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Knowledge Base – GeoBlue Employer Group Medical Insurance

Your GeoBlue Group Insurance Information

Table of Contents

1. Member Portal
2. Claims
3. Using your Global Medical Network Outside the U.S. and inside the U.S. – ID Cards
4. Understanding your medical insurance benefits and your Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
5. Emergency Medical Evacuation
6. Preventative, Immunization, Telehealth, and other insurance benefits

Welcome To Your GeoBlue Global Group Insurance Plan

Your GeoBlue Global Employer group medical plan comes with state-of-the-art technology to allow you to access your medical care anywhere in the world. The Member Hub helps you find centers of medical excellence that will accept your insurance, so that you pay little to no out-of-pocket costs for your medical care. They will bill GeoBlue directly. All is available through the GeoBlue app that you can download to your smart phone.

Don’t forget to bookmark this page so that you can find it easily when you have insurance questions in the future.

GeoBlue Phone number: 1-610-254-8771

GNI Contact Information

Your Group Insurance Advisors: Karen, Kirk, & Doug.

telephone icon 480-813-9100
envelope icon [email protected]
building icon 690 E Warner Rd Ste. 117   Gilbert, AZ 85296

Understanding Your Member Portal

Members can find providers, file claims, ask questions, download ID cards, download policy documents in the GeoBlue Member Hub https://geo-blue.com/memberhubpreview.cfm 

  • Once enrolled, use your certificate number, first name, Last name as seen on their ID card and date of birth to register: https://geo-blue.com/memberhubpreview.cfm
  • They can also register through the GeoBlue app which is available via the Apple App Store or Google Play.

 

 

Question: What should I do if I paid for a covered service out of the U.S.:

Answer: Use the mobile app to submit the claim; there is a step-by-step form to fill out through your account. You can use your phone to take pictures of receipts and upload them.

 

Question: How do I find Direct Pay providers in my country?

Answer: There is a Health Atlas on the app; it will provide you with a review, location and contact information.

Use the GeoBlue Mobile app to find Medical Term Translations. There is also a Medicine Equivalent tool, to help you find local medications for what you may be using in the U.S.

Once you submitted a claim, you will be able to track the progress of your claim in the Member Hub or through the Mobile app.

Videos

  1. How does my deductible work?
  2. Why is my deductible higher in the U.S.?
  3. 7 important things you can do in your overseas insurance portal

 

Key Notes

  1. Do I need to pre-certify before a hospital admission or surgery?
  2. What deductible levels actually mean on your insurance
  3. What exactly is an out-of-pocket maximum on my insurance?

Understanding Claims

GeoBlue offers you two options for handling your claims outside the U.S.

  1. Direct Pay is when GeoBlue pays the provider directly, saving you on out-of-pocket costs. This option may not always be available, depending on where the care is provided, as well as emergency situations where it cannot be set up ahead of time.
  2. Pay and Claim is when you pay up front for the cost of the treatment, and then submit a claim to be reimbursed.
    1. Promptness is key: the sooner you submit the claim, the faster GeoBlue will reimburse you for it!
    2. Supporting documents should show date of service, provider name, diagnosis, treatment (if any), and proof of payment.

Question: How do I submit a claim?

Answer: You can go to the Member Hub and click on “File an eClaim” or choose “Claims” in the mobile app to submit the claim. Both of them will give you step-by-step instructions. You can use your phone to take pictures of receipts or other documents and upload them.

You can also submit claims via email or fax, and instructions for that are also found on the Member Hub, where you can download and print the necessary forms. You can also find instructions there on how to submit a claim by postal mail, if you need to!

Question: How do I check the status of my claim?

Answer: Simply choose “Claims” in the mobile app or visit the “Claims” section of the Member Hub. If you are using the mobile app, you can elect to receive a notification when your claim is processed.

 

When your claim has been paid, you will be able to access the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) which will tell you everything that was paid, how it was paid and to whom. You will also be able to see if there is any remaining portion that you are responsible for.

One of the main reasons claims are delayed is because the claim form is not filled out completely or correctly, or for online submissions, because necessary invoices or other documents were not included or unreadable. Be sure to proof-read your claim form before submitting it, and make sure you have included all the paperwork!

