DURHAM, North Carolina (9 Mar 2006) -- Effective March 9, 2006, and until further notice, Divers Alert Network dive insurance is no longer accepted for payment at hyperbaric chambers in following dive destinations: BahamasBaja CaliforniaBelizeCancunCozumelGalapagosPhuket, ThailandPlaya del CarmenSamui, ThailandYucatan, MexicoAll divers carrying DAN America dive insurance and diving in these locations should be prepared to pay out-of-pocket for any medical service rendered, because these chambers will not accept DAN America's insurance or DAN America's credit card as a method of payment. Hyperbaric chambers in other locations are currently considering joining this group and not accepting DAN America insurance. This consortium of chambers has been forced to sue DAN America in federal court in the United States due to unpaid medical claims, some dating as far back as 2004. The financial burden of not being paid has forced several chambers in remote locations to consider closing down. In order to remain open, these chambers can no longer treat DAN America patients and not be paid. | | Of note, while DAN America is a non-profit research organization based in the US, its insurance product is underwritten/re-insured by a for-profit organization that is wholly-owned by DAN America called Accident & General Insurance Ltd., based in the Cayman Islands. DAN America has claimed a rate dispute as the reason for non-payment, saying that the rates are above what DAN America considers reasonable and customary in the locality. However, major medical insurers (including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Prudential and Kaiser Permanente), DAN Europe, DAN Southern Africa, DAN SEAP as well as all other dive insurers have accepted these same rates as appropriate and paid their bills. This action only applies to DAN America insurance and not any other insurance coverage including DAN Europe, DAN Southern Africa, DAN Japan or DAN SEAP. For further information regarding DAN America's for-profit subsidiaries, please see the last 5 pages of their latest IRS tax filing here: http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2004/ 561/696/2004-561696689-1-9.pdf For further information regarding DAN America's performance as a non-profit organization, please see the report from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of non-profits, who gives DAN America an overall rating of one out of four stars: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/ search.summary/orgid/6487.htm SOURCE - SSS |
