Gifts
Reflections of the season, including gratitude for FMCA.
National President
Jon Walker
jwalker@fmca.com
In our family, December is the time of year when everyone seems to start thinking about GIFTS. The grandkids tell Nana and Papa what gifts they want for Christmas; they also tell their parents what they want for Christmas; and they talk with their friends about the gifts they want for Christmas. It seems as though this just keeps going all month long.
On the other side of this is how we react. In our case, Sondra has been shopping and hiding little gifts for months. In fact, in some years, we find little gifts that have been hidden and forgotten about, months and months after Christmas has come and gone.
In the midst of all of this, I keep thinking about the gifts I have received while serving as your FMCA president. It is a treat seeing our dedicated staff working each and every day to help our members. I read emails from members who have various concerns. After they call or email our staff regarding an issue, I get to see how solutions result. This gift is called DEDICATION.
I read many of the case descriptions of members who required the services of our FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program. Once in a while, we receive letters telling us how grateful someone is that FMCAssist was there for them in a time of dire need. That is the gift of GRATITUDE.
I sometimes get to see the face of a new member who just completed one of our RV Basics classes from the FMCA University. That is the gift of LEARNING. Or the spouse who always wanted to drive the rig but was afraid . . . until completing the RV Driving School. That is the gift of ACCOMPLISHMENT.
I am grateful for Tim and Vicki Osborn, F487983, who live down the street from me. They recently purchased a new RV. When I told them about FMCA, they joined. They have already registered for the “Peachy in Perry” convention, coming up March 13 through 16, and have signed up for RV Basics and the RV Driving School. That is the gift of ENTHUSIASM.
I also have received the gift of seeing the work of hundreds and hundreds of VOLUNTEERS having fun at our international conventions. And the experience of being one of the first people to arrive at a convention site and watching the event grow to include more than 5,000 people in a few short days, and then marveling at how they all seem to just disappear on the last day.
The largest gift I have received is the FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE I have experienced over the years after becoming friends with hundreds of people I never would have known if it weren’t for FMCA.
I truly have been blessed.
Member input needed. If we want to continue enjoying the many benefits we receive from FMCA membership, it’s important for us to explore ways to transform the culture of our organization into a more member-driven model that can sustain us and help us grow, long into the future. This includes making you, our members, more aware of opportunities (committee assignments, project teams, etc.), and inviting you to share in decision-making processes that affect the increasingly diverse aspects of the overall organization. To do that, I need your help.
Earlier this year, I asked several FMCA members to serve on a Membership Engagement Committee. They helped me with a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFRhyuUIxcE) that expresses my “member driven” vision, and they also developed a quick survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RMCBY2R) that asks about your expectations and concerns. You can become “engaged” right now by watching my video and taking our survey. The survey will remain open until after the beginning of 2019, and results will be shared with our membership soon thereafter. We value your input, and we want to listen.
Chapter block party in Perry. I remember a conversation I had many years ago with life member Jean Pryor, who passed away a year ago this month. She told me what a wonderful experience she had at FMCA conventions “in the old days when they had block parties.” I would like to announce that this March at “Peachy in Perry,” we are going to have a modified block party.
We know from our collected data that once members join a chapter, they renew their FMCA membership at a 35 percent greater rate than non-chapter members. That larger renewal rate speaks to the fact that being part of a chapter brings special experiences.
In Perry, chapters will have an opportunity to set up tables during the Chapter Fair and during that time to extend the hand of friendship and invite members to come visit their chapter during our special social night. On this Chapter Block Party evening, we will not have traditional entertainment. We’ve heard from members that they want more time to relax and to socialize and get to know one another. This will be the perfect opportunity.
The block party evening will give everyone a chance to visit chapters, check out what they do, have some food and drink, and make NEW friends. Additional information about this new idea appears on page 73 of this issue.
By now I am sure that areas in the northern climates have received several snowfalls as winter develops. In addition to thinking about the gifts that we all give and receive in December, I keep coming back to FMCA past national president Charlie Schrenkel’s poem that he wrote in 2000. I like it so much that I would like to close with it. Here are the first and last verses:
“Snowflakes flutter in breathless air,
And settle down without a care
Upon the brown and tarnished leaves,
Which form a carpet ’neath the trees
And all across this fairy land,
The fields, the hills, where pine trees stand.
The quiet of this winter’s night,
Brings peace on earth by morning light.”
On behalf of all the staff at FMCA national headquarters, Sondra and I would like to wish our Christian friends a “Merry Christmas” and all of our other friends “Happy Holidays.” And a very Happy New Year to all!
Until next month, don’t forget that it still is all about having fun!
Traveling Abroad?
FMCA’s International Travel Insurance can help to provide the protection and peace of mind you need.
