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Original poster

Diagnosed with cancer during travel

74 replies

Willowlondoner · 25/09/2023 12:50

Hello,

My FIL is visiting me in Switzerland from Canada and he has been diagnosed with aggressive throat cancer. He has travel insurance which seems to be useless as they have ignored all communication to date although we're sure his initial diagnosis will be covered. He has been advised by the swiss hospital to start treatment immediately to prevent spreading, and has been informed by the Canadian hospital that it may take some time to get his treatment started in Canada due to the lack of referral and having to possibly repeat diagnostic procedures and undergo translations from German to English.

Has anybody preciously experienced something like this being covered or not covered eventually by travel insurance?

To clarify it was not a pre existing condition and was picked up due to a pharmacy visit for a sore throat whilst here in Switzerland.

We can pay the immediate costs and wait for reimbursement but it will be 100,000 plus so it's a little stressful to have to pay and hope for an insurance payout.

Many thanks

OP posts:
Silkiebunny · 25/09/2023 14:29

Within the UK they can use imaging from elsewhere, mine did with my cancer and it was a call to the previous hospital to get them to send it across. You can also switch between private and NHS with imaging switched across. Whether can do internationally I don't know but when we looked at going to France for treatment they were asking for imaging to be sent across. The best people to speak to would be the oncology team at hospital but they may be hard to contact without a referral. I found some info out here by calling private hospitals here.

timetochangethering · 25/09/2023 14:33

Having read your updates I would only assume the insurance would pay for an assisted repatriation to Canada for treatment, so a nurse assisted flight or even a private air transfer. Far far cheaper than full cancer treatment in Switzerland.

Highly unlikely they will pay for treatment.

My general view is that they argue and pay as little as they can, most policies are all about emergency treatment then repatriation ASAP.

HJ40 · 25/09/2023 14:38

@Farahilda The OP mentions German in her original post so, presumably, isn't in the French speaking part of Switzerland.

Farahilda · 25/09/2023 14:41

HJ40 · 25/09/2023 14:38

@Farahilda The OP mentions German in her original post so, presumably, isn't in the French speaking part of Switzerland.

But they will have the facility to produce documents in all the official languages of the country, so requesting a set in French should be straightforward.

Ditto at the Canadian end - even in areas with majority English speakers and English as the default language will be able to handle/produce documents in French.

HJ40 · 25/09/2023 14:43

OP, there's two separate things at play here and it's incredibly worrying for you. One is him needing urgent treatment and the other is where he has it. You can't muddle the two up, much as you might want him to get on and have treatment asap in Switzerland.

Only his insurance providers can tell you what they will and won't cover. You're just going to have to keep on at them. If he's medically declared unfit to travel, then that will help.

Getting documents translated doesn't need to be complicated, but you may have to pay for it.

Original poster
Willowlondoner · 25/09/2023 14:53

Thanks all, so many really helpful suggestions here. To answer one question his bills are 30,000 to date and this is just the diagnostic procedures. I think we need to get him to Canada asap. We've been doing self translations of documents but I'll find a professional medical translator service in the meantime. We have been in touch with his family doctor in Canada who has been very vague and useless to be honest, his words were it will take a while to get referred to an oncologist over here.

He would be fine on a plane. I think he's just terrified that the cancer will spread whilst he is waiting for a referral which isn't the insurance companies concern!

OP posts:
HJ40 · 25/09/2023 14:54

Really? Ok. Wasn't my experience when I lived there. My French isn't great but that would have been handy because my German is even worse. If that works, then it's potentially very helpful for the OP.

ActDottie · 25/09/2023 14:55

Travel insurance should pay keep badgering them until they do. Annoying you have to but he’s paid his premium and therefore entitled to the care.

Original poster
Willowlondoner · 25/09/2023 15:03

He's actually swiss born but now lives in Vancouver. I'm pretty certain French is still an official language in Vancouver but not widely spoken. Either way if we can use this loophole it might help with translation costs so thank you for sharing.

Going through his medical bills he has so many added extras he doesn't need.. I need to stop him from saving yes to everything they offer whilst he's there Hmm

Being from the UK I'm not used to privatised money making medical care offering extras!

OP posts:
Silkiebunny · 25/09/2023 15:09

In the UK oncology referral would be 2 weeks but you can also bypass the tests section if you've had them done privately, it's not supposed to be allowed but goes on. Here you would get that either by phoning relevant hospital oncology department after GP referral and explaining to them already diagnosed and had tests can get them across or phone a private oncologist who works at state and private hospital and they sort it. No idea if this is possible in Canada but basically get on the phone to people who make decisions. It took us 3 hours to get through in UK but I got mine moved forward 3 weeks. GP was useless here too. Here a private GP I think can refer. With cancer if you can afford it worth doing whatever can to get it faster. And complaints process if all else fails. I didn't need to go private in end but calling them they explained how things work here.

HJ40 · 25/09/2023 15:12

Have the insurance company authorised anything yet? If the Swiss medics are treating him as though he's there to stay, rather than doing what's needed to get him home, it might not be covered.

