There are many services offered to UC SHIP plan members while traveling abroad. This does not apply to students who are traveling through EAP and have the EAP insurance coverage. If you are an EAP student, please call the EAP office for further information regarding your coverage.
Please see the outline of services (below). These services are coordinated by Mondial Assistance, a sub-contractor of Anthem’s BlueCard Worldwide program. All of these services are provided to UC SHIP members at no additional charge.
When a member contacts BCWW, they are provided with a list of providers that a member could potentially use. The services must be paid for out-of-pocket by the member, then they can submit their receipts to Anthem for reimbursement for professional services. Inpatient claims are coordinated through BlueCard so that the member will not have to pay up front.
Students can access this information by calling the “Coverage While Traveling” number on the back of the UC SHIP member ID card or can download a PDF brochure of the available coverage.
Overview:
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UC SHIP benefits are the same regardless of whether care was provided in or outside of the US.
- Just as in the US, while a covered student is traveling abroad no Student Health Service authorization is necessary for emergency or urgent care.
- For routine or non-urgent/non-emergent care, the student should obtain a referral from Student Health prior to obtaining care. This is usually only necessary and appropriate if the UC SHIP member is living abroad for an extended period of time. Communication with the student can occur via fax, email to insurance@sa.ucsb.edu or telephone 805- 893-2592. The Insurance office will send the referral to UC SHIP. The student will likely have to pay out-of-pocket for the care (unless they are located near a provider who participates in an Anthem’s network – there are some outside of the US), and then submit a claim for reimbursement. Please use these claim forms that are specifically for claims for care outside of the US.
- International claim form "fillable."
- International claim form pdf.
- International claims will be paid at the non-network benefit level (unless care was delivered by an international Anthem network provider).
Below is the list of core and additional services offered by UC SHIP (Blue Card World Wide):
Core Services
The core services provided by Mondial Assistance include the following:
Core Service
|
Description
|
| Responding to general calls from members |
Responds to questions such as:
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What should I do if I need medical treatment when traveling overseas?
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What services do you provide?
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Where should I go if I need medical attention?
|
| Giving provider referrals for non-medical situations |
If a member is planning a trip and would like a list of providers, Mondial Assistance will provide names and addresses of providers and will advise the member to call Mondial Assistance again if medical attention is needed. |
| Providing telephone translations |
If a member requires an interpreter to communicate with a doctor in another country, Mondial Assistance staff can act as interpreters. If a needed language is not available at Mondial Assistance, the Language Line will be used to find an interpreter who speaks the language. |
| Providing medical referrals and monitoring inpatient care |
If a member indicates that he or she needs medical care, Mondial Assistance will:
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Obtain necessary information from the member, such as contact information, Subscriber ID, etc.
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Conduct initial medical review and assessment by an appropriate medical professional
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Refer the member to the nearest applicable provider
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Facilitate verbal translations between the provider and member; and
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Perform medical monitoring
|
Medical Monitoring
Mondial Assistance performs medical monitoring of a member receiving inpatient care as a result of a Mondial Assistance referral or if contacted after a member was admitted to an inpatient facility.
Medical monitoring can include Mondial Assistance staff speaking with the:
-
Member
- Treating medical officer
- Member’s family
- Member’s primary physician
Inpatient cases are discussed daily by Mondial Assistance nurses and medical directors. Mondial Assistance will notify the member’s Home Licensee when medical monitoring is initiated.
The purpose of medical monitoring is to:
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Review the appropriateness of treatment based on the medical situation.
- Assess whether the local doctor and medical facility are capable of handling the patient’s medical problem.
- Determine the travel needs for the patient to go home or to the nearest appropriate medical facility.
- Recommend to the Home Licensee alternative methods of care that may be more appropriate from a cost perspective.
- Minimize the possibility of loss due to insurance fraud.
Additional Services
The additional services provided by Mondial Assistance are listed
below. These services include Medical Evacuation Coordination, Medical
Repatriation Coordination, Repatriation of Remains, and Medical Travel
Services. If Mondial determines that evacuation or repatriation is
necessary, they will notify the Home Licensee and request eligibility
and benefits information.
Additional Services
|
Description |
| Medical Evacuation Coordination |
This occurs when a member is already receiving care and
the Mondial Assistance medical staff determines that the current
facility does not have the resources to provide appropriate care.
Mondial Assistance will identify the nearest facility that
can provide the appropriate level of care and arrange for the member to
be moved to that facility. During transport, a doctor or nurse may need
to accompany the member.
Mondial Assistance will notify the member’s Home Licensee of
the situation and identify who will pay for the transportation.
|
| Medical Repatriation Coordination |
Mondial Assistance staff repatriates a member when,
based on medical monitoring, they determine that treatment will be
extensive and it is more appropriate and cost-effective to have the
member near family and friends.
Mondial Assistance arranges for the transportation and
alerts the local hospital and/or physician of the impending patient
move, and informs them of the level of care needed once the member is
admitted.
|
| Repatriation of Remains |
Mondial Assistance arranges for repatriation of remains
when a member dies while out of the United States. Arrangements include
moving the body from the foreign country back to the selected funeral
home in the United States.
|
Medical Travel Services
(effective 1/1/11)
|
When the Home Licensee covers medical travel, a member
may travel overseas to receive a covered service. Mondial Assistance
will provide medical travel services that include:
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Facilitating communication between the medical facility/doctor, the member and the member’s domestic doctor;
- Finding a solution that meets the medical needs and travel preferences of the patient (based on network availability);
-
Arranging admissions with an international provider for the scheduled procedure;
- Facilitating the transfer of medical records to the member’s domestic physician (post-trip);
-
Providing travel assistance (e.g., making travel
arrangements, coordination for greeter at arrival airport, providing a
cell phone at the international destination) – optional.
|
NOTE: The University provides a travel accident policy for students
traveling University business which is administered by the UC Office of
the President at no additional cost to students. For more information
about this benefit, please click here.
Please note that in order to receive coverage for this benefit (which
includes medical evacuation and repatriation of remains while studying
and researching in a foreign country) you or the department who is
sponsoring you MUST register prior to your trip. Registration is simple
and takes less than 5 minutes You may register here.
In all instances, the University of California Office of the
President travel accident policy is primary and will pay benefits before
the benefit provided under UC SHIP.