A P&O cruise ship passenger has shared a warning after her sister broke her ankle and was told her injuries would not be covered by Medicare.
The couple were on board the Pacific Adventure from Queensland to New South Wales when her sister was injured on the dance floor.
Doctors on board treated her quickly and X-rays revealed that her ankle was dislocated and fractured.
The woman was shocked to learn that even though her sister’s injuries occurred in Australian waters, Medicare would not cover the $8,000 medical bill.
She took to social media to warn others that without travel insurance they would have been forced to foot the bill themselves.
“Don’t play Russian roulette with your health and safety, get insurance,” he wrote.
“We don’t leave home without it.”
The injured woman will be taken to hospital for surgery once the cruise ship docks at Circular Quay, where an ambulance will be waiting for her.
A woman who was injured on a domestic cruise ship was shocked to discover that Medicare would not cover her $8,000 medical bill even though the injury occurred in Australian waters.
Her sister wrote on social media that without travel insurance they would have had to cover the costs themselves.
The woman’s sister said the experience was a ‘“A great reminder of why insurance is so important,” she added, adding that hers only cost them $60.
She wrote that many other passengers said they did not believe travel insurance was necessary for a domestic cruise.
1Cover marketing director Natalie Smith agreed it was something Australians often overlooked.
‘Oh“One of the biggest mistakes Australians make is not purchasing travel insurance when sailing in Australian waters,” he said. Yahoo.
‘Neither Medicare nor his private health fund will cover the medical treatments he needs once his ship has sailed.
‘Without travel insurance, emergency medical and transportation expenses would be on your own and could quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars.’
The woman who was injured on the dance floor will be covered by Medicare again once she returns to land.
Ms Smith said she was lucky not to need emergency care. travel back to the mainland, which is another cost that Medicare would not cover.
When purchasing cruise travel insurance, Ms. Smith advised travelers to opt for comprehensive coverage with additional cruise benefits, which is usually an add-on.
Additional cruise benefits cover passengers with any cruise-specific travel benefits, such as missed port coverage, he said.