Videos

  1. Understanding how to submit an insurance claim
  2. Ultimate guide to your global group medical insurance benefits
  3. Top 5 things to remember when you start your international employer medical group insurance

Key Notes

  1. Understanding my Explanation of Benefits
  2. How to understand what I owe on my explanation of Benefits
  3. What’s the reimbursement time for claims on our international group insurance?

Using your Global Medical Network Outside the U.S. and inside the U.S. – ID Cards

Your GeoBlue (Blue Cross/Blue Shield Global) offers you two great networks so that you will need to do a lot less claim filing.

You have two ID cards for each of these networks:

BUPA for care outside the US. The BUPA network is contracted with hundreds of thousands of providers worldwide. It is the largest and most recognized network outside the U.S.

Blue Cross Blue Shield for care in the US. BCBS is widely recognized in the US, with contracted providers in all 50 states.

See samples of what they look like: Medical ID Cards

 

Question: How do I find network providers?

Answer: Look in your member portal, you can find network providers worldwide, including the U.S. Verify with the provider when making the appointment.

 

Question: When I am outside the US, do I have to use BUPA contracted providers?

Answer: No, you may use any licensed provider outside the U.S. You may have to pay out-of-pocket, though, and then submit the claim for reimbursement.

 

Question: My family doctor in the US is not in the BCBS network: can I still visit her?

Answer:  Yes, of course. We want you to have confidence in your healthcare no matter where you get it from. But your visits will be subject to the out-of-network deductible, and there isn’t a co-pay or a discount.

Direct Pay is a service that issues a Guarantee of Payment (GOP) from GeoBlue to Participating Providers outside the US to cover medical treatment.

  • If this guarantee is not arranged prior to the visit, the physician may require payment up front from you.
  • You will want to request Direct Pay at least 48 hours prior to your appointment to avoid paying out-of-pocket for medical care and submitting claims.

 

Pre-Authorization is the process of determining in advance if a procedure or treatment will be covered under your healthcare plan. Pre-authorization is not required by Geo-Blue. However, it is recommended that you verify that a procedure or test is covered by your policy. A network provider will do this for you. But for out-of-network providers or outside the US, you can do it yourself by calling GeoBlue.

In the US, always stay in Network, this will eliminate unnecessary cost to you for covered services.

Videos

  1. Part 1 of 3 – Two key medical insurance network models
  2. Part 2 of 3 – Some key differences in comparing your medical networks
  3. Part 3 of 3 – How does my U.S. and international medical network stack up to others?
  4. Exploring Family Counseling Benefits
Is Telehealth Included in Our International Employer Group Medical Insurance?

Key Notes

  1. Understanding your international emergency medical evacuation benefits
  2. This one vital thing just may save your life while overseas; your medical emergency evacuation benefit
  3. Top 8 things to remember before, during, and after going to your medical appointment on your global employer group medical insurance

Understanding Your Explanation of Benefits

Once your claim has been processed (whether submitted by yourself or your provider), you will see an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) in your Account.

It will show what your health plan paid for, what it did not pay for and the reasons for both. It will also show any charges you may owe (the patient responsibility). The EOB will also show any discount that was applied for a contracted provider. Any bill you receive from your provider should match what the EOB says that you owe.

Question: What do I do if there is an error?

Answer: Contact member services and explain what the error is. If you feel that you are still not getting a proper answer, please contact us at [email protected] and we will go to work for you.

 

Your EOB will typically show payment amounts in US dollars. GeoBlue will convert whatever the local currency is by using international rates of exchange, and the EOB will show what date was used to get the exchange rate, it is usually the service date.

Depending on when claims are submitted and processed, GeoBlue may issue a payment that covers more than one claim at a time. If you receive a payment that doesn’t match any of your single claim amounts, it may be because the payment is for more than one claim. If you have questions on the payments made, contact GeoBlue or send us an email here at Good Neighbor and we will get answers for you.

