Visitors Insurance for MD Anderson Cancer Center Patients
MD Anderson treats more than 8,500 international patients per year. Your home country insurance has zero US coverage. Here's what you need before you arrive in Houston.
8,500+
International patients/year at MD Anderson
130+
Countries represented
$3.5K–$9K
ER visit cost in Houston
$95K–$250K
Medical evacuation cost
Why International MD Anderson Patients Need Visitors Insurance
MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas ranks #1 in the US for cancer care. Patients come from over 130 countries for treatment unavailable at home. But MD Anderson bills separately from visitors insurance — your treatment costs are paid directly to the center. What visitors insurance covers is everything else that can go wrong during a multi-week or multi-month treatment stay: infections, new medical emergencies, complications requiring additional hospitalization, and emergency transport home if your condition changes.
Medical tourism insurance is different from domestic health insurance. Even if you have coverage in your home country, those plans have zero US network and provide no direct billing to US hospitals. Without a US-accepted visitors insurance policy, you'll pay all costs upfront and fight for reimbursement.
What Medical Treatment in the US Actually Costs
Initial Diagnostic Workup
$5,000–$18,000
Labs, imaging, specialist consults
Hospital Stay (per day)
$11,700–$22,000
Room, nursing, meals only
Surgical Procedure
$35,000–$150,000+
Surgeon, anesthesia, OR fees
Medical Evacuation
$95,000–$250,000
Air ambulance if you need to be transported home
Cancer treatment: Specific Coverage Risks
Post-Treatment Infections
Chemotherapy and immunotherapy suppress the immune system. Infections requiring emergency hospitalization are common and expensive.
Cardiovascular Complications
Certain cancer treatments have cardiac side effects. An acute cardiac event during treatment requires immediate emergency care.
Adverse Drug Reactions
New or experimental treatments can cause severe reactions requiring emergency hospitalization separate from planned treatment.
Emergency Evacuation Home
If treatment fails or the patient becomes too ill to continue, air evacuation home costs $95,000–$250,000.
Additional Hospitalization
Complications may require inpatient stays beyond the planned treatment schedule. Each day costs $11,700–$22,000.
Family Caregiver Coverage
Family members accompanying patients need their own visitors insurance — they have no US healthcare coverage either.
What Visitors Insurance Covers for Medical Travelers
Emergency treatment for new conditions
Infections, reactions, and new diagnoses not related to your cancer treatment
Emergency hospitalization
Inpatient stays required by covered acute events
Acute onset of pre-existing conditions
Sudden emergencies from known conditions (up to $25K–$100K depending on plan)
Emergency medical evacuation
Air ambulance transport home if medically necessary
Prescription medications
Drugs prescribed for covered acute conditions
Emergency dental treatment
Accidental dental injuries
Repatriation of remains
In the event of death during the trip
24/7 emergency assistance
Multilingual assistance hotline included with all plans
Note: Visitors insurance covers acute complications and new conditions arising during your stay. It does not cover the planned medical procedure itself (surgery fees, chemo, etc.) — those are paid separately to the treating hospital.
Recommended Plans for Medical Travelers
These plans are accepted at US hospitals nationwide including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston facilities, and all major medical centers. Coverage is immediate upon purchase.
IMG Patriot America Plus
UHC PPO network · largest in the US
- ✓ Up to $1,000,000 coverage
- ✓ $0–$2,500 deductible options
- ✓ Acute onset pre-existing: $25K
- ✓ Emergency evacuation included
- ✓ Up to 364 days coverage
Trawick Safe Travels USA Comprehensive
First Health PPO · high acute onset limits
- ✓ Up to $1,000,000 coverage
- ✓ Acute onset pre-existing: $100K
- ✓ Trip interruption included
- ✓ Dental emergency coverage
- ✓ Telemedicine included
WorldTrips Atlas America
UnitedHealthcare network
- ✓ Up to $2,000,000 coverage
- ✓ $0–$5,000 deductible options
- ✓ Acute onset pre-existing included
- ✓ $1M evacuation coverage
- ✓ Mental health coverage
Compare Plans Before Your Treatment Date
Coverage starts immediately. Get your certificate in minutes — accepted at all US hospitals including Houston medical centers.
Compare Plans in Minutes →Licensed Texas agency · TX #2608479TX · A-rated carriers
Frequently Asked Questions
Does visitors insurance cover my cancer treatment at MD Anderson?
No. Visitors insurance does not cover the planned cancer treatment — chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, immunotherapy — that you traveled to MD Anderson for. Those costs are paid directly to MD Anderson. Visitors insurance covers emergencies and complications that arise during your stay: infections, cardiac events, adverse reactions, emergency hospitalization, and medical evacuation home.
MD Anderson gave me a list of recommended insurance. Is that the same as visitors insurance?
MD Anderson may recommend or require proof of coverage as part of the patient intake process. The visitors insurance plans available through Tower Hill (IMG, Trawick, WorldTrips) are US-accepted plans that satisfy these requirements for emergency coverage. They are not tied to your cancer treatment billing.
I'm staying in Houston for 3 months during treatment. Can I get visitors insurance for that long?
Yes. Visitors insurance is available for stays up to 364 days. For a 3-month treatment stay, you'd purchase a 90-day plan. Most plans can be extended if your treatment timeline changes — you can extend online before the current policy expires.
My family is staying with me at MD Anderson. Do they need separate insurance?
Yes. Each family member needs their own visitors insurance policy. A caregiver accompanying a patient has no US healthcare coverage from home — one ER visit could cost $3,000–$8,000 without insurance. Each family member is quoted individually based on their age.
Can a cancer patient buy visitors insurance?
Yes. Visitors insurance premiums are based on age, not health status. Having cancer does not disqualify you or increase your premium. What won't be covered is the cancer treatment itself (expected, planned care). What IS covered is an acute onset emergency — like a sudden cardiac event, severe infection requiring ICU admission, or other unexpected medical crisis.