Gilroy Today 2013 06 Summer | Page 43

water precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s ( CDC ) hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI- TRIP ( 1-877-394-8747 ) or via the CDC website . You can find more information about particular food safety concerns in the Country Specific Information and U . S . Embassy or Consulate web pages .
If you take a regular prescription medication , be sure to include an ample supply for your trip , adjust your medication schedule as you cross time zones , and have a letter from your doctor describing your conditions and the medication you require . To avoid delays at customs or immigration , keep medications in their original , labeled containers . You may want to bring them in your hand-carry bag in case your luggage takes a tour elsewhere . Ask your physician and pharmacist for the generic or chemical name of your medication . Drug names differ in many countries , and pharmacists and physicians abroad are more likely to be familiar with their generic names .
Research if your destination has sufficient medical facilities and doctors that could provide treatment for major medical emergencies you might experience . If you are injured or become seriously ill abroad , a U . S . consular officer at the closest U . S . Embassy or Consulate can help you locate medical facilities and can contact your family in the U . S . on your behalf . The country ’ s specific information and U . S . Embassy or Consulate web pages have lists of physicians and medical facilities which U . S . Government personnel use . To check on outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad , consult the infectious diseases section of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) website .
Getting Help If Needed
Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care abroad can be expensive , and medical evacuation to the U . S . can cost more than $ 100,000 . U . S . medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the United States , and Social Security , Medicare , and Medicaid do not provide coverage for hospital or
any medical expenses outside the United States . Check with your health insurance provider to see if and in which circumstances and countries you will be covered overseas . Your health insurance provider may also require you to provide notification of your travel before you depart the United States and for any treatment before it ’ s provided .
If your insurance policy does not cover you abroad , it is a good idea to consider purchasing a short-term policy that does . There are health and other insurances specifically designed to cover travel . Check on coverage in case of cancellation . You don ’ t want to
lose money because an emergency forces you to postpone or cancel your trip . Except for tickets on regularly scheduled airlines , almost any travel package you purchase will have a penalty for cancellation , and some companies give no refund at all . Take careful note
and consider purchasing trip or travel insurance . Many credit card , travel , and tourism companies offer travel protection packages for an additional fee .
Getting Started
Caravelle Travel , owned by our former mayor Al & Vilma Pinheiro and Pintello Travel , owned by Rod & Marian Pintello of Pintello Comedy Theater are but two of the many great sources locally . If you prefer to venture to worlds unknown on your own , the Internet is at your service .

Don ’ t let age keep you from exploring — it ’ s good for your heart and your soul !

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