Your key to global

Putting Globally Mobile Members at Ease Supports Their Emotional Wellbeing

Managing emotional health is just as important as managing physical health, especially when you consider that 200M+ workdays are missed every year due to behavioral health conditions, resulting in a loss of $16.8B annually in productivity.¹ So, it’s no surprise that the increasing prevalence of behavioral health conditions continues to be a top concern for employers. And while behavioral health conditions were already on the rise before COVID-19, today’s employees are even more at risk as they try to juggle work, manage schooling for their children, and navigate the ever-changing pandemic landscape. 

Anxiety is the number one behavioral health condition, with an increase of 39 percent in just four years.² So, when you think about global expat employees who live in a different country far away from their support system of family and friends, you can imagine the emotional toll it can have on their wellbeing. In fact, a recent study showed that, “globally-mobile employees experience higher burnout and may be even more isolated and stressed than their domestic, non-globally mobile peers.”³ 

Source: MetLife’s 18th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study 2020

Emotional health and physical health go hand in hand. That’s why we continue to remove barriers and make it easy for members to get the care they need, no matter where they are in the world. 

Here are a just few ways that we have been simplifying the international healthcare experience for our global members during this pandemic:

• Coordinating with local experts to help us prepare our service teams to engage with members seeking care in regions around the world so that the experience feels more familiar to members living and working in another country.

• Directing members to local public health authority resources, including hotlines for 151 global destinations for those seeking COVID-19 testing. 

• Leveraging our telemedicine solution, Global TeleMD™, to provide a comfortable, contactless way for members to access care, with 77 percent of patients not having to leave the comfort of their home at all, even after consultation.⁴

Sources: 1. Kelly Greenwood, Vivek Bapat, Mike Maughan, “Research: People Want Their Employers to Talk About Mental Health,” Harvard Business Review, 2019. 2. Ages 18-64, Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Index. 3. MetLife’s 18th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study 2020 4. Global TeleMD Survey results, GeoBlue, 2020

BCBS Global Traveler Companion Gains Momentum Among Blue Plans

Originally a pilot initiative, BCBS Global Traveler Companion (formerly known as Bundled Global Traveler and BCBS Global Traveler for Blue Plans) has taken flight. For many Blue Plans, this program provides a cost-effective way to deliver a valuable lifestyle benefit by providing coverage for all short-term international travel (business and leisure) for their own employees and clients in their market. Currently, 19 plans (30 percent of the Blue Cross Blue Shield family) have adopted the program, with more Plans looking to come on board in 2021. 

BCBS Global Traveler Companion extends global benefits beyond Global Core and fills in certain benefit gaps that BCBS Global Core may not cover, such as medical evacuation and repatriation. And, since BCBS Global Traveler Companion is fully insured by GeoBlue, it also helps Blue Plans reduce the burden of international claims exposure. With return to work and return to travel on the horizon, international health insurance becomes more than a “nice to have” but an essential benefit. 

Join us at the virtual Blue National Summit on October 2 for our presentation: “BCBS Global Traveler Companion: Why International Health Insurance Matters Now More Than Ever,” an insightful conversation about this unique and BCBS system exclusive offering and how two Plans have used it to retain business, defend their competitive position and expand their offerings in the market.

Individual Short-Term Plans Are More Comprehensive Than Ever

To ensure members receive the care and services they need we have enhanced our individual short-term plans to cover COVID-19. 

Our popular GeoBlue Voyager plan, which covers single international trips lasting up to 182 days, has been upgraded to include coverage for the cost of COVID-19 testing and treatment with no additional premium, for plans purchased on or after September 15, 2020.  

Coverage is available for individuals up to age 95 and covers up to $1M in claims. All Voyager plans also include post-departure trip interruption to provide additional peace of mind and protection when members travel internationally.  

For our multiple-trip GeoBlue Trekker plan, COVID-19 testing is also covered, though treatment is not. 

Individuals interested in purchasing an annual plan with COVID-19 coverage should consider our long-term expat plans, which include comprehensive worldwide benefits like preventive care, prescription medication, and an impressive array of online and mobile tools to help them identify, access and pay for quality healthcare around the world.

*These materials are not for use in South Dakota. 

Blue Plan Global Trailblazers

A hearty shout out to Blue Plans who are championing the promotion
of global in their market.