The Global Advisor: Navigating New Territory

Hello! You might notice that The Global Advisor has a new look and feel. We are constantly looking at ways to improve our communication and ensure that we provide you with information to keep clients, students, faculty, and staff healthy and safe. 

Despite the challenges of the last year, we are feeling a growing sense of optimism. We look forward to all educational institutions returning to in-person learning, relaunching their study abroad programs, and bringing more international students into the United States.

That being said, it’s important to understand what has changed in regard to both inbound and outbound travel. In this issue of The Global Advisor, we will provide you with the latest updates on vaccination costs and coverage, new travel rules and regulations, an FAQ on our COVID-19 policies, as well as some statistics for our Global TeleMD™ and Global Wellness Assist programs.

Also in this issue, GeoBlue^® has some exciting events planned in the next few months that I’m sure you’ll find of interest. Our team is working hard to create more opportunities to connect with our valued clients and broker partners!

We hope you enjoy this issue of The Global Advisor. As always, please reach out to your GeoBlue Account Manager or Sales representative if we can help with anything. Wishing you the best in 2021 and please stay safe and healthy!
 

GeoBlue COVID-19 Update

Vaccines are an important step in slowing the spread of COVID-19. There are currently