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Understanding My Expat Medical Insurance – Part 1

Good Neighbor Insurance provides expatriate medical insurance for individuals, couples, and families moving overseas.  We have over 25 years providing the best expat medical insurance available. The videos below will provide information on how to best use your global insurance while you are residing overseas.

  1. How does my deductible work in the U.S?
  2. How do I renew my expatriate medical insurance?
  3. Who can get an expatriate international medical insurance plan?
  4. What are copays on our expatriate medical insurance?
  5. Why my international insurance member portal is important
  6. Do I have office visit copays on my expatriate medical insurance?
  7. Does my expat medical insurance have the HSA option?
  8. Telehealth on expatriate insurance
  9. Understanding our Explanation of Benefits on our expatiate insurance
  10. Do I need to pre-certify before a hospital admission or surgery?
  11. How to handle a pre-certification during an emergency hospital visit
  12. What is hospital indemnity on my expatriate medical insurance?
  13. Pre-certification on our Cigna Global expatriate insurance
  14. Pre-certification on our GMI expatriate insurance
  15. Top 5 things you do when you start your expat insurance policy or renew your expat insurance policy
  16. Top 8 things to remember before, during, and after going to your medical appointment
  17. Do all expatriate insurance options cover maternity benefits?
  18. Should I apply for my expatriate medical insurance coverage to exclude the U.S.?
  19. Why should I work with Good Neighbor Insurance for my expatriate coverage?

 

Question – Doug, how does my deductible on my expatriate medical insurance work in the U.S?

Answer – Great question, Anna.  Yes, the deductible you choose on your expat insurance will be the deductible amount here in the U.S.

Here are a few other key points to share about your deductible in the U.S, Anna.

  • Do make sure you use your in-network medical network.  This will allow you to save money since in-network providers provide discounts to you. An in-network medical provider is a doctor, hospital or other medical facilities that accepts your global insurance. 
  • Your in-network deductible will be the amount you will pay out of your own pocket before your expat medical insurance starts paying for medical care.
  • You can see your in-network provider information on your insurance web portal and usually it is stated on your medical card.
  • You may see on your in-network provider, PPO.  This means Preferred Provider Organization.
  • Your deductible will start on your policy effective date or start on a calendar year which would start each January 1st, depending on the global medical insurance policy.
  • If your plan runs on a policy year, your effective date of coverage will be the start of your policy year.
  • For example – your expat medical insurance started on June 1st, Anna.  This means that your policy year deductible would start on June 1 and end on May 31st, the following year.
  • Whereas a calendar year deductible would start from January 1st to December 31st, that same year.  Do keep in mind that if your effective date is in August, for example, your deductible amount starts over on January 1st, the following year.
  • Lastly, Anna, to find all your global medical insurance benefits please head over to your expat insurance online portal for policyholders, or you can get a quick snapshot view of your summary schedule of benefits on your expat insurance brochure.

Change is always in the air!  So please check 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 and your family safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Anna.

https://www.gninsurance.com

 

Question – How do I renew my expatriate medical insurance, Doug?

Answer – That is a great question, Isla. If you’ve been living overseas for a year or more, you may wonder how you can keep your international medical insurance up to date without returning to your home country. 

Often, when your expatriate medical policy is close to its expiration, you may receive correspondence from your global insurance provider by email.  Isla, generally, you will be notified 30-60 days in advance, though sometimes you may have to log into your insurance provider’s website or “portal” to finalize your renewal.

If you’ve been working with a broker like Good Neighbor Insurance, we also send out an email about your expat insurance renewal. This way we can also help make sure you receive your renewal information since we may have more than one email address to connect with you.

Good Neighbor Insurance at www.gninsurance.com, is dedicated to helping you understand and use your international medical insurance benefits to their highest potential, so you can stay protected through all of your international adventures.

Learn about the global insurance benefits of your current expatriate plan, or get a quote for a new benefit-rich plan at gninsurance.com.

Change is always in the air!  So please check 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 and safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Isla.

https://www.gninsurance.com

 

Are you looking for the best international insurance options while you live or work overseas?  How do you know if an expatriate international medical insurance plan is right for you?

International medical insurance plans are designed for people who live and work overseas, outside of their home country, for a year or more.  Whether you’re living overseas for work, or with your family, or you’ve chosen a nomad lifestyle, there are specialized international medical insurance plans designed for your lifestyle.  These expatriate medical insurance plans are designed for people who plan to live outside of their home country for one year or more.

Is an expatriate international medical insurance plan right for you? Find out with Good Neighbor Insurance.  We specialize in helping global citizens protect their lives, their families, and their wallets! We offer education on how to use your expat medical insurance while you are overseas.  We also provide comprehensive global insurance plans that include international health coverage, emergency evacuation coverage, international term life insurance, and much more.

Good Neighbor Insurance is a full-service international insurance broker dedicated to keeping you and your family and also your employees safe on every project around the world.

For the most up-to-date information on our expatriate insurance options please –

Safe Expatriate Travels – from your GNI Team here in Gilbert, Arizona!
https://www.gninsurance.com

 

Morning Doug, this is Cho. My wife Sofia and I are heading overseas for the next few years and will be residing in Vietnam. We are looking at all your expatriate medical insurance plans, https://www.gninsurance.com/health, for our international insurance cover for our family.  One of our questions, Doug, is we need to understand what copays mean on your expat insurance plans.  

