When you plan your travels, you think about flights, hotels, tours, and maybe even travel insurance. But what happens if you get seriously sick or injured far from home? Will you be stuck in a foreign hospital until you’re well enough to fly commercially—or is there a way to get home for treatment and recovery?
These thoughts cross our minds often as professional travel writers who focus on transformative adventures who often travel as a couple. Who will take care of the cats if we’re both hurt? Can we get back home close enough for our family to visit? We asked ourselves these questions while getting ready to ski in Bulgaria, explore through Tanzania, and adventure in Alaska.
That’s where Medjet, the top-rated global air medical transport and travel security membership program, comes in. For seasoned travelers like us, the peace of mind they offer is worth more than any upgrade or amenity.
Why Travelers Need More Than Just Insurance
Photo Credit: Medjet.
We’ve all heard the advice: don’t leave home without travel insurance. And that’s good advice—it’s the “cake” of your coverage. Insurance pays your medical bills and gets you to the nearest acceptable hospital if you’re hurt or ill.
But here’s the rub: the nearest hospital isn’t always where you want to be. Imagine being hospitalized in a small town in South America, Eastern Europe, or even rural Alaska. The doctors may be competent, but you’d rather be treated at a hospital at home, surrounded by family, with specialists you know and trust.
That’s the “icing and sprinkles” Medjet adds. If you’re hospitalized 150 miles or more from home, they arrange and pay for bedside-to-bedside medical transport to the hospital of your choice in your home country. No proving “medical necessity” (the clause in most travel insurance policies that can leave you stuck where you are…), no claim forms, no hidden fees. Just the ability to recover where you want to be.
How Medjet Works
Photo Credit: Medjet.
Medjet was the first company in the United States to introduce this type of air-medical transport membership. Today, they remain the leader in the space, trusted by travel pros, celebrities, athletes, and organizations like AARP and Morgan Stanley.
Here are the basics:
- Eligibility: Residents of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico can join.
- Global Reach: Coverage is worldwide—whether you’re skiing in Utah, trekking in Nepal, or on safari in Tanzania. The exceptions are countries deemed Level 4 (Do Not Travel) by the US State Department.
- Choice of Hospital: You can choose any hospital in your home country. If your local facility can’t treat your injury or illness, you can select a nationally recognized center of excellence like the Mayo Clinic.
- Cost: Short-term memberships start at $99 for an 8-day trip. Annual memberships are surprisingly affordable: $315 for individuals or $425 for families (two adults and up to five kids) for MedjetAssist. For expanded benefits, MedjetHorizon starts at $474 individual / $614 family.
- Enrollment: Under 75, you can enroll almost instantly online or by phone. Over 75 requires a short health questionnaire, so plan ahead.
Unlike insurance, Medjet has no pre-existing condition exclusions for members under 75, no adventure travel exclusions (yes, even diving, skiing, or climbing), and no claim forms to hassle with.
MedjetAssist vs. MedjetHorizon
Photo Credit: Medjet.
Medjet offers two tiers of membership, depending on your needs.
MedjetAssist
This is the classic membership that provides and pays for hospital-to-hospital medical transport if you’re hospitalized while traveling 150+ miles from home. It’s the core service that gets you where you really want to be: your chosen hospital at home.
MedjetHorizon
For travelers who want more comprehensive protection, Horizon adds worldwide travel security and crisis response. Members gain 24/7 access to a global security network and in-country response teams for threats such as:
- Natural disasters
- Political unrest and terrorism
- Violent crime or wrongful detention
- Kidnap for ransom, blackmail, or extortion
- Hijack and pandemic concerns
The best part? You don’t need to wait for government advisories or evacuation orders. If you feel unsafe, MedjetHorizon can step in.
Real-World Scenarios
Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.
Let’s put this into perspective.
Scenario 1: The Broken Leg Abroad
- You’re hiking in the Alps, slip on a scree slope, and break your leg. Travel insurance gets you to a regional hospital in Austria. But you want surgery and recovery closer to family in Chicago. Medjet steps in, arranging medical transport all the way back to your home hospital—at no extra cost beyond your membership.
Scenario 2: Serious Illness on the Road
- You’re on a business trip in India and develop severe complications requiring hospitalization. Instead of staying overseas for weeks, Medjet transfers you home to the hospital and doctors you already know and trust.
Scenario 3: Political Unrest
- You’re vacationing in a country that suddenly erupts in violent demonstrations. With MedjetHorizon, you have access to a crisis response team that can help you get to safety before the situation escalates.
For frequent travelers—or even those taking just one big trip a year—these scenarios aren’t far-fetched. And when they happen, you’ll be glad you prepared.
Why We Recommend Medjet
Photo Credit: Coleman Concierge.
As adventure-first travelers, we’ve skied the ridges of Utah, trekked the glaciers of Alaska, and scuba-dived remote waters. We also know that no matter how careful or fit you are, accidents and illness can happen anywhere.
For us, the reassurance of knowing that Medjet can get us home if something goes wrong is invaluable. It’s not about being fearful—it’s about being smart. The cost is a fraction of what a single private medical transport could run (often tens of thousands of dollars), and the peace of mind is priceless.
That’s why hundreds of top travel writers, editors, and adventurers alike rely on Medjet protection. It’s a membership designed for people who take travel seriously and don’t want to leave safety up to chance.
Final Thoughts
Photo Credit: Medjet.
We believe that travel should be about discovery, joy, and adventure—not about worrying what happens if you land in the wrong hospital. Travel insurance is a must, but Medjet takes your protection a step further, giving you the freedom to recover where you want to be: at home.
Whether you’re planning a quick getaway or a global expedition, Medjet could be one of the smartest memberships you can invest in as a traveler. Because the truth is, accidents and illnesses don’t make reservations, but you can.
Don’t get stuck in a foreign hospital. Enroll in Medjet before you go.
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Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel.
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