Chris Smith
Executive Director
Chris Smith
csmith@fmca.com
Imagine this — you are traveling in Europe with your spouse, and you suddenly begin to feel very sick. You both believe it is probably just food poisoning and will pass, but it doesn’t. The next day you feel much worse. What should you do?
If traveling abroad is on your bucket list, consider purchasing an FMCA International Travel Insurance plan, which provides coverage for trips outside your home country. This specialized plan supplies a wide variety of medical benefits and emergency services that are important if you become sick or hurt while overseas.
FMCA’s partner Seven Corners offers this plan to our members. It covers medical expenses for an injury or illness that occurs on your trip. The FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program, which comes with your membership, does not cover medical expenses. Members are encouraged to read up on both plans so you understand the differences.
Why do you need FMCA International Travel Insurance?
You need this protection because your health insurance at home (including Medicare) may not follow you abroad, and in many cases, it may cover only emergency medical conditions. The key in this situation is the definition of an emergency medical condition. What you consider an emergency may not match your health insurance company’s definition of an emergency. If you are not sure what type of coverage your home health plan provides when you travel abroad, call the company to verify before you leave home.
In addition, some medical providers in foreign countries may require you to pay before they treat you. The FMCA International Travel Insurance plan includes an international medical provider network. Many of these providers have direct-pay agreements with Seven Corners, so you won’t have to pay up front for care. You also won’t have to worry about how to find a doctor; you can contact Seven Corners for help.
Important Benefits
Emergency medical evacuation is a key benefit provided by the plan. If appropriate medical care is not available in your location, Seven Corners will arrange and pay to transport you to a facility that has the care you need.
Seven Corners has medical staff members, including RNs and a doctor, who will follow your care and check in with the local medical staff to ensure your treatment plan is appropriate. They also work with emergency service providers all over the world to quickly and efficiently organize emergency medical care and services.
Many travel insurance plans do not cover pre-existing conditions — medical conditions that existed when you bought the plan or before the plan began. The FMCA plan covers an unexpected recurrence of a pre-existing condition in limited amounts that vary according to the plan type you choose.
The FMCA International Travel plan also provides natural disaster evacuation and repatriation. This benefit pays up to $10,000 to transport you to the nearest safe location or return you to your home country if you need an emergency evacuation in the event that a natural disaster makes your host country location uninhabitable, as deemed by Seven Corners.
Likewise, political evacuation is provided if a formal recommendation is made for you to leave your host country because of political or military events in that country. The benefit pays up to $10,000 to transport you to the nearest place of safety or to your home country. Please read the policy requirements carefully, as the political evacuation benefit will not apply if you do not follow the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisories to avoid certain countries and locations.
Travel Assistance Services
When you are far from home and facing a difficult situation, there is no substitute for a helping hand. That’s where Seven Corners’ multilingual assistance team comes in. They are available 24/7 to answer your questions, help you find a doctor, locate the nearest embassy, arrange emergency medical transportation services, and provide translation services and other types of travel assistance.
Who can buy this coverage?
If you are an FMCA member traveling outside your home country, you can buy this plan for yourself and family members traveling with you. Your home country is the country where you have your true, fixed, and permanent home and principal establishment.
Please note that this plan cannot cover travel to Iran or Syria.
How To Buy FMCA International Travel Insurance
To purchase a plan, call Seven Corners or visit sevencorners.com/fmca and choose the link in the left sidebar to view the FMCA International Travel Insurance page. Once there, you will see a summary of the plan benefits, a link to get a quote and to buy a plan, and phone numbers to call if you would prefer to buy via telephone.
When you buy online, your coverage documents, including a copy of the policy and an ID card, will be provided to you at the end of the purchase process and via email. If you purchase by phone, you will receive documents by email.
Pricing And Plan Options
The rates for the plan range from $2 per day to $13 per day, depending on your age and the type of plan you choose. The Silver plan covers you for 30 days, the Gold plan for 60 days, and the Platinum plan for up to 364 days. The medical coverage limits range from $25,000 to $250,000, and deductibles are per occurrence and range from $75 to $0. You are not required to pay coinsurance.
Questions
If you have any questions about benefits, please call Seven Corners at (877) 202-4176 or (317) 582-2619.
Don’t Forget About FMCAssist
As an FMCA member, you receive coverage under the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Plan as part of your regular annual dues.
The FMCAssist program covers a variety of emergency travel assistance services for you when you travel 100 miles or more from your legal residence. Through the plan, Seven Corners arranges services for emergency medical evacuations, repatriations, emergency medical reunions, return of mortal remains, return of dependents, and vehicle return for your RV (limited to North America). Many FMCA members have used the plan over the years, and it has been a great help to them. As noted, unlike the International Travel Insurance Plan, the FMCAssist plan does not cover medical expenses.
Until next month, enjoy the journey!