Original poster
Willowlondoner · 25/09/2023 15:29

Nothing has been authorised by the insurance company. They have said they will review his claim in 30 days. I've been on hold to them for a while but I'm trying to speak with somebody more helpful. We're prepared to pay for the costs so far if they don't pay out as from this thread it seems likely he won't be covered.

OP posts:
VeloVixen · 25/09/2023 15:31

Sadly you’re right. The insurance company won’t care that he’ll get treatment quicker in Switzerland than Canada. If wait times are bad in Canada they may even wonder if there’s some sort of health tourism going on. I’m not saying there is, but those are the sort of things they may consider.

renthead · 25/09/2023 15:43

his words were it will take a while to get referred to an oncologist over here.

Wait times are bad in BC but I think he'd be seen quickly having already been diagnosed, even if it's in another country.

But if his GP isn't being helpful, then send him to the ER as soon as he gets home.

Farahilda · 25/09/2023 15:47

Who is currently paying/undertaking to pay the Swiss treatment bills?

Do they realise that it is very likely outside the scope of the policy?

Original poster
Willowlondoner · 25/09/2023 15:59

FIL is currently paying with hopes for reimbursement but if he doesn't get reimbursed it won't be the end of the world.

Slight update we managed to speak to an international specialist at the hospital in Zurich (will most likely to get a huge bill for that too haha) but they will at least been able to perform the translation for us and get in touch directly with a cancer team in Vancouver so we might be able to skip a lengthy referral step.

OP posts:
Original poster
Willowlondoner · 25/09/2023 16:00

renthead · 25/09/2023 15:43

his words were it will take a while to get referred to an oncologist over here.

Wait times are bad in BC but I think he'd be seen quickly having already been diagnosed, even if it's in another country.

But if his GP isn't being helpful, then send him to the ER as soon as he gets home.

Good point about the ER! Thank you

OP posts:
Loverofoxbowlakes · 26/09/2023 07:19

So he's already paid out 30k? Without getting approval from his insurers?

Assuming he has private medical insurance in Canada I think he should travel home ASAP - his travel insurance should cover repatriation plus healthcare sufficient to get him well enough to travel, but they absolutely will not pay out for something that he can be reasonably expected to cover via his private health insurance.

Farahilda · 26/09/2023 07:26

his travel insurance should cover repatriation plus healthcare sufficient to get him well enough to travel, but they absolutely will not pay out for something that he can be reasonably expected to cover via his private health insurance

If he was well enough to return immediately after diagnosis (when it was a sore throat plus terrifying diagnosis) then they are unlikely to pay for medical repatriation, because the opportunity was not taken and he chose to have further procedures that have left him unfit for a regular flight. It all depends on why he is currently unable to travel - is it because of the progress of the disease (likely to be covered, but do people really deteriorate that quickly?) or is it because he started some treatment, pretty much immediately but without insurance company consent and agreement to pay?

Original poster
Willowlondoner · 26/09/2023 09:57

He went to the pharmacy, who I told him to go to hospital who rushed him into an urgent surgery due to a large swelling on his neck thought to be an abscess or growth pressing on his windpipe. Upon waking up he was informed it was not an abscess and they had sent it off for biopsy and gave him an urgent CT scan as it was suspected cancer. This all happened within 2 days. The insurance company told us they will respond to our urgent request within 30 days via telephone and email. So no he didn't get approval in advance.

OP posts:
Original poster
Willowlondoner · 26/09/2023 09:59

Canada has NHS style treatment. He has a gaping hole in his neck with a plastic tube sticking out of it requiring daily dressing changing. He hasn't deteriorated quickly but I can't imagine travelling in that state, but yes he will most likely travel back as he can sit up for 8 hours on a plane.

OP posts:
Original poster
Willowlondoner · 26/09/2023 10:07

Just to clarify he hasn't started any treatment. It's all diagnostics so far but given the location of the tumour I suppose it was quite urgent to get quick scans and endoscopy to see how this was impacting his windpipe.

In hindsight he would've most likely flown home after initial pharmacy consultation but I can see why he didn't.

OP posts:
WildFeathers · 26/09/2023 10:34

Given your latest update: If they needed to do urgent surgery then potentially he wouldn’t have been in a state to fly home. It does sound like he would need a medically assisted return to Canada given the ongoing care he now needs post surgery. What an awfully stressful situation for you all. I don’t know if it would help in anyway but would the Canadian consult be able to assist or signpost?

Loverofoxbowlakes · 26/09/2023 13:49

Monumental drip feed op.

I would hope they would cover the initial expense, as long as there is evidence that it was needed critically (and couldn't have waited until he got home). IME he's had excellent service, from pharmacist enquiry to surgery to diagnosing cancer in just 2 days - that in itself would take weeks in the UK even on the 2 week (ahem) pathway for cancer queries. Though I suspect that they will certainly query this as you didn't check with them before beginning the treatment.

I am sure they will not fund the ongoing oncology care.