Great question, Cho.  A co-pay is the portion of a medical service bill that you are responsible for before your insurance is billed.  Not all global insurance plans have co-pay benefits, Cho and Sofia.  Sometimes expatriate insurance only has a deductible and coinsurance benefit with no copays. This type of global insurance allows for a lower premium, such as our GMI expatriate insurance at https://www.gninsurance.com/health/img-gmi.

Commonly, a co-pay will be a nominal fee for service, such as $30 for a primary care visit and $60 for a specialist’s medical visit. This is just an example of one of our expatriate insurance plans, Cho. Your international insurance plan will specifically list your co-pays if they have this benefit. Typically, a co-pay is collected at the time of service.  However, it can also be billed later if there are questions about what your global insurance may cover.

Cho and Sofia, while you are at your doctor’s office visit, their administration will collect payment for your co-pay in the amount listed on your international medical insurance card.   Cho, sometimes you will be responsible to pay the entire cost of this medical service if the international healthcare provider cannot verify your global insurance or does not take direct insurance payment.  If you are asked to pay for the entire service, don’t worry Cho and Sofia. There is a simple process for your global insurance provider to reimburse you for the covered expenses.  This is called submitting a claim to your insurance.  You may submit a claim by following the directions provided in your expatriate medical insurance documentation, or by visiting your online insurance portal – which we will discuss a little later.

After you visit your medical care provider, you will receive in the mail or on your online insurance portal a document called an Explanation of Benefits, also called an EOB. This document is not a bill. Your EOB is simply a breakdown of what your international insurance company has paid, and what portion of the bill is your responsibility, if any.

Cho, with today’s technology, your online insurance portal will be the best way to retrieve your EOB.  When you purchase your international medical insurance plan, you will receive registration information to get on your online insurance portal.  Your insurance portal, Cho and Sofia, is the best place for you to find plan specific information as well as the best place to get in touch directly with your global insurance carrier.  You may log into your portal by visiting the website of your international insurance carrier and following the instructions provided with your plan documentation. 

Cho, once inside your insurance portal, you will have access to your EOBs and plan documentation.  You may use their self-service features to do things like submit claims and even renew your global insurance policy.

Cho and Sofia, to submit a claim, you will need the itemized receipt you received from your U.S. or international healthcare provider. You will simply fill out the claim form provided within your portal online, and take a picture or scan your receipt in order to be reimbursed for your covered medical expenses. Your international insurance company, Cho and Sofia, will review your medical claim and issue payment usually within 30 – 90 days of your claim (international insurance companies are provided more time to handle claims due to different global processes).  If you do have copays on your global insurance policy, Cho, your insurance portal will also include documentation on where you may use this benefit. 

When considering your co-pay, you may also have questions about your deductible, Cho and Sofia.  A deductible is an amount of money you may pay out of pocket for in a single year while on your international medical insurance plan before your global insurance company starts paying on your medical care.  International insurance does not work like U.S. domestic Affordable Care Act (ACA) medical insurance, Cho. Typically, your co-pay will not contribute toward your maximum out-of-pocket expenses. This means the money you pay as your co-pay does not accrue like the other service costs to meet your out-of-pocket maximum amount.

Cho and Sofia, some of our expat medical insurance plans have an option to choose a $0 deductible, which means you are not responsible for any of your health insurance costs outside the U.S. (up to your expat insurance plan dollar limit).  Some of our international insurance plans have a higher deductible option that even go up to $25,000. Most of our clients, since our founding in 1997, usually choose the $1,000 or $2,500 deductible limit for their global insurance plan, Cho and Sofia. 

It is important to understand how your specific expatriate insurance plan structures international co-pays and deductibles, Cho and Sofia.  Your online insurance portal is a great resource for this and for sure, Cho and Sofia, your team at GNI here in Arizona is always here as your international insurance resource.

We understand insurance terminology can be confusing. We hope this video has helped you learn more about your co-pays with international health insurance plans.  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. Learn about the benefits of your current plan, or get a quote for a new benefit-rich international insurance plan at gninsurance.com.

Change is always in the air!  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 all safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Cho and Sofia!

www.gninsurance.com

 

My wife and I live on our international medical insurance member portal, Doug.  Do you know why?

Why is that Carlos and Annisa?

Doug, our member portal allows us to do many things such as –

  • Review our expat insurance benefits
  • Print or email to us our ID medical cards
  • Allow us to pre-certify a medical procedure
  • It is our claims center which allows us to send medical claims to our global insurance company, see our medical claims in queue, and be able to grab our EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) once each of our medical claims has been completed.
  • Print our email us our visa letter to enter Thailand
  • Update our payment information
  • Update our contact information like our emails, home address in the U.S. and even our Thailand mailing address.
  • And there is so much more we can do on our expatriate medical insurance member portal.
  • It just makes it so nice to have all of our international insurance information for our family in one place, Doug.

So true, Carlos and Annisa. 

  • Your member portal is a great place to know all about your expat medical insurance as well as a great place to track your medical claims.
  • As you have noticed Carlos and Annisa, your member portal is a program you can log into to see and manage all of your international medical insurance-related information 24/7.
  • And when you are stuck and cannot find what you are looking for, you can connect with us at GNI and we will assist you.

Carlos and Annisa, every global medical insurance company that Good Neighbor Insurance (GNI) works with has a member portal for their clients.

Your Good Neighbor Insurance Team is dedicated to helping you understand and use your expatriate medical insurance benefits to your highest potential, so you can stay protected through all of your global adventures, Carlos and Annisa.

