Need help? Talk to a live person!
(800) 647-4589 or 01 (480) 821-9052

HTML tutorial
Travel Tips for US Visitors Thumbnail

Travel Tips for US Visitors

Travel tips for US visitors.

Having a travel guide is good advice for anyone traveling to another country. If you’ve ever seen a travel guide, you’re probably aware of the kinds of details inside of them. They include details such as, how to travel to your destination, then how to travel around your destination, money tips, where to stay, what to eat, etc.

When traveling to the US, a guide book is also a great idea. Being prepared while traveling is essential. Below is a list of things you may experience here which most likely aren’t printed on the pages of any book.

Some of the generalizations you may have always thought to be true about America may or may not be true. Whatever the case, make sure you’re aware that the US and our citizens have a unique spirit.

While we know the list below is not isolated to Americans, we feel these are oddities that somewhat define our country. Some may be embarrassing, but others keep us inspired and encouraged.

Read More »

Admission Into The United States Thumbnail

Admission Into The United States

According to the Official website of the Department of Homeland Security

Q: What is the Inspection Process?
A: All persons arriving at a port-of-entry to the United States are subject to inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers. CBP Officers will conduct the Immigration, Customs and Agriculture components of the Inspections process. If a traveler has health concerns, he/she will be referred to a Public Health Officer for a separate screening. Read More »
What is the Cost of Hospitalization & Medical Care in the US Thumbnail

What is the Cost of Hospitalization & Medical Care in the US

According to a recent PBS News Hour article, the average U.S. Citizen spent $8,233 on medical care in 2010 which is 2.5 times more than any other country.  Ironically, the average American family has $3,800 is savings according to the U.S. Census; however, only 15.9% of the population in 2011 was uninsured.

Graphic is from PBS News Hour article

A hospital stay in the United States costs over $18,000 on average according to Mark Pearson, head of Division on Health Policy at Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).  You might not know but in the U.S., how much a doctor or hospital gets paid depends on the type of insurance a patient has.   A patient with an insurance plan with “rich” benefits will usually be have the option to be treated by most doctors while  patients who have lower-paying insurers might be denied, unless it’s an emergency.  The type of insurance you have is critical to the availability and quality of care you have the opportunity to receive.

Currently, there are few methods for controlling rising costs in medical care in the U.S.  Having a comprehensive health insurance policy limits your financial risk of an unforeseen illness or  accident.

Graphic is from PBS News Hour article

 

The table below gives some estimate costs of common medical procedures compared with some of the countries with similar quality of medical care.

Graphic is from PBS News Hour article

The table shows that:

  • A coronary bypasses costs between nearly 50 percent more than in Canada, Australia and France, and are double the price in Germany.
  • Hip and knee replacements are generally cheaper in other countries than the U.S.
  • PTCAs (coronary angioplasty) are much more expensive in the United States than elsewhere.

If you are visiting the US, it is highly recommended to purchase a visitors health insurance or travel medical insurance plan from a reputable insurance company.  What is the cost of hospitalization in the U.S.?  Unforeseen accidents and illnesses which result in hospital stays can exceed $18,000.  Read the full PBS News Hour article online at

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/10/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries.html

New Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements Thumbnail

New Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports the following countries have yellow fever (YF) vaccination requirements for people who are entering their country after travel from a country with risk of YF virus transmission.

Algeria, Anguilla (UK), The Bahamas, Barbados, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Costa Rica, Dominica, Easter Island (Chile), El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Honduras, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mayotte (France), Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Saint Kitts (Saint Christopher) and Nevis (UK), Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Syria, Thailand Read More »

We Are A Veteran Owned Business Thumbnail

We Are A Veteran Owned Business

Did you know Insurance Services of America is a veteran owned business (VOB)?

Graham Bates, the owner and president, enlisted in the Air Force and served in the Vietnam War. We are very grateful for the sacrifice of all our soldiers and families and service personnel protecting the United States.

You can see our VOB listing here:
Veteran Owned Business Directory, Get your free listing, now!