[mcmama]

This question is sparked by an off subject comment in another thread.

When an American citizen travels in Canada or in Europe to any of the countries that have the dreaded "national healthcare" which of course is the dawn of socialism, and they need emergency medical treatment, who pays and how? Is their insurance company in the USA supposed to allow for foreign travel, or are some forms of emergency care covered by the country's national system?

Likewise, if you are Canadian or a citizen of the UK, when you travel to the USA and need emergency medical care, who pays? Can this be done through your national healthcare, or are you supposed to pay out of pocket (and completely ruin your vacation because you may not have enough money left to get home...)?

What are your experiences with getting sick or injured outside your own country?

[Samual]

If you come to the UK you wont even be asked if you are a citizen or anything, they will treat you and then send you on your way. You can state that you aren't a citizen or pregnant(all pregnant women in the UK receive free medical treatment, citizen or not) and fill out forms, but most don't as they know they can be treated without. When we travel outside europe we have to get health insurance, lots of people don't though as it can be quite expensive if you already have a medical problem, or if you are getting on in years.

[Alejandros Mommy]

Canada does not pay for healthcare for people not of our Country. They need insurance. When I was a nurse...the surgical floor I was on had to keep tabs of each and every thing we used in regards to a patient we had from the US. Their health insurance paid for all their care.

In the event that a person has no health care but medicaid the hospital personal will stabilize the pateint and if at all possible move them to an american hospital.