As a busy crew member on a yacht, one of the most disturbing things to greet you upon returning from a long rotation is a medical bill demanding you owe thousands of dollars. Navigating the medical systems in the U.S. can not only be one of the most daunting endeavors, but also one of the most complicated. Which is right where we are waiting to step in!

Let the Experts Handle It

Frequently, we are contacted by crew members who have a bill in excess of $10,000 and are panicking because the letter is very threatening. Many times, they don’t even know where to begin to fix it. That is where we will step in and handle it for you wherever and whenever possible. Never pay a medical bill without contacting us to let us research it for you. It can often be as simple as a claim form needed to be completed. If you sought care inside the U.S, you will most likely receive multiple bills from a hospital visit, leaving you completely overwhelmed. It is not uncommon for this to happen in the U.S. and again, crew are ill-equipped and inexperienced to handle it.

Do Your Homework, and Keep Records

Utilizing your insurance to the best of your ability is our goal. Claim issues can often be avoided by just understanding your policy or taking the time and due diligence to pre-certify. We are available to review the policy with you and answer any questions you may have. It is also imperative one keeps copies of all the bills, receipts, charges, invoices, etc. from any doctor facility visits. In the event there is an unpaid claim, or it appears you owe a balance you already paid, you are able to validate.

It Happens More Than You Think

A recent case of a U.S. medical claim gone awry is with a shoulder surgery that a crew member had well over a year ago. They pre-certified as required, chose a network facility to minimize any out-of-pocket costs, and believed that the bills were all paid. Fifteen months later, they received bills from collection agencies threatening them. They reached out to us for assistance and luckily, we were able to find that the facility as well as the doctor had been paid and they never recorded it properly. We contacted the insurance carrier on behalf of the crew member, obtained copies of the payments, and dealt with the collection agencies. Once we provided them the proof they had been paid-in-full, the crew member was no longer under any legal responsibility for the bills.

As your insurance administrator, we are here to help you understand not only your benefits, but also to be the fixer when possible. We can work with the providers, the insurance carrier, as well as collection agencies, if it has gotten to that point, to avoid yourself from having to spend valuable free time on the phone trying to get a solution. At MHG, our commitment to service sets us apart from our competitors. We not only sell the policy; we never leave your side after the fact.  And if you happen to need medical assistance, we want you to know, you are not alone in this. Just reach out and let us help. If you are currently experiencing any issues with your Crew Insurance, have questions about your policy, are looking for a new policy please contact us at +1 954 828 1819 or +44 (0) 1624 678668 or visit us at mhginsurance.com.