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Q2 2023
Tiny Mosquito, Big Medical Issue: GeoBlue Helps a BCBS Global Traveler Companion Member Recover and Return Home
Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Traveler Companion is an exclusive product offering for Blue Cross® Blue Shield® plans and their group clients. With this product, employees who are enrolled in Blue Cross Blue Shield domestic coverage through their employer automatically receive short-term international travel medical coverage when they travel outside the U.S. for any reason—business or leisure. It’s a great perk…but it’s critically important that employees understand how to access the coverage if they need care. |
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One member's story
 A member was visiting South Africa on holiday when she contracted malaria through a mosquito bite. Unaware of her Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Traveler Companion benefits, she spent 23 days in a hospital, accompanied by her mother who arranged her own travel to be by her daughter’s side, before the member’s employer notified GeoBlue.
Upon hearing of the member’s situation, GeoBlue immediately activated our medical team, obtained a medical report and arranged for payment. We then moved her to a GeoBlue provider to ensure proper care for her kidney failure. She was released after four nights and when she was well enough to travel, we arranged and paid for her flight home, with her mother as an escort.
How GeoBlue assisted
- We quickly moved the member to a GeoBlue contracted provider to ensure proper care
- Our team continued to medically monitor her care until she was released, and they stayed in communication with her mother
- We placed a guarantee of payment (GOP) of $55,000 for her full hospital stay through our local partner, which was the only source in the region the medical center was willing to accept a GOP from, removing the burden of the member having to make an expensive upfront payment to receive care
- We made all the arrangements for the return trip and covered all expenses—the member did not have any out-of-pocket expenses back to the U.S. nor did she have to figure out how to make such complex arrangements on her own
- We helped the member’s mother recoup the costs from her initial trip to South Africa by sending a form to claim the emergency family travel benefit
Learn more about the case
For questions about Global Traveler Companion, please contact Christine Salmon: CSalmon@geo-blue.com. |
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Spreading the Word About the Importance of Travel Medical Insurance
GeoBlue is committed to keeping our finger on the pulse of our industry. That’s why we recently sponsored a survey to gauge Americans’ awareness, usage and perceptions of travel medical insurance. And the survey revealed some interesting findings. |
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Nearly two thirds (64%) of consumers are making plans to travel internationally in the next 5 years. |
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A majority (77%) know medical care abroad is just as important as a nice place to stay and a good flight. |
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| Great, right? Keep reading… |
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Almost half (46%) believe a medical event would be covered by their domestic health insurance. |
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Additionally, over three quarters of consumers (76%) likely don’t have adequate health insurance coverage for international trips. |
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Yikes! There’s clearly a huge education gap—consumers think international medical coverage is important, but many believe their domestic plan will cover them.
The bottom line: Your clients have employees that are traveling internationally, and your members are traveling internationally. That means they need coverage. And if your clients aren’t getting their international health insurance from us, they’re getting it from a competitor! Don’t open the door to a competitor stealing domestic market share by way of international.
To learn more about the survey results, read the press release and visit our website.
Source: International Travel Medical Insurance: Awareness, Usage and Perceptions, Harris Poll & GeoBlue, December 2022.
The World Awaits: Get Traveling with Our Blue365® Discount for Short-Term International Travel Medical Insurance
Did you know that GeoBlue offers a 5% discount on individual short-term travel medical plans to participating members? Our Blue365 program helps members save a little while benefitting a lot from access to services their domestic plans likely don’t cover (important things—like medically necessary evacuation and global telemedicine).*
Here’s how you can help members take advantage of Blue365:
*Before promoting the GeoBlue Blue365 discount, check with your benefits team to confirm that your Plan participates in the Blue365 discount program and promotes the program’s travel discounts.
Enhancements to Our Individual Long-Term Plans
GeoBlue individual long-term plans provide coverage for expats—people who live and work outside their home country for more than six months—and their families too! These plans also support other special populations who may be on long-term assignments, such as maritime/yacht crew, missionaries and students.
GeoBlue individual long-term plans become the member’s primary insurance plan while they are abroad, offer comprehensive coverage and function much like their domestic plan. These plans are medically underwritten and can be offered on an individual basis or to a client group with one expat.
Enhancements and price increases for GeoBlue Xplorer® (expats) and GeoBlue Navigator® (maritime/yacht crew, missionaries, and students) went into effect July 1.
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| XPLORER PLAN CHANGES |
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Increased Rx benefit
- The base Rx benefit increased from $1,000 to $2,500
- Members no longer need to pay and claim for prescription benefits in the U.S.
- Select and Essential members now have access to mail order prescription services
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Increased annual physical benefit
- The annual physical examination/health screening limit increased from $750 to $1,000
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| XPLORER AND NAVIGATOR PLAN CHANGES |
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Removal of paper applications
- We switched to electronic only for faster underwriting, more convenient submission, and less opportunity for manual mistakes
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New customer service phone number
- A new phone number provides faster access to the Global Service Center that supports expats
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Addition of prescription prior authorization
- A prescription drug formulary update requires prior authorization for monthly prescriptions that are $1,500 or more, as well as for specific brands of medicines
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Lower minimum age for subscribers
- The minimum age for Xplorer plan subscribers decreased from 18 years of age to 14 years of age
- This change provides flexibility for customers who may have a group plan but wish to cover a person under 18 years of age
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| Contact PartnerProgram@geo-blue.com to learn more about GeoBlue individual short-term and long-term plans, including how to get your broker partners appointed to sell GeoBlue individual plans. |
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We’re on the road again and so happy to connect with your sales and account teams, your broker partners, and your clients in person.
Where we’re headed:
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Florida Blue Small Group Fall Launch Roadshow
August 8-25, 2023
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Regence Golf Tournament
August 14, 2023
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BCBS Massachusetts Community Classic Golf Tournament
September 19, 2023
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BCBS Michigan AEP and OEP Kickoff
September 21-22, 2023
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Anthem Nevada Roadshow
September 26, 2023
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If your plan has an upcoming event we should attend, please contact our sales team. We look forward to seeing you!
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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. 4 Ever Life Insurance Company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
BLPL75909-BLU-7/23 |
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