Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad

U.S. Department of State 

Bureau of Consular Affairs

If an American citizen becomes seriously ill or injured abroad, a U. S. consular officer can assist in locating 

appropriate medical services and informing family or friends. If necessary, a consular officer can also assist in the 

transfer of funds from the United States. However, payment of hospital and other expenses is the responsibility of 

the traveler. 

Before going abroad, learn what medical services your health insurance will cover overseas. If your health 

insurance policy provides coverage outside the United States, REMEMBER to carry both your insurance policy 

identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form. Although many health insurance companies will pay 

"customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for your medical evacuation back to the United 

States. Medical evacuation can easily cost $10,000 and up, depending on your location and medical condition. 

THE SOCIAL SECURITY MEDICARE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HOSPITAL OR 

MEDICAL COSTS OUTSIDE THE U.S.A. 

Senior citizens may wish to contact the American Association of Retired Persons for information about foreign 

medical care coverage with Medicare supplement plans. 

To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport 

providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency. 

A traveler going abroad with any preexisting medical problems should carry a letter from the attending physician, 

describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of prescribed drugs. 

Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Travelers 

should check with the foreign embassy of the country they are visiting to make sure any required medications are 

not considered to be illegal narcotics. 

A listing of addresses and telephone numbers of U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is contained in Key 

Officers of Foreign Service Posts. This publication may be obtained through the Superintendent of Documents, 

U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Also available from the Government Printing Office is 

Health Information for International Travelers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This 

contains a global rundown of disease and immunization advice and other health guidance, including risks in 

particular countries. For additional health information, the CDC maintains the international travelers hotline at 1-

888-232-3228, an automated faxback service at 1-888-232-3299 and a home page on the Internet at 

http://www.cdc.gov. 

For detailed information on physicians abroad, the authoritative reference is The Official ABMS Directory of 

Board Certified Medical Specialists published for the American Board of Medical Specialists and its certifying 

member boards. This publication should be available in your local library. U.S. embassies and consulates abroad 

maintain lists of hospitals and physicians. Major credit card companies also can provide the names of local doctors 

and hospitals abroad. 

Some countries require foreign visitors to have inoculations or medical tests before entering. Before traveling, 

check the latest entry requirements with the foreign embassy of the country to be visited. 

Several private organizations will provide medical information and insurance for overseas travelers. Most charge a 

fee for this service. The following is provided FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and in no way 

constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied, by the Department of State. 

AIR AMBULANCE / MED-EVAC

U.S.-based Companies 

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ACADIAN AMBULANCE & AIR MED SERVICE, INC. 

Lafayette, LA 

800-259-1111 / 318-267-1111 / 504-267-1111 

ADVANCED AIR AMBULANCE 

Miami, FL 

800-633-3590 / 305-599-1100 

AIR AMBULANCE, INC. 

Hayward, CA 

800-982-5806 / 510-786-1592 

AAA - AIR AMBULANCE AMERICA 

Austin, TX 

800-222-3564 / 512-479-8000 

AIR AMBULANCE NETWORK 

Sarasota, FL 

800-327-1966 / 813-934-3999 

http://www.airambulancenetwork.com 

AirEvac 

Phoenix, AZ 

800-421-6111 

AIR MEDIC - AIR AMBULANCE OF AMERICA 

Washington, PA 

800-321-4444 / 412-228-8000 

AIRescue INTERNATIONAL 

Van Nuys, CA 

800-922-4911 / 818-994-0911 

AIR RESPONSE 

Orlando, FL 

800-631-6565 / 518-993-4153 / 407-384-6100 

AIR SERVICE INTERNATIONAL 

Thermal, CA 

800-991-2869 / 877-570-0911 

http://www.airserviceintl.com 

AMERICAN CARE, INC. 

San Diego, CA 

800-941-2582 / 619-486-8844 

CARE FLIGHT - AIR CRITICAL CARE INTL. 

Clearwater, FL 

800-282-6878 / 813-530-7972 

CRITICAL AIR MEDICINE 

San Diego, CA 

800-247-8326 / 619-571-0482 

CRITICAL CARE MEDFLIGHT 

Lawrenceville, GA 

800-426-6557 / 770-513-9148 

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INFLIGHT MEDICAL SERVICES INTERNATIONAL INC. 

Naples, FL 

800-432-4177 / 941-594-0800 

INTENSIVE AIR AMBULANCE 

Morganville, NJ 

800-543-3759 / 908-946-1200 

INTERNATIONAL SOS ASSISTANCE 

Philadelphia, PA 

800-523-8930 / 215-244-1500 

Also provides travel insurance services. 

