COVID-19 Updates - Individual Members

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus is called COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), common signs of COVID-19 include:

• Fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.
• These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell.
• People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

To avoid the spread of infection, the WHO recommends:

• Regular and thorough hand washing
• Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing
• Refrain from touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing
• Follow public gathering restrictions. More people means more risk of exposure. Continue “social distancing” to limit the spread of COVID-19. Stay 6 feet away from others when possible

Remember, the key to prevention is washing hands often (maybe hum a favorite tune for 20 seconds) and social distancing. 

In accordance with CDC and WHO guidelines, we strongly recommend calling your provider for medical advice if you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as a cough or difficulty breathing. Be sure to tell them you think you may have COVID-19. Depending on your location, testing and the ability to isolate infected patients may vary. Contacting your provider ahead of time will help the office/facility protect you, staff and other patients.

Click here for more information about the coronavirus and the services available to you from GeoBlue.

For additional guidelines, follow directions provided by your local health authority or visit the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.

GeoBlue has compiled a list of COVID-19 hotlines by country as a resource to help you get in contact with the local public health authorities. In many cases, the public health authorities are directing and managing access to testing and have oversight of the public health response to this pandemic. If you are unable to communicate with the operators of the hotlines due to a language barrier, please contact the Embassy or consular service in the country of your stay by hotline, email or via their accounts on social media for guidance. This information, compiled from open sources, is provided as a courtesy and is current as of when we compiled the data. We cannot provide any warranties about the accuracy and/or comprehensiveness of the data. This is provided for informational purposes only and cannot be substituted for official governmental data, or consultation with a licensed healthcare professional.

Yes! A safe and convenient option for accessing healthcare services is our telemedicine service, Global TeleMD™, which you can download for free to your mobile device. Once you download the app, you’ll need to create a profile, which is quick and easy. Please have your member ID card or Certificate Number available when creating your profile.

The Global TeleMD app provides remote access to a global network of licensed doctors by telephone or video without needing to leave your home or office. All Global TeleMD doctors in the region are briefed on the World Health Organization’s recommendations and are prepared to render remote consultations with patients around the world. Remote consultations via Global TeleMD are free and can be used as many times as you need.

During a pandemic or epidemic involving infectious diseases, like the current COVID-19 pandemic, medical evacuations have an added layer of complexity. For example, the first U.S. patient identified in the U.S. was subsequently transported using a U.S. government-chartered air ambulance that was specially outfitted with isolation equipment. This is similar to the U.S. Ebola patient transports a few year ago. Due to the highly contagious nature of the illness it is unlikely that private transports would be permitted by any of the government authorities involved. We will evaluate each case on its own facts and circumstances, but we fully expect that government health authorities would take charge of any suspected/infected patient movements and receiving care arrangements. GeoBlue would continue to provide support as needed in the form of medical monitoring, direct payment of medical expenses, bedside visit benefit coordination (with its own obvious challenges considering patients would be in isolation) and any other services routinely provided.

GeoBlue members enrolled in our fully-insured plans can expect:

• Coverage, with no cost-share, for diagnostic testing for the virus, known officially as COVID-19, consistent with U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.
• Coverage includes the cost of the COVID-19 test, physician/doctor consultation fee and associated costs related to administering the COVID-19 test.
• We will waive prior authorizations for tests and covered services related to COVID-19, consistent with CDC guidelines.
• Coverage for medical evacuation if deemed medically appropriate for the illness/injury, subject to the usual plan provisions.

The above actions apply to all plans with medical benefits underwritten by 4 Ever Life Insurance Company or 4 Ever Life International Limited.

Diagnostic testing for COVID-19 is covered without copay or other member contribution.

Treatment for COVID-19 is covered as an Illness under the policy, and we are waiving copay and other member contribution for covered treatment of COVID-19 cases diagnosed through May 31. Please note the following important exclusion: Coverage for pandemic illness, including COVID-19 is not covered if a member failed to depart a country within a reasonable time from the date the country became subject to a level-3 travel warning by the CDC, or similar travel warning from that country’s government. Members remaining in a country in that circumstance would not be covered for COVID-19, but otherwise would retain all coverage under the policy within its normal terms and conditions.

For existing members with long-term coverage, you retain all coverage under the policy within its normal terms and conditions.  In addition, we are waiving copay and other member contribution for diagnostic testing for COVID-19 and for covered treatment once diagnosis occurs. For questions regarding new applications, please contact expatsales@geo-blue.com.

Coverage for Trip Interruption depends on when you purchased your plan. Coverage for Trip Interruption on Voyager plans is not available for trips to a country subject to a CDC level-3 travel warning, or similar warning from the government of the destination country. If the policy was purchased after the date the destination country became subject to such a warning, coverage would not be available.

There is no impact to Trip Interruption coverage for eligible members who purchased a GeoBlue Voyager plan prior to the listed dates and have travelled or are planning travel to one of the listed countries. Members who meet this criteria may use the Trip Interruption benefit as needed ($500 max).

Preventive quarantine in a hotel, cruise ship or any other location would not be covered. The plan would cover medical evacuation if deemed medically appropriate for the illness/injury, subject to the usual plan provisions.

For all CDC references, please visit: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices. 

GeoBlue plans are available for purchase, however we do encourage travelers to review and consider all travel plans according to travel restrictions country-by-country. Your benefits and coverage may be impacted if purchasing a plan for travel to high-risk country. To see a quote, visit www.geobluetravelinsurance.com. For questions regarding new long-term applications (Xplorer and Navigator), please contact expatsales@geo-blue.com.

GeoBlue believes individuals must be assured access to testing for COVID-19, when the medical need arises, and that access should not be dependent on one’s ability to pay. In support of this goal, GeoBlue committed to cover testing related to diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 at zero cost-sharing for our members.

However, people who have no signs or symptoms of the coronavirus may be tested for their exposure to the virus as part of a broader public health effort, including identifying others who may have been exposed and could therefore transmit COVID-19. Broad application of such tests is being considered to assess people’s ability to return to work, school or even gain entrance to entertainment venues. This is very different from testing to diagnose and treat people with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have had a significant exposure risk, which is done under a healthcare provider’s order (i.e. a healthcare provider licensed under state law) and appropriately covered by health insurance. While anti-body testing has potentially beneficial uses, it has limited usefulness as a stand-alone test in the diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19. In conjunction with other testing when those tests are negative but COVID-19 is still suspected, anti-body testing may be used for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. As a stand-alone test, its greatest use thus far seems to be for population health/epidemiological reasons, rather than for diagnosis and treatment.

These broader testing scenarios – population health and epidemiological – are a public health responsibility that should be done in coordination with local governmental and/or national Departments or Ministries of Health as well as the entities involved (businesses, schools, public venues).

Based on this, GeoBlue’s position remains consistent in covering testing when medically necessary and as part of diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, GeoBlue will cover, at no cost sharing, COVID-19 anti-body testing when ordered by a doctor for diagnostic and treatment purposes, when used to diagnose a suspected case for which PCR (polymerise chain reaction) testing is negative or unavailable. Anti-body testing should not be ordered as a stand-alone test for diagnosis and treatment.

GeoBlue will not cover COVID-19 anti-body testing requested by non-medical personnel (members, employers, school programs, governmental agencies) for non-diagnostic treatment purposes. This incudes, but is not limited to, testing for personal information or for return to work/school requirements.