[pct-l] Insurance while hiking

[Gary Wright]

On Sep 23, 2008, at 8:43 PM, jetcash at aol.com wrote:
> How have people handled health insurance while on the trail in the  
> past?? Since I won't be working or going to school I won't be  
> covered and I can't afford to extend my current coverage.

Talk to a local independent insurance agent and get a high-deductible  
plan.  Your concern shouldn't be for the $1500 emergency room visit  
but for a more complex major medical situation.  Emergency rooms have  
to treat you and you can always arrange to pay them in installments.   
You want the insurance for the much less likely but more expensive/ 
complex/serious situations.

I would also recommend visiting a clinic or regular doctor's office  
if at all possible if you become sick or injured on the trail.  It  
will be much cheaper than an ER visit.  Also consider seeing a sports  
medicine specialist for foot/leg injuries while hiking.  That worked  
much better for me when I had a stress fracture than my visit to the ER.

Radar