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Learn More About Your Expatriate Medical Insurance – Questions and Answers

Ask Doug – Questions and answers about expat medical insurance is a series of videos providing information on how to use your expatriate insurance best for you and your family.

Good Neighbor Insurance (GNI) provides international expatriate health insurance for those moving overseas or living internationally for 12 months or longer. We specialize in expat insurance for individuals and families moving abroad for work, social good projects, missions, entrepreneurship, choosing to live abroad, digital nomads, or retirement. We provide insurance solutions of all ages and nearly every destination.

We offer expatriate health insurance in addition to international term life insurance, travel insurance (for those going abroad less than 365 days), group team insurance, international employer group insurance, and nomad insurance as well as certain U.S. insurance benefits.

Our international insurance agents here in Gilbert, Arizona are here anytime you want to connect with them via email ([email protected]), phone (1-480-813-9100), or contact us (gninsurance.com/contact-us) for more detailed information on your expat medical insurance – https://www.gninsurance.com/health.

  1. Ask Doug – Should I apply for my expat insurance coverage to exclude the U.S?
  2. Ask Doug – Do all expatriate insurance options cover maternity benefits?
  3. Ask Doug – Does my expat medical insurance cover emergency medical evacuation?
  4. Ask Doug – I have received different expat health insurance quotes. Why are some company’s quotes so much higher than others?
  5. Pre-certification on my Azimuth expatriate insurance

 

Ask Doug – Questions and answers about expat medical insurance is a series of videos providing information on how to use your expatriate insurance best for you and your family – https://www.gninsurance.com/health. 

Question – I am a U.S. citizen, and I plan on being outside of the U.S. for more than two years without returning. Should I apply for my expat insurance coverage to exclude the U.S?

Answer –

  • Although the choice is entirely up to you, we recommend including the U.S. when you are a U.S. citizen.
  • In a worst-case scenario, if you are diagnosed with a serious medical illness, having U.S. medical coverage on your expatriate medical insurance will allow you to return home for medical treatment.

Question – Are expat medical insurance plans Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant?

Answer –

  • No. International medical insurance policies are not required to meet ACA requirements
  • Therefore, each applicant will go through a thorough underwriting process.
  • Acceptance on an international expatriate insurance plan is not automatic.
  • Exclusions for medical pre-existing conditions may be added to an international medical insurance plan in order to issue new expat insurance coverage.

Ask Doug – Questions and answers about expat medical insurance is a series of videos providing information on how to use your expatriate insurance best for you and your family – https://www.gninsurance.com/health. 

Question – Do all expat insurance plans cover maternity benefits?

Answer –

  • No, not all international medical insurance plans will cover maternity benefits.
  • Most of the more comprehensive international insurance plans will either include maternity coverage or will offer to add maternity coverage at the time of your annual renewal. 
  • All expat medical insurance plans that do offer maternity benefits will have a waiting period of 10-12 months.
  • For expat insurance that includes maternity options please head over hear – https://www.gninsurance.com/health/maternity.

Ask Doug – Questions and answers about expat medical insurance is a series of videos providing information on how to use your expatriate insurance best for you and your family – https://www.gninsurance.com/health. 

Question – Does my expat insurance policy cover emergency medical evacuation?

Answer –

  • Yes! All expat medical insurance options, that we offer through Good Neighbor, have coverage for emergency medical evacuation.
  • Please check the summary of benefits on your international health insurance policy to know how much is covered on your emergency medical evacuation benefit.

Question – My date to depart my home country is not for another six (6) months. How soon should I apply for my expat medical insurance coverage?

Answer –

  • Most expat insurance plans will only accept a new application thirty (30) days prior to your requested start date for your international medical insurance policy.
  • Also, expat insurance plans usually will have a restriction on how much time is allowed in your home country prior to your departure.

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Ask Doug – Questions and answers about expat medical insurance is a series of videos providing information on how to use your expatriate insurance best for you and your family – https://www.gninsurance.com/health. 

Question – I received different international health insurance quotes. Why are some company’s quotes so much higher than others?

Answer –

  • There are budget friendly expat insurance options, and then there are expat insurance options with more comprehensive medical benefits.
  • The budget friendly expat insurance options will be more for new medical injuries and new medical illnesses.
  • Whereas the comprehensive friendly expat insurance options will have extra medical benefits such as annual wellness checkups, maternity coverage, and longer time allowed for U.S. coverage, for example. 

 

Aki called us at our Good Neighbor Insurance Arizona office last month and had a great question on his Azimuth expat medical insurance, https://www.gninsurance.com/health/azimuth-meridian

Doug, my wife Kalani and I were talking about my Azimuth expatriate insurance, and we read about pre-certification on my international insurance member portal and need more clarification on this.  Can you help explain more about the pre-certification process with Azimuth?

I sure can, Aki.  But first, if there is a medical emergency, always take care of that first for sure.  Paperwork can come right after that medical emergency has been taken care of.

For starters Aki, let’s go over what pre-certification is and what it is not.

Pre-certification, also known as pre-notification or also prior approval is

  • Required on most expatriate insurance for certain medical treatments, and always for hospitalization.
  • Helps in determining if your medical procedure is a medical necessity

With your Azimuth expat plan, pre-certification is a requirement, Aki.

But please remember that pre-certification is not a guarantee of payment.

Here is the best time to pre-certify.

  • It should be done as soon as you can before your medical treatment occurs.
  • But for sure, pre-certification needs to be done within 48 hours after admission due to an accident or emergency illness.

Aki, here are a few medical services that your Azimuth international insurance company requires pre-certification

  • Inpatient Hospitalization
  • Labor and Delivery
  • Chemotherapy
  • Extended Care Facility, Home Nursing Care and Hospice Care
  • Interfacility Ambulance Transfer
  • Radiation Therapy
  • Surgery or Surgical Procedures
  • Transplant
  • Diagnostic testing such as MRI, CT scan and PET scans.
  • Durable Medical Equipment.

Failure to pre-certify could result in a 50 percent reduction of reimbursement of eligible medical expenses, Aki.

There are even some medical expenses, such as organ transplant or emergency medical evacuation, that will not be reimbursed without being pre-certified.

Good Neighbor Insurance, here in Gilbert Arizona, is dedicated to helping you understand and use your global insurance benefits to their highest potential, so you can stay protected through all of your international adventures.

Change is always in the air!  Please check out our global health insurance options on our web page at https://www.gninsurance.com/health for the most up-to-date information on your expat medical insurance –

Your GNI team here in Gilbert Arizona, wishes you both safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Aki and Kalani!

www.gninsurance.com