Change is always in the air!  So please check 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.

Good Neighbor Insurance is a full-service international insurance broker dedicated to keeping you and your family and also your employees safe on every project around the world.

For the most up-to-date information on our expatriate insurance options please –

Your GNI team here in Gilbert, Arizona, wishes you and safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Carlos and Annisa!
www.gninsurance.com

 

My wife and I are on the GMI expatriate policy with you all at Good Neighbor Insurance, https://www.gninsurance.com/health/img-gmi, Doug.

We really enjoy the medical benefits of our GMI international insurance and especially the lower premiums with lower out-of-pocket maximums than our U.S. domestic insurance, Doug.  But we were wondering if our GMI expat medical insurance has any office visit copays?

Great question, Aki and Melissa!

  • Yes, your maximum out-of-pocket dollar amount being really low with your GMI policy
    • Outside the U.S., your out-of-pocket dollar amount is $500 per policy period per each person
    • And in the U.S. per policy period for each of you, it will be your deductible of $1,000 with co-insurance.
  • In fact, today’s maximum out-of-pocket (2022 plan year) with a U.S. domestic insurance plan is $8,700 for an individual and $17,400 for a family.  And the monthly premiums are a lot higher than what you are paying on your global insurance, Aki.

As for your question on medical doctor visit copays

  • You do not have copays on your GMI expat policy.
  • However, your deductible outside the U.S. is $500 each for you and your wife (your deductible is cut in half when used outside the U.S.). 

We do have expat medical insurance options that do have copay coverage. 

  • These international medical insurance plans do come with a higher premium. 
  • Having copays on a medical insurance plan usually causes monthly premiums to increase. This is why some global medical insurance plans do not have copay options.
  • Instead, global insurance plans, like the one you are on now, provide a lot lower deductible and maximum out-of-pocket dollar amount to help keep more of your money in your wallet.

Furthermore, Aki and Melissa, we do provide expatriate medical insurance plans that have doctor office visit copays.  Two of our most popular global insurance plans that provide doctor visit copays are our Cigna Global and Navigator expat insurance options at https://www.gninsurance.com/health.

Your Good Neighbor Insurance Team is dedicated to helping you understand and use your expatriate medical insurance benefits to your highest potential, so you can stay protected through all of your global adventures, Aki and Melissa.

Change is always in the air!  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 all safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Aki and Melissa!
www.gninsurance.com

 

Doug, my wife and I are enjoying our time in Indonesia and have our GMI expat medical insurance through Good Neighbor Insurance at https://www.gninsurance.com/health/img-gmi.  

  • We have been sharing with one of our friends here in Surabaya about our expat insurance.  
  • They did have a question on HSA’s: Does expatriate insurance work with HSAs?
  • Can you help us answer that question so we can share this information to our friends?

That is a great question about expat insurance and HSA’s, Lucas. As you know, a HSA, also known as a health savings account 

  • Allows for tax free deposits into a HSA bank account where you can withdraw at any time to pay for medical expenses.  
  • You can open and deposit your money into this account as long as you have an HSA medical insurance policy active. 
  • There are other key factors to a HSA bank account, Lucas, such as making penalties from the government if you use any of that money for non-medical withdraws in the U.S. specifically.

Lucas, you may open a HSA as an individual in the U.S., but the challenge is that you would only be able to make contributions if you are covered by a HSA qualified medical insurance option.  A qualified medical insurance plan, in this discussion, is ACA (Affordable Care Act) compliant.  

On expatriate insurance plans, they are not qualified health plans since they are for primary coverage outside the U.S. You would need to be on an ACA compliant plan in order to contribute to an HSA. ACA medical insurance options are only applicable for those residing in the U.S.

One added thing, Lucas.

  • You do not need to have a HSA qualified health plan to withdraw monies from your HSA account, Lucas.
  • Just make sure the money that is withdrawn is used for medical expenses.

When receiving healthcare in other countries, such as where you are living in Indonesia, your expatriate insurance will cover the majority of your medical expenses.  Many expatriates find they don’t need an HSA in addition to their expatriate coverage as their healthcare expenses are much lower than if they were living in the United States.  A health savings account is a great tool here in the U.S. when it comes to high deductible plans, like those that are compliant with ACA.

Fortunately, you have selected low deductible plan option with your GMI expat insurance, which is what our insurance experts advise for international health plans.  For more information about low deductible plan options you can share with your friends, visit gninsurance.com/health.

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!  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 all safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Lucas and Ariana!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Doug, my wife Sofia and I are looking at getting on one of the expatriate medical insurance options, https://www.gninsurance.com/health, you provide at GNI.  Can you explain to us about the telehealth benefit?

Great question, Cho and Sofia! Yes, telehealth, also called telemedicine, is the general term for a service which provides medical care through remote or online appointments.

  • But first, if you are having a medical emergency the best thing to do is call 911 or an equivalent depending on where you are currently residing.
  • And if that phone connection is not available, then please go to the nearest medical facility.
  • Some common tele-health providers include tele-doc, livango, and kareo.
  • This benefit is relatively new, and has been tested all over the world over the last few years.
  • Tele-health development has proven to be extremely helpful for expatriates seeking health care from remote areas.
  • Telehealth doctors can prescribe medications, examine patients, and make medical recommendations in the many of the same ways a primary care physician can in person.

