Measuring the Risks and Benefits - 26 Days Until Departure

Most of international travel in my opinion is about weighing risks and benefits and making a decision - frankly often wishing you could see into the future, but let's face it we can't!  My all time favorite (this is exaggerating a little, but I could use some excitement in my life) malaria prophylaxis (prevention) is mefloquine.  I took it last time I was in Ghana, it was an easy once a week pill, and unlike most people I had almost no reaction - remind me to tell you about the dream I had with my first dose.  I submitted that to my doctor she ok'd it and gave me a script, which was promptly denied by my insurance.  I wasn't surprised by that, but I was surprised by the heft $933 price tag associated with paying it myself.

So here's what I learned...your insurance might cover malaria prophylaxis especially if it's a medication used to treat other more common things here in the US (some treat rheumatoid arthritis, some are antibiotics etc).  Consider looking on the CDC website to find out what kinds of malaria prophylaxis work where you'll be traveling - it's different for different regions.  Then call your insurance and talk to them BEFORE going to the travel doctor about how or what they might cover.  Then when you see the travel doctor you'll be armed with information.  I did this backwards, and it was a pain for everyone.  In the end I'll likely be on a prophylaxis I wasn't really 100% happy with - Doxycycline, but it seemed worth it to chance a few of the side effects that were just annoying more than anything to save almost $1,000 barring deciding not to prevent malaria and chance it.