Does the insurance company offer an assistance service with a 24-hour, worldwide toll free telephone number for emergencies? Is it accessible to participants who use a TTY machine?
Most health insurance providers that offer international coverage provide round-the-clock access through a travel assistance company. Services such as emergency hospitalization often must be pre-approved and arranged by the assistance company in order to be paid or reimbursed. Confirm with your agent that they provide this service and that services including TTY or text messaging are available at all hours. In the U.S, medical treatment is commonly provided first, and bills are issued later. In other countries, treatment often needs to be paid for or payment verified from the insurance company prior to care. It is important to be able to quickly receive payment or denial of payment from the exchange participant’s primary insurance (which may not have this 24 hour worldwide service); the supplementary travel insurance often can be applied only in the case of denial of the primary insurance. Additionally, HIPPA privacy and confidentiality waivers signed in advance by the exchange partici
