American medical care £12 per minute?

A bill for medical treatment in America can cost as much as £12 per minute, according to a new report.

Travel Insurance News - 21/12/2005

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A bill for medical treatment in America can cost as much as £12 per minute, according to a new report.

American Express Travel Insurance says that with the high costs of receiving medical attention abroad, many consumers who fail to take out travel insurance are leaving themselves vulnerable to high medical bills.

The insurer explained that one consumer had 16 hours of tests in an American hospital to rule out serious illness, which came to a grand total of $20,000. That equates to $1,250 an hour or over £12 per minute.

Joanne Field, marketing manager, American Express said: 'Travel insurance is an essential part of holiday pricing and not a luxury extra to be ignored - we would encourage everyone to travel with comprehensive emergency medical cover which a good travel insurance policy provides.'

Last year Brits took 65.6 million trips, and 14 per cent of British travellers failed to take out travel insurance cover.

With potential medical bills far exceeding the small cost of travel insurance, it is important that consumers take out cover when they are going away.

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