Cho and Sofia, because tele-health is remote care, it is treated differently than traditional in-person healthcare.

  • Typically, a standard preventative or acute care doctor’s visit would require a co-pay followed by submitting a claim to your international insurance company.
  • With telehealth, typically this billing process is streamlined through direct insurance billing and little or no copay for the service.
  • This streamlined process eliminates stress and potential errors or delays in claim payment for the subscriber.

Here are some additional benefits of telehealth benefits

  • Telehealth physicians can be located 24/7, 7 days a week.  This gives you peace of mind knowing you can connect with a medical doctor if not to solve, to at least give you the next steps of seeking medical care.
  • While they are available 24/7, it’s still important to remember that tele-health cannot provide emergency care.
  • Cho and Sofia, it has been shown that close to 60 percent of the telehealth physicians can solve the medical challenge and thus eliminate the need to go to an “in person” medical visit.
  • Since you all will be living in the rural area of the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, it will be a lot harder to find specialty medical facilities close by.  Thus, telehealth can help solve that challenge and put you in touch with a variety of medical specialist that is on your expatriate medical insurance network in a matter of minutes.

Most of our international medical insurance plans include telehealth benefits, Cho and Sofia.

  • For example, the Global Medical Insurance option at https://www.gninsurance.com/health/img-gmi includes telehealth as a featured global benefit.
  • Expatriates with the GMI plan can schedule their own telehealth appointments to manage their healthcare.

Global employer group insurance options, here at https://www.gninsurance.com/group-health, can also include telehealth benefits for international employees.

  • For example, our NGO+ plan, https://www.gninsurance.com/group-insurance-services/ngo-plans, designed for social good groups working internationally, includes telehealth benefits for all members of the plan.
  • International employer group insurance works the same way in that your medical claim process with telehealth providers is typically streamlined, and requires just a copay.

Many of our GNI clients on their international insurance policy already include telehealth benefits.

  • To find out, the policy holder may log into their global insurance provider’s portal or review your plan documentation.
  • You may log into their web portal by visiting the website of their international medical insurance carrier and following the instructions provided with their plan documentation.
  • Once inside the portal, you will have access to your plan documentation as well as instructions or links required for you to use telehealth care.

Most telehealth providers are simple and easy to work with.

  • Once your appointment is scheduled, you will be asked to answer some simple questions as well as provide any insurance information if you haven’t already.
  • Your insurance information can be found on your insurance card or in your plan documentation, which is also available through your portal.
  • Once the standard intake forms are finished you will receive care through a video call on your mobile device or computer.
  • In some remote areas where a video call may not be possible, telehealth care can be provided through a direct phone call.
  • If you plan to go to a remote area where a video call is not possible, check with your healthcare provider before leaving to make sure any and all necessary documentation is in place to provide care without video access.

While telehealth is a major breakthrough, Cho and Sofia, there are some drawbacks to remote care.

  • Telehealth providers do not have the standard tools to examine patients, including touch. This may make diagnosis difficult.
  • Remote providers may not be able to diagnose or treat depending on the presenting symptoms. For example, a telehealth provider could not diagnose strep throat for sure without a culture or sample for a test.
  • A telehealth provider also could not directly treat an injury or set a broken bone.
  • Because of these limitations, it’s best to always have a backup plan for in-person healthcare in case of a medical emergency.

Telehealth is an amazing benefit for international employees and expatriates. We hope this video has helped you learn more about your benefits including telehealth care and telemedicine benefits.

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!  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 all safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels, Cho and Sofia!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Doug, my wife Amy and I are going over our Explanation of Benefits (also called EOB) via our insurance member portal here at home where we currently reside right outside of Penang, Malaysia. We printed out the three pages of our current EOB and need help understanding all of this information. 

Can you help give us a rundown of the different parts of what is on a typical Explanation of Benefits, Doug?

Samuel, you and Amy are feeling the same challenges I had when my wife and I stopped glancing and really going line by line of our own Explanation of Benefits.  It is quite daunting for sure! But we sure can help.

Let’s do it this way, Samuel and Amy.  I have a good breakdown of an Explanation of Benefits here on my desk.  Let me go over it line by line.  Now, not all EOB’s will be this extensive.  But this will give you some great information to work through your Explanation of Benefits.

Let me grab some more coffee as we dive into all the exciting parts of an Explanation of Benefits form, Samuel and Amy.

  • Your Explanation of Benefits is a summary of how an insurance company shows how your claim or claims were processed. 
  • Remember that your EOB is not a bill, Samuel and Amy.  But your EOB can show if you, the policyholder, owes any money to a medical facility.
  • Please keep in mind that actual Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) may vary depending on the type of medical facility you have visited.

Here are 28 key parts and what most Explanation of Benefits form will have for you to view.