LIFE JET 

Baltimore, MD 

877-LIFEJET / 877-543-3538 

http://www.lifejetusa.com 

MED ESCORT INTERNATIONAL INC. 

Allentown, PA 

800-255-7182 / 610-791-3111 

MEDEX ASSISTANCE CORPORATION 

Timonium, MD 

800-537-2029 / 410-453-6300 (call collect) 

http://www.medexassist.com 

MEDJET INTERNATIONAL, INC. 

Birmingham, AL 

800-356-2161 / 205-592-4460 

http://www.medjet.com 

MERCY MEDICAL AIRLIFT 

Manassas, VA 

800-296-1217 / 703-361-1191 

(Service area: Caribbean and part of Canada only. If necessary, will meet commercial incoming patients at JFK, 

Miami and other airports.) 

NATIONAL AIR AMBULANCE 

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 

800-327-3710 / 305-525-5538 

NORTHWEST JET 

Whittier, CA 

800-228-2468 / 909-597-9999 

SMARTRAVEL 

Alexandria, VA 

800-730-3170 / 703-379-8645 

http://www.smartravel.org

Provides a range of travel medicine services. 

TRAVEL CARE INTERNATIONAL, INC. 

Eagle River, WI 

800-524-7633 / 715-479-8881 

http://www.travel-care.com 

TRAVELERS EMERGENCY NETWORK 

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Durham, NC 

800-275-4836 / 800-ASK-4-TEN 

http://www.tenweb.com

e-mail: ten@intrex.net 

Foreign-based Companies 

AEA INTERNATIONAL 

Singapore 

U.S. Phone: 800-468-5232 

Service worldwide, also provides travel insurance services 

AUSTRIAN AIR AMBULANCE 

Vienna, Austria 

43-1-40-1-44 

EURO-FLITE LTD. 

Helsinki International Airport 

Vantaa, Finland 

358-0-870-25-44 

EUROPASSISTANCE 

Johannesburg, South Africa 

27-11-315-3999 

JET FLITE 

Vantaa, Finland 

358-0-822-766 / 358-0-6996 (after hours) 

MEDIC'AIR 

Paris, France 

33-1-43-63-04-04 

MEDICAL RESCUE INTERNATIONAL 

Auckland Park, South Africa 

27-11-403-7080 

OY KONE-AIR LTD. 

Vantaa, Finland 

358-0-174-655 

TYROLIAN AIR AMBULANCE 

Innsbruck, Austria 

43-512-22-4-22 

TRAVEL INSURANCE COMPANIES

ACCESS AMERICA, INC. 

Richmond, VA 

800-284-8300 

AIGAssist 

American International Group, Inc. 

New York, NY 

800-382-6986 

http://www.aigtravel.com 

ASA, INC. 

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International Health Insurance 

Phoenix, AZ 

888-ASA-8288 

http://www.asaincor.com 

AXA ASSISTANCE 

Bethesda, MD 

301-214-8200 

GATEWAY 

Seabury & Smith 

Washington, DC 

800-282-4495 / 202-457-7707 

e-mail: gateway.dc@seabury.com 

HEALTH CARE GLOBAL 

(also known as MEDHELP or WALLACH & COMPANY or HEALTHCARE ABROAD) 

Middleburg, VA 

800-237-6615 / 540-687-3166 / 540-281-9500 

MEDEX INTERNATIONAL 

Timonium, MD 

800-732-5309 

http://www.medexassist.com 

PETERSEN INTERNATIONAL UNDERWRITERS 

Valencia, CA 

800-345-8816 

http://www.piu.org 

TRAVELEX 

Omaha, NE 

800-228-9792 

TRAVEL GUARD 

Stevens Point, WI 

800-826-1300 

http://www.noelgroup.com 

TRAVEL INSURED INTERNATIONAL 

E. Hartford, CT 

800-243-3174 

TRAVEL INSURANCE SERVICES 

InterMedical Division 

Walnut Creek, CA 

800-937-1387/925-932-1387 

http://www.travelinsure.com 

UNIVERSAL SERVICE AND ASSISTANCE 

Alexandria, VA 

800-770-9111 / 703-370-7800 

WORLDWIDE ASSISTANCE 

Washington, DC 

800-821-2828 / 202-331-1609 

http://www.worldwideassistance.com 

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EXECUTIVE MEDICAL SERVICES

PERSONAL PHYSICIANS WORLDWIDE (PPW) 

Washington, DC 

888-657-8114 / 301-657-8114 

http://www.personalphysicians.com 

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