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SCAN Health
Plan offers Seniors Ten Tips for Safe and
Healthy Travel
LONG BEACH, Calif., May 2008 /PRNewswire/
-- Whether your summer travel plans include
a long vacation or a short getaway, if you
are an older adult there are things you
should do before leaving home to ensure a
healthy trip.
According
to Timothy Schwab, M.D., chief medical
officer of SCAN Health Plan, these ten tips
for seniors apply whether you're planning to
go out of the country or just a few counties
away.
1. Discuss travel plans with your
doctor. If you are (or recently were) under
a doctor's care, talk to your doctor to be
sure it is safe for you to travel. Discuss
whether changes in food, humidity or
altitude will affect your health or
abilities.
2. Plan travel activities with your
fitness level and mobility in mind. Travel
can be demanding on the body. Changes in
food or activity can worsen existing health
problems. Be careful lifting or carrying
heavy or bulky bags.
3. Take a list of your medicines and
allergies with you. This list is important
to have in case you get sick or injured. A
healthcare provider may need it to best
check and treat any problem. A list makes it
quick and easy.
4. Refill prescription medicine. Of
course you'll bring enough medication to
last the whole trip, but in the event of
unexpected delays, be sure you bring some
extra medicine with you.
5. Pack medicines in carry-on bags. If
your checked bags get lost or delayed, you
will be prepared.
6. Leave all medication in original,
labeled containers to avoid problems at
security checkpoints.
7. Take your health insurance card. It
has information you need anytime you get
medical care.
8. Consider travel health insurance. If
you think you might need health coverage
beyond your current benefits, check if
short-term travel insurance with health
coverage would meet your needs.
9. Make appointments for routine care
before you leave or after you return. Most
health plans do not cover routine care
outside of your normal service area, so be
sure to take care of that before or after
your trip. Emergency or urgently needed care
is usually covered.
10. Find out about emergency care and
customs in the places you will visit. The
9-1-1 system is not everywhere. Before you
leave, find out what to do in case of an
emergency. Also take contact details for
U.S. Embassies and Consulates. They can
assist in locating medical services
abroad.
"No one wants to think about needing medical
care when they're on vacation," said Dr.
Schwab. "But taking just a few precautionary
steps will make a big difference should you
need care while you're away."
For more than 30 years, SCAN Health Plan has
been focusing on the unique needs of people
with Medicare.
One of California's fastest-growing Medicare
Advantage plans, SCAN currently serves more
than 105,000 members in Los Angeles, Orange,
Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego,
Ventura and Kern counties.
In Arizona, SCAN offers a health plan for
Medicare and Medicaid-eligible individuals
and also provides long-term care services to
individuals enrolled in the state's
long-term care system in Maricopa County.
Further information may be obtained at
http://www.scanhealthplan.com/.
Source:
SCAN Health Plan
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