  1. Your international medical insurance sends a claim statement anytime they process a claim, which is the EOB form.  This includes the name and address of the insured member, patient, or alternate payee.  This document details how the benefits cover the cost of a service of a medical provider and what is owed by the patient.  Please realize, Samuel and Amy, that the EOB is not a bill. 
  2. The customer service information area shows
    • date that the EOB was prepared
    • contact information of your international insurance customer service department
  3. Member ID number – this is the identification number that your international insurance uses to keep track of member’s claim activity in their claims system.
  4. Claim number – this number is assigned by your global insurance claims system when the claim is processed.
  5. Date of service – the date(s) the member received treatment
  6. Service code – the type of services or products the members received from the medical provider
  7. Total charge – the full amount billed by the medical provider to the insurance policy.
  8. Not covered – the portion of the total charge that was not covered or eligible for payment under the insurance policy.
  9. Reason code – a code that corresponds with the remark code description
  10. Discount amount – the amount saved by using an in-network medical provide
  11. Covered by your insurance policy – the portion of the charges eligible for benefits
  12. Less deductible – the deductible is the amount for which the policy holder is responsible during each period of coverage
  13. Less copay – a set amount that the policy holder pays for certain covered services, such as office visits or prescriptions.  Copays are usually paid at the time of service.
  14. Amount subject to coinsurance – the total benefit amount subject to coinsurance
  15. Paid at – the actual coinsurance percentage
  16. Less patient share of coinsurance – the amount of the policy holder’s share of the coinsurance
  17. Payment amount – The amount paid by the insurance policy for each claim line.
  18. Column totals – the total of each of the columns
  19. Total policy holder’s / patient’s responsibility – total amount that the member is responsible for paying after the insurance benefits have been applied.
  20. Other credits or adjustments – any adjustments, credits, or previous payments applied
  21. Total payment – the total amount paid by your insurance policy.
  22. Service code description – an explanation of the procedure (service) codes listed on the claim. These codes describe the services that were rendered by the medical provider.
  23. Remark code description – an explanation of the remark code used on the claim
  24. Additional information – applicable appeal language / and / or general information
  25. Copy of the front of the voided check image
  26. Copy of the back of the voided check image
  27. Payment details – explains to whom the payment was issued, the check / wire number and amount.
  28. Accumulators / amount – amount applies to deductible or out-of-pocket amounts.

We hope this has helped, Samuel and Amy.  Please keep in mind that this information may change due to updates on software and U.S. federal laws that may change the look and feel of the EOB.

Change is always in the air, Samuel and Amy!  So please check our web site at https://www.gninsurance.com for the most up-to-date global medical insurance information –

We wish you both, Samuel and Amy, a spectacular rest of the year in Malaysia!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Doug, this is Haruto.  My wife, Stephanie and I are going over our expat medical insurance last night at our new home in Malaysia and we have a quick question on precertification.  Do we need to pre-certify before a hospital admission or surgery, Doug?

Great question, Haruto and Stephanie.  Yes, pre-certification is required for hospital admissions and surgeries. Prior to receiving treatment, you or a medical provider need to contact your international medical insurance to pre-certify your treatment.

Haruto and Stephanie, here are a few other key things to keep in mind about precertification

  • Precertification is not a verification of benefits
  • Precertification is not a guarantee of payment (GOP).
  • Precertification is the process of determining in advance whether a medical procedure, medical treatment, or medical service will be covered under your expatriate medical insurance plan.
  • Another way of understanding what precertification, Haruto and Stephanie, is the process for determining whether the medical services delivered or scheduled to be delivered to a patient are medically necessary and appropriate.
  • Precertification also helps ensure you get the right care in the right setting, potentially saving you from costly and unnecessary medical services.

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!  Check out our global health insurance options on our web page at https://www.gninsurance.com for the most up-to-date information on your global medical insurance –

Your GNI team here in Gilbert Arizona, wishes you all safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels throughout Malaysia and beyond, Haruto and Stephanie!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Doug, my wife Mikayla and I are going over our expatriate medical insurance benefits here at one of our favorite cafes in Vietnam.  Over the course of our conversation, we came across the whole process of precertification and have a good grasp of it. However, we had a question on how do we pre-certify if we have a medical emergency and do not have time to do this precertification process?

That is a fabulous question, Ryan.  First, always get your medical emergency taken care of first for sure.  Paperwork can come right after that medical emergency has been taken care of.

Yes, as you know, precertification is the process of determining in advance whether a medical procedure or medical service will be covered on your expatriate medical insurance.

Also, your precertification makes sure the medical procedure or medical service is medically necessary and appropriate, Ryan and Mikayla.

In the event of an emergency hospital admission, Prenotification / Pre-certification must be done within 48 hours after the admission, or as soon as is reasonably possible. Your global medical insurance must be contacted by you, a relative, the medical doctor or the hospital.

Key note – your precertification is not a verification of benefits or a guarantee of payment.

Ryan and Mikayla, I hope this has helped.  Just remember that the sooner you send in your precertification form, the better.

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!  Check out our global health insurance options on our web page at https://www.gninsurance.com for the most up-to-date information on your global medical insurance –

Your GNI team here in Gilbert Arizona, wishes you all safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels in Vietnam, Ryan and Mikayla!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Jim called us at our Good Neighbor Insurance Arizona office last month and had a great question on his expatriate medical insurance, https://www.gninsurance.com/health. 

Doug, my wife Naomi and I were talking about our expatriate medical insurance last night over dinner and we had a question on the hospital indemnity benefit. Can you help explain more about this benefit on our expat insurance, Doug?

Jim, that is a great question you and Naomi came up with.  The hospital indemnity benefit is a wonderful benefit in case you are hospitalized outside the U.S.

Hospital indemnity is –

  • Only for overnight hospital stays outside of the U.S.  This is a type of “cash” benefit that is paid to you to use as you wish.  
  • For example, you are hospitalized outside the U.S. for two days in a private hospital, your expatriate insurance would pay you $800 total, or $400 per day. 
  • This benefit is not subject to a deductible or coinsurance. 

