More Americans are traveling than ever before. Over 40% of Americans have passports these days, which is up from the less than 10% in 1990.
And that means there are more long-term travelers and digital nomads than ever before. But how can you stay on top of your health as a digital nomad?
We look at this issue and tell you what you need to do to get your health needs covered.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
Beyond Western countries, you don’t have the same confidence in food and drink. Digital nomads in popular hotspots like Thailand, India, and Eastern Europe may be exposing themselves to food poisoning and other diseases.
It doesn’t matter what the locals eat because their stomachs have developed a resistance to various bacteria over a lifetime.
The Western digestive system has no such resistance. Buy only bottled water and carefully check out the reviews of any restaurants you decide to eat at.
Always Have Travel Insurance with a High Level of Coverage
Travel insurance is a ‘must’ for anyone who travels, not just digital nomads. If you end up in a hospital or seeing a doctor it’s going to cost you. For example, British Colombia in Canada has $75 million in unpaid bills alone.
But even though you might be able to skip out on the bills in places like Canada, other countries will actively stop you from leaving the country.
Many will even take your passport as a collateral before providing treatment, so if you don’t have insurance you could get stuck in the country.
Have a Regular Source of Meds
Every time you return to the US you can save a lot of money on common medications you might not get abroad.
Use a discount card like the SingleCare discount card for this. You can get big discounts on common medications and it works at both Walgreens and Walmart. The best part about this card is that it’s free and they’ll automatically send you a new one when it’s up for renewal.
That way you’ll always have a supply of everything you need when you hit the road again.
Check in with Online Doctors
Don’t wait until you get sick to focus on your health. These days you can contact your doctor digitally for an appointment. With over 20% of GDP being spent on healthcare in the US, digital doctor services are becoming more common.
For digital nomads, it’s an excellent alternative to trying to find a local doctor who may or may not speak your language.
These services are often available through your existing doctor and are quite affordable per year.
Last Word – Be Vigilant and Stay Covered
Being mindful of what you eat and drink is the main piece of advice for staying on top of your health. However, you should also go out of your way to stay covered.
Make sure you’re covered via travel insurance and ensure that you can easily get in contact with a doctor who speaks your language.
Have you ever had any health problems abroad?
