He’s a the founder and principal of a boutique international tour company, a career that’s taken him to 80 countries and counting. But when not leading photography tours through the Sahara Desert (yes, camels are involved) or luxury yacht cruises through the Aegean, he’s recharging and planning his next adventure from his home base in the Garden State. Meet Alex, head of Open Sky Expeditions and Oscar NJ member.
What was your insurance situation like before you found Oscar?
I’ve never had a lot of healthcare needs, so when I left my previous company to start something on my own, I’d stuck with the same insurance company. Even without using them much, though, I always found insurance companies to have a behemoth feel – super cumbersome and difficult to get information from.
How did you first connect with Oscar?
When it came time to explore insurance this year, I jumped on Oscar, which had just launched for my state. My old plan was expiring, and it was so tough to get someone on the phone to talk about alternatives. By contrast, everything about Oscar is customer-focused. The website is novel, simple, and a lot more intuitive than anything I’ve ever seen in this space. For me, that sent a lot of good signals, so I called in to ask some questions and I got great service right away. I’d been concerned about switching to a new provider, but Oscar’s novel tech-savvy perspective is so in line with where I feel healthcare needs to go, that I decided it was worth trying. I wanted to be part of this new approach.
What’s been your experience so far?
One of the specific things I thought was very attractive was the Doctor on Call feature. It’s so much smarter to just tap a button and ask some targeted, personalized questions rather than go down that endless rabbit hole of Google search. I recently called in about a sore throat and a medical professional was able to evaluate my symptoms right away. I’ve also been impressed with the website. It does a good job of distilling important information—the key things you want to see when you arrive.
When you’re not on the move between countries (or even when you are!), are there any ways Oscar’s started to fit into your day-to-day life?
I’m trying to be more mindful of my health, and I was really happy to learn that I could synch Oscar’s Misfit tracker to my iPhone. I just did the synch a week ago. Although I haven’t used it every day, I have been counting steps. It’s a good motivator. Hopefully I can make it a habit.
Okay, we’re itching to ask. Any good travel tips?
The Mediterranean is one of my favorite places in the world. People tend to flock there in the summer, of course, with August at the peak of high season. But go in September, and the weather is still reliably summer-like, but the crowds have largely retreated, prices go down, and the water temperature is actually at its warmest. Be sure to check out the Greek island of Santorini–white-washed villages perched atop imposing cliffs at the edge of a massive caldera. Then, head over to nearby Folegandros. Off-the-beaten-path, it has the beauty of Santorini, but without the crowds. It’s a true hidden gem in the Aegean.
As soon as my luggage is dispatched for a flight, I take a photo of the luggage receipt with my phone. That way, if my bags don’t make it, I know the locater number is safely stored electronically, and I don’t have to fuss around searching for the receipt (I find these often peel off boarding passes, and are generally very easy to lose).