A to Z 2014: Healthcare

{For the month of April I will be blogging alphabetically on the topic of travel tips.}

Nobody plans to get sick or injured on vacation but this is a possibility. Be prepared!

Getting vaccinated.

As a Canadian, I know that my healthcare will cover me to a certain extent, even when travelling. One caveat is that provincial plans only pay out what the same procedure would cost in Canada. So if you're heading to the US, make sure you have additional coverage.

Many corporate health insurance plans include travel insurance. Check yours. Of you're not covered, you can easily sign up on line for temporary coverage during your trip. It's fairly inexpensive and can save a lot of money if anything does happen to you while abroad.

Look into what the health care is like where you are visiting. Different countries have very different systems and levels of service. You don't need to become an expert; in case of emergency, someone will probably be able to help you through the process.

Make sure you know which vaccines are required for your destination months ahead of time. Keep your immunizations up and travel with the record. Know what health risks you might encounter along with way and take precautions.