Interior Ministry advises Russians going abroad to buy medical insurance

MOSCOW, June 11 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry urges all
citizens going abroad to acquire health insurance policies.
"Recently, in several countries, including those having an agreement
on simplified or visa-free travel with Russia, there were incidents
related to Russian citizens' failure to pay the costs of medical care,"
the Foreign Ministry said. "In practice, many Russians have no insurance
policies for medical expenses that are valid for travel abroad."
"This often leads to conflicts and disputes with local hospitals,
which, after providing the necessary assistance to Russians, refuse to
discharge them until the debt repayment for the provided medical
services," the Foreign Ministry warned.
"To resolve these situations Russian consular authorities are used,
whenever possible. But, of course they cannot get involved in the
settlement of disputes of a financial nature, in particular, the evasion
of payment for medical assistance."
"Against this background, the Russian Foreign Ministry strongly
recommends Russian citizens planning to trips abroad, including those to
the countries that have agreements with Russia on simplified or visa-free
travel, to take care of their own insurance protection, to buy a medical
insurance policy," the Foreign Ministry said.
It is also important, said the Foreign Ministry, "for legal entities
and individual entrepreneurs operating in the tourist industry, to provide
timely information to citizens about the risks they may encounter when
making overseas trips without health insurance."