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Q3 2021
Perfect Timing
Use Open Enrollment to Educate Members and Close Global Coverage Gaps
Globally mobile individual consumers, including Medicare beneficiaries, may be surprised to learn that their domestic benefits may not provide enough coverage when they travel internationally.
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Of the consumers who did not make sure they had proper coverage when traveling abroad, 16% assumed their domestic plan was sufficient.1 |
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Outside the U.S., Medicare/Medicaid coverage is limited. Some Medicare supplement plans cover up to $50,000 lifetime maximum, which could be maxed out with a single medical incident. When traveling on an international cruise, members are covered only if a medical incident occurs within six hours of a U.S. port. |
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Employer-sponsored health plans may not cover employees who desire to become a “self-appointed international telecommuter” and work remotely outside the U.S., since they are not traveling internationally on official company business. |
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Domestic medical plans typically fall short on critical international benefits, such as medically necessary evacuation and global telemedicine services. Also, many domestic medical plans have deductibles, copays and coinsurance that are not familiar to international providers.
GeoBlue has affordable plans for individuals and families, coverage for short-term international travel (up to 182 days) and expats living and working abroad.
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Action: Promote GeoBlue individual plans to members during open enrollment
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Open enrollment is a great time to remind members about GeoBlue international health plans because members are naturally tuned into their benefits. |
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Check out these examples from BCBS Arkansas, expected to run during Medicare and U65 open enrollment.
Spotlight on the Senior/Medicare Market
Nationally, at more than 52 million strong, seniors (age 65 and older) make up 16% of the U.S. population.1 With many having the time, financial ability, and desire to explore the world, seniors are a ripe audience to purchase international health plans in case they become sick or are injured while traveling abroad.
However, many seniors assume that their Medicare plan will provide the necessary coverage if they need medical care while traveling internationally. This is not the case.
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Action: Promote GeoBlue to your senior/Medicare members
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With Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) just around the corner, now is the perfect time to make seniors aware of GeoBlue. Use our senior content guide to source ready-to-use content for social media posts, emails, e-newsletters and other communications. |
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1. Administration for Community Living / Administration on Aging (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services), May 2020
New! Enhanced Individual Expat Plans
We recently enhanced our individual long-term (expat) plans to include the following benefits. GeoBlue Xplorer plans are ideal for expats, including self-appointed international telecommuters. GeoBlue Navigator plans are ideal for maritime crew members, missionaries, humanitarian workers and students.
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Dental/Vision upgrade is now available on all Xplorer and Navigator plans
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A new lower-cost $10,000 deductible option on all Xplorer plans
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A new urgent care benefit on Xplorer Premier and all Navigator plans
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Removal of the physical therapy dollar limit on all Xplorer and Navigator plans
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A new smoking cessation benefit on all Xplorer and Navigator plans that have a prescription benefit
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A new family friendly benefit that provides continuous coverage for spouse and dependents in the event of subscriber death*
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*In the unfortunate event the subscriber dies while covered under this plan, any currently enrolled spouse and/or dependent children will remain covered with the existing plan benefits for up to 24 months with no additional premium. The continuation of benefits ends at 24 months or when the dependents return to their home country.
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Action: Share the GeoBlue individual expat guide with your broker partners
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Our individual expat campaign guide provides ready-to-use content, including articles for e-newsletters, social media posts, blogs and more for your brokers’ client communications. The average premium for an expat plan is $7,800 and brokers make commission on every sale. |
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Join Us for Our Upcoming Webinar:
September 22 at 2:00 pm ET
Worst Case Scenarios, Best Case Solutions: Coordinating Successful Medical Evacuations with Care
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Covering the risk for global travel, whether for work or leisure, must include the possibility for a medically necessary evacuation. While evacuations don’t occur often, when they do, they can be costly and traumatic. Join our next webinar for an inside look into medical evacuations. From the decision-making process to communication needs and logistics, learn how we manage the complexities of medical evacuations with care, and what employers can do to prepare for and support employees during an evacuation.
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Who should attend?
This webinar is ideal for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of the role that medical evacuations play in providing quality care to globally mobile populations, what it takes to handle them successfully from both a medical assistance as well as employer perspective.
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The New Definition of Remote Work Provides Opportunities for Sales and Account Teams
One of the impacts of the pandemic is how it has changed the way employers and employees view working remotely. Employees are increasingly pushing the boundaries of what it means to “work remotely,” including becoming “location independent,” a self-appointed international telecommuter and working from anywhere in the world.
Many employer remote work policies are narrowly defined as “working from home” and do not include benefits for employees who desire to be globally mobile and work from outside the U.S., without traveling officially for the company or on a global assignment.
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Action: Probe in-force clients for opportunities to cover care gaps
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Download and share this flyer with your sales and account teams to ensure that globally minded members have have proper coverage. Reach out to our sales team with questions or potential opportunities. |
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The Key Archive |
Your Source for Simplifying International Healthcare for Your Members, Brokers and Clients
Bookmark the all-new The Key archive for the latest content guides and other resources that simplify promoting GeoBlue’s international healthcare solutions to your broker partners, clients, members and sales teams. |
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Catch the Headlines: Be among the first to hear about news and issues impacting the globally mobile
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Grab a Seat: Register for upcoming events and webinars featuring relevant topics and industry experts
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Get to Know Us: Catch snippets of who we are and how we’re simplifying the international healthcare experience
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Blue Cross Blue Shield Global® is a brand owned by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. GeoBlue is the trade name of Worldwide Insurance Services, LLC (Worldwide Services Insurance Agency, LLC in California and New York), an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association: made available in cooperation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies in select service areas. Coverage is provided under insurance policies underwritten by 4 Ever Life Insurance Company, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, NAIC #80985.
BLPL2117-BLU-9/21 |
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