Jim, here are additional things to keep in mind –

  • Not all expatriate insurance plans provide this benefit.
  • The good news is that yours does, and I see you have a $400 a day hospital indemnity benefit with a limit of up to $4,000.
  • This means that if you are in a private hospital for 7 days you will receive $2,800 dollars for this benefit.
  • But if you were in the private hospital for 14 days, you would only get the maximum of $4,000.

You also have hospital indemnity of $500 per day if you go to a public hospital with a maximum of $5,000 maximum limit per 12 months of your expatriate policy.

Do keep in mind that your hospital indemnity benefit is only when you stay overnight at a hospital outside of the U.S.

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, Jim and Naomi!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Amari emailed us here at Good Neighbor Insurance and had a great question on their Cigna Global expat medical insurance, https://www.gninsurance.com/health/cigna-global. 

Doug, Irina and I were going over our Cigna Global policy over coffee this morning and realized we did not fully understand what pre-certification means on our expatriate policy. Can you provide more information on this, Doug?

I sure can, Amari.  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 Amari and Irina, 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 Cigna Global insurance, pre-certification is a requirement, Amari and Irina.

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.

Amari and Irina, here are a few medical services that your Cigna Global international insurance company requires pre-certification –

  • Inpatient Hospitalization and Day Patient Treatments
  • Labor and Delivery
  • Chemotherapy
  • Extended Care Facility, Home Nursing Care and Hospice Care
  • Interfacility Ambulance Transfer
  • Mental and Behavioral Health
  • Infertility Investigations and Treatment
  • Prescribed Drugs and Dressings for more than 3 months.
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic and Osteopathy Treatments when you have exceeded 10 sessions
  • Radiation Therapy
  • Surgery or Surgical Procedures
  • Transplant
  • Durable Medical Equipment.

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

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, Amari and Irina!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Logan emailed us here at Good Neighbor Insurance and had a great question on their GMI expat medical insurance, https://www.gninsurance.com/health/img-gmi. 

Doug, Sophia and I read about pre-certification on our international insurance member portal and need more clarification what pre-certification means to us on our GMI expat insurance.  Can you help?

I sure can, Logan.  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 Logan and Sophia, 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.
  • it helps in determining if your medical procedure is a medical necessity

With your GMI expat plan, pre-certification is a requirement, Logan and Sophia.

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.

Logan and Sophia, here are a few medical services that your IMG international insurance company requires pre-certification on your GMI expatriate insurance.

  • 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
  • Durable Medical Equipment.

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

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, Logan and Sophia!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Oliver called us at our Good Neighbor Insurance Arizona office this past month and had a great question on his expatriate medical insurance, https://www.gninsurance.com/health.  Doug, my wife Mia and I are going over our expatriate medical insurance plans your GNI team was able to help us on.  Before we head over to Malaysia for five years next week, Doug, we want to make sure we have everything set up on our expatriate insurance.  Can you help us?

Oliver, I sure can help you and Mia. Here is a 5 item list our GNI team has created that we recommend you and Mia do when you start your expat policy or even when you renew your insurance policy next year.

One of the most important things to do when you start your new medical insurance policy is print your medical ID cards.

  • Your ID card holds important information like your insurance policy number and emergency phone numbers.
  • It is also a good idea to give a copy of your ID medical cards to a family member or friend.
  • Oh, and one more thing about your ID cards, Oliver and Mia.  You will also see your U.S. PPO network is stated on your ID card.

Second on our list is your member portal. It is really the center of all your expatriate insurance information, Oliver and Mia.  Your member portal allows you to do many things such as:

  • Review your expat insurance benefits
  • Print or email your ID medical cards
  • Allow you to pre-certify a medical procedure
  • It is your claims center which allows you to send medical claims to your global insurance company

Your member portal also allows you to –

  • See your medical claims in queue
  • Grab your EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) once each of our medical claims has been completed.
  • Print or email to you your visa letter if the Malaysian government requires this
  • Update your payment information
  • Update your contact information like your emails, home address in the U.S. and even your Malaysian mailing address. 
  • And there is so much more you can do on your expatriate medical insurance member portal, Oliver and Mia.  Do check it out and if you have any questions, please connect with me or one of our GNI team members.

Another key part when starting or renewing your expatriate insurance, Oliver and Mia, is to become familiar with the benefits of your insurance policy. 

Your member portal will have all your insurance benefits at a glance.  Here are two things you want to keep in mind when it comes to your insurance benefits, Oliver and Mia –

Your benefits summary will mention what your deductible and medical maximum are.

Also, you will find your medical benefits that are covered or may be excluded on your policy.

Next to last, if you are receiving medical treatment here in the U.S., it is good to know who the preferred provider network for your expat insurance policy.  As mentioned earlier, Oliver and Mia, you can usually find this information on your ID medical card and also find this information on your member portal.  Getting treatment within the PPO network here in the U.S. can save you money, as your deductible and co-insurance may be lower.

Lastly, Oliver and Mia, always know that Good Neighbor is here to serve you!

  • We are happy to answer any questions regarding your expatriate insurance policy, whether it be about plan benefits, how to submit claims or your upcoming annual renewal (which is only an administrative process).
  • We are in the office from 8:00am – 4:00pm Arizona time on business days.
  • You may call us at 1-480-813-9100 or we can set up a zoom or skype meeting.
  • We also respond to emails within 24 business hours.

