest appropriate medical facility costs up to US $100,000, emergency dental services up to US $750. Also repatriation of my remains in case of death. Also transportation costs for one person to visit me if I am hospitalized for more than 5 days.
While hiking in France, I chomped down on a rather stale homemade sandwich and a dental veneer detached from one of my front teeth. I held it in my hand for a few moments and then reattached it, but I knew I would have to be very careful about eating and was nervous about sleeping with the veneer in place but not secured. I had another 2 weeks to hike, perhaps three weeks before I'd be able to visit my own dentist.
I hiked a few hours to Lectoure, a town of 1200 inhabitants. Following the instructions that accompanied the insurance policy, I called American Express and an agent promised to respond by email in an hour.
It was now about 18:00, so I wasn't expecting Amex to provide a solution that same day. My immediate concern was getting through the night. I spoke to my own dentist's office and was told that I probably would not find a solution outside a dentist's office but that perhaps a pharmacy could offer a short-term solution, some temporary epoxy, since European pharmacies often supply items over the counter that in the U.S. are harder to acquire. One pharmacy had no solution. When a second pharmacy had no solution, I turned the conversation to other issues, trying to anticipate the answer I would be receiving from Amex. "Are there any dentists in Lectoure?", I asked. "Yes, three," said the gentleman waiting on me. He then volunteered that one particularly nice dentist often worked late, called his office, and made an appointment for me at 19:30. I was his last appointment of the day and he secured the veneer in a matter of minutes with a permanent adhesive. His charges: 23 euros.
The email response from Amex was an appointment the next day at 17:30 at a dental clinic in Auch, a short bus ride away. Given my location and the time of day, I think that was a fairly good response. When I let them know I had resolved the problem on my own, the Amex agent congratulated me and sent me a set of claims forms.
I submitted the claim to Amex and in less than 3 weeks received US $31.
Incidentally, my gite, the two pharmacies, and the dentist's office were all on the same street. There are advantages to being in a small community.