At times, the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form may be confusing to read. We also get a tad confused, even with 27 years of serving you our guests on your global employer medical insurance. A lot of the confusion stems from the many different abbreviations each international insurance company uses. If this occurs, feel free to reach out to GeoBlue or us here at Good Neighbor Insurance.

Videos

  1. What does Cross-Accumulate Deductible Mean?
  2. What is covered and what is not?
  3. What Does “Co-Insurance” Mean?
  4. Direct Pay Explained: Maximizing Your Global Employer Group Insurance Benefits

 

Key Notes

  1. Your deductible
  2. How do I know if I have a co-pay when I visit a doctor’s office on my international employer group medical insurance?

Emergency Medical Evacuation

In the event of a medical emergency, seek immediate medical attention at the nearest physician or hospital, and then contact the Global Health and Safety (GHS) team at +1-610-254-8771. You can call collect. 

The GHS team will assess the conditions and the facilities’ capabilities. Then, if needed, they will coordinate independent medical escorts, ground and air transport to get you to the nearest medical center that can handle your emergency.

Question: How does emergency evacuation medical evacuation work?

Answer: GeoBlue will coordinate transportation and all related costs with their international network of caregivers and medical facilities. These facilities are already partners with GeoBlue, so authorization and direct pay will be handled by the GHS team.

 

Question: Does my policy include evacuation in the case of political unrest.

Answer: No, this is not a benefit that you have with GeoBlue.

 

Question: Does my policy include Family Travel benefits?

Answer: Yes. If you are likely to be in the hospital more than 7 days, GeoBlue policy will cover economy round-trip airfare & hotel accommodations for a person you designate.

This is automatically included for one parent, if a dependent child is evacuated. This benefit is a maximum of $5000.

If you have minor children who are left unattended because of your evacuation, the GHS team will arrange for them to be brought to your home country or your country of assignment until you can arrange to have them travel to where you are, or where you plan to be.

Call (or have someone call for you) GeoBlue 1-610-254-8771 immediately if you feel that there might be a need of a medical evacuation. These must be arranged by GeoBlue for them to be covered. It can take several days to get everything lined up (transportation on both ends, doctors and hospitals on the receiving side).

Videos

  1. General information on pre-certification
  2. Hi have a medical emergency! Who do I call on my employer insurance?

Key Notes

  1. Part 1 of 2 – Your out-of-pocket maximum
  2. Part 2 of 2 – Your out-of-pocket maximum

Preventative, Immunization, Telehealth and other Insurance Benefits

Preventative

Your policy covers preventative (or wellness) benefits at 100% when services are received outside the U.S. as well as in the BlueCross/BlueShield Network in the U.S.

This includes normal immunization and travel immunizations.

TeleMD

Global TeleMD is a virtual appointment App that GeoBlue members may use. Members may consult with doctors in the privacy and convenience of their own home by phone and video, in multiple languages. Ask questions, discuss your symptoms, review treatment options, even get prescriptions!

Just download the Global TeleMD app to your phone.

Question: Does Global TeleMD cost anything?

Answer: No, this service is free to you.

 

Question: What happens if I use out-of-network providers for preventative care?

Answer: Your expenses will be subject to the Out-of-Network deductible and co-insurance.

 

Question: If I am moving to an area where rabies are endemic will GeoBlue cover rabies vaccination?

Answer: Yes

If you are having trouble getting into a pediatrician of immunizations for your children, these are often available for free and your county health clinic.

Don’t delay on getting scheduled preventative check-ups, labs and tests. These are meant to find serious health issues before you even know you have them. It can save you a lot of time and pain catching something early on.

Using the TeleMD can save you hours of travel time and waiting in office if all you need is a simple Doctor’s visit and a prescription. We highly recommend you use the service that is available to you free of charge.

Videos

  1. Difference of an Annual Preventative vs. Sick Benefits 
  2. Understanding preventative coverage
  3. Can our children have their own account online on my international employer group insurance?
Navigating Ambulance Claims

Key Notes

  1. Does your global group plan offer telehealth benefits?
  2. Do I have vision benefits on my international employer group medical insurance?
  3. What ‘Usual, Reasonable, and Customary’ Means for Your Global Employer Group Insurance