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 in Malaysia and beyond, Oliver and Mia!

www.gninsurance.com

 

Cahya and Akari called us at our Good Neighbor Insurance Arizona office yesterday and had a great question on their expatriate medical insurance,  https://www.gninsurance.com/health. 

Doug, we live in Madagascar and are visiting in the U.S. this summer. We are taking our twins to see a medical doctor here in Dallas, Texas.  Can you give us guidance on the things we need to keep in mind when visiting a medical provider when it comes to our international insurance?

I sure can, Cahya and Akari. This is a really good question and as the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Let’s divide this up in a three-part answer, Cahya and Akari.

  • Three things you should do before going to your medical appointment
  • Four things you should do when you are at your medical appointment
  • One thing, and a very important thing you should do after your medical appointment.

Here are three things you should do before going to your medical appointment

First –

  • Log into your expatriate medical insurance member portal account. 
  • Here you can find a medical doctor near you, in Dallas, who is in-network when you are in the U.S.  When your medical doctor is in-network, you only will have a co-pay or at last the doctor visit charge will be discounted.
  • When you are outside the U.S., you may use any western style medical doctor.

Second –

  • If you are having a medical procedure done, please check that this is covered by your global medical insurance, Cahya and Akari.
  • You can do this by reading your insurance benefits on your member portal or have your medical provider do a pre-authorization here in the U.S.  In the U.S., your medical facility will handle this but when outside the U.S. you will have to send the pre-authorization (filled out by your medical provider) to your expat insurance company.
  • Side note – Not all medical visits have to have a pre-authorization form filled out.  You will be able to see what medical procedures need this when reading your schedule of benefits on your member portal.  It does take a few hours to a couple days (if it is not an emergency) for the pre-authorizations form to be completed by your global insurance company.
  • Your medical doctor’s office will be able to help you find out what amount of your visit charge is your responsibility.

Third –

  • If you need help making these pre-authorization arrangements, please call the phone number on your medical ID card to connect with your global insurance company.
  • You can also email your questions (quicker answer usually if you go through your member portal) to your international insurance company.
  • If you are unable to connect with your expat insurance company, please connect with us at info@gninsurance.com with exactly what you are wanting to pre-authorize and we will forward your request to your global insurance company and have them connect directly with you, Cahya and Akari.

Here are four things you should do when you are at your medical appointment

First –

  • Make sure you have your insurance ID card to give to the medical office staff so they can follow up with your global insurance company and verify that the correct payments are made.
  • When in the U.S., make sure you show the back of your medical ID card too since your in-network (not on all but with most international insurance companies) information is located there.

Second –

  • It is always a good practice to review again with your medical provider to confirm the expectations for what will be done.
  • Do check if your medical provider has set up direct-pay with your expat medical insurance company and if needed, received the pre-authorization for the procedure.

Third –

  • Be pro-active! Don’t be afraid to ask questions to your medical provider and their staff, verify information, make sure you understand everything clearly.
  • Please tell your medical provider of any other medications you are taking, any other treatments you have had so they can get a complete picture of the best way to take care of you. Your medical provider owes you their expertise and time, and you need to take advantage of that to know that your health and well-being is on the right track.

Fourth – Even though you probably already do this, Cahya and Akari, it never hurts to mention it again. Make sure you understand any follow-up medical procedures that may be required.

Here is one thing you should do after your medical appointment. There is only one thing to do, but it is very important, Cahya and Akari –

  • For medical appointments outside the U.S., please submit your claim to your international insurance company, along with any necessary documents or invoices from your medical provider, pharmacy, etc.
  • Information on the form should include at least this information – date of service, name of provider, services render, and diagnosis.
  • This is key, Cahya and Akari, when overseas, please submit your claim form as soon as possible. In any case no later than 180 days after the service date. The sooner the better! 
  • Your medical facility outside the U.S. should be sending in their forms to your expatriate medical insurance company too.  Your insurance company will need both you and your medical doctor to send in those claim forms.
  • If you are seeing a medical provider in the U.S., you do not usually have to send in your claim forms.  Your medical provider should do that.
  • However, if never hurts to still send in your claim form to your expat insurance company.
  • We have noticed here at Good Neighbor, since our founding in 1997, that medical providers do forget to send in claim forms or have not sent in complete claim form information.
  • As that wonderful saying goes – “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

That should answer your question, Cahya and Akari.  But always know that Good Neighbor is here to serve you!

  • We are happy to answer any questions regarding your expat insurance policy, whether it be about plan benefits or how to submit claims or any other administrative question you may have.
  • We are in the office from 8:00am – 4:00pm Arizona time on business days.
  • You may call us at 1-480-813-9100 or we can set up a zoom or skype meeting.
  • We also respond to emails, info@gninsurance.com, within 24 business hours.  

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

Your GNI team here in Gilbert Arizona, wishes you both safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels in Madagascar and throughout, Cahya and Akari.

www.gninsurance.com

 

Hi Doug, this is Savanah.  James and I are going over our expatriate insurance options you all provided us, https://www.gninsurance.com/health.  We are going to be residing in Indonesia for the next few years and leaving early this summer.  Over coffee and bagels this morning the question of maternity on expat medical insurance plans came up.  

Doug, do all expatriate insurance plans cover maternity benefits?

That is a great question, Savanah and James.  Let me help answer that question for you all.

  • No, not all international medical insurance plans will cover maternity benefits.
  • Most of the more comprehensive global 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 here to our web page at https://www.gninsurance.com/health/maternity.

I am so glad you asked this question, Savanah and James.

  • We are happy to answer any questions regarding your expat insurance policy, whether it be about your plan benefits or how to submit claims or any other administrative question you may have.
  • We are in the office from 8:00am – 4:00pm Arizona time on business days.
  • You may call us at 1-480-813-9100 or we can set up a video call meeting.
  • We also respond to emails, info@gninsurance.com, within 24 business hours. 

 

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

Your GNI team here in Gilbert Arizona, wishes you both safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels in Indonesia and throughout, Savanah and James.

www.gninsurance.com

 

Hi Doug, this is Oliver.  My wife, Himari and I are headed to be expatriates in Madagascar and will be leaving in a couple months.  We have been studying the expat insurance plans, https://www.gninsurance.com/health, you provided us this past week.  So yesterday morning, over bagels and coffee at our favorite coffee shop here in downtown Savannah, we came up with some great questions to ask you on our expatriate insurance. 

Here is one of those questions – “should we apply for our expat insurance coverage to exclude the U.S. or to include the U.S?”

  • We realize we will be residing at least 3 years and maybe up to 5 years in Madagascar. We do not have any plans to visit home in Georgia for these years while we are away. 
  • We saw that the expat insurance quotes you provided are about 15 percent lower in premium if we exclude the U.S. for medical coverage.  

This is a great question and one we get quite often, Oliver and Himari. 

  • Yes, saving money is extremely important.  That is why we provide not only a variety of expatriate insurance options to fit one’s budget but also quotes that provide U.S. and non-U.S. coverage. 

Although the choice is entirely up to you and Himari, Oliver, we do recommend getting global medical coverage to include the U.S. on your expat insurance while you are residing in Madagascar as expats.

Here are our two reasons why you may want to consider global coverage to include the U.S. on your expat insurance, Oliver and Himari.

  • Even though you are currently not planning to visit the U.S. during your time in Madagascar, as U.S. citizens you may come back for an unexpected visit to the U.S. What happens if you have to visit a U.S. medical facility and do not have your expat insurance to cover you in the U.S. while on your short visit?
  • Having the peace of mind that you are medically covered, no matter where you are, is priceless!
  • We don’t like to think of worst-case medical scenarios, Oliver and Himari. But that is why you and I have medical insurance, for those types of situations that may come up during our lifetime. So, looking at a worst-case scenario, if you are diagnosed with a serious medical illness, having U.S. medical coverage on your expat insurance will allow you to return home for medical treatment, even if it is for short periods of time.

I am so glad you asked this question, Oliver and Himari. 

  • We are happy to answer any questions regarding your expat insurance policy, whether it be about your plan benefits or how to submit claims or any other administrative question you may have.
  • We are in the office from 8:00am – 4:00pm Arizona time on business days.
  • You may call us at 1-480-813-9100 or we can set up a video call meeting.
  • We also respond to emails, info@gninsurance.com, within 24 business hours.  

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

Your GNI team here in Gilbert Arizona, wishes you both safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels in Madagascar and throughout, Oliver and Himari.

www.gninsurance.com

 

Question – Doug, we are headed to Indonesia for a few years and looking for an expat medical insurance plan that will fit our growing family.  My wife Angela and I are wondering why should we go to you all at Good Neighbor Insurance for our expatriate insurance options?

Answer – That is a very good question Chad and one we get from time to time here at Good Neighbor Insurance.   

Here are some key points that our team members at Good Neighbor Insurance shared with me to help answer your question.

You have more options.

  • If you go directly to one international insurance company, your options for coverage will be limited to only the expat plans from this specific company.
  • Good Neighbor represents multiple international insurance companies to help find the best plan to fit your needs.

Quick response time

  • Your team at Good Neighbor Insurance works hard in responding to your emails within one business day.
  • Being a family run business of around 10 team members, we know the importance of getting to your answers right away.
  • You also get live people who answer the phone when you call us here in Gilbert, Arizona.  Plus, you get to talk to the same folks you have been emailing. Unlike big insurance companies where you never know who you are going to be speaking with.

The expat insurance quotes we provide to you are no different than if you were to go directly to the international insurance company.

  • The international insurance company pays us as their sales arm
  • The insurance company only pays us if and when you invest in their expatriate insurance.
  • Essentially, Good Neighbor works for you at no additional cost!  

We work for you even after the sale

  • We are always here to be your advocate.  Yes, you will need to go to your expatriate insurance company to send in claims and other key benefits.  But when you get stuck – we are here for you to get those “bumps out of the way” for you.
  • We also work as your advocate if you have any claim challenges, benefit questions, etc.
  • We do not stop working for you once the premium is paid.

We also keep sharing ways for you to use your expatriate benefits throughout the policy year.

  • Our knowledge base web page provides great information on how to use your expat insurance.
  • Our infographics during our mid policy year touch base provides great information on how to send in claims, get on your member portal, and other vital expatriate insurance information.
  • And you can connect with us anytime throughout your policy year and your team here at Good Neighbor Insurance can answer your questions.

There is a reason why our guests, such as yourself Chad and Angela, have been coming to us since our founding in 1997. 

Our Good Neighbor Insurance team is great at what we do.  But more importantly, we love to serve you as you serve others throughout this wonderful world of ours.

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

Your GNI team here in Gilbert Arizona, wishes you both safe and awe-inspiring expatriate travels in Indonesia and throughout, Chad and Angela.

www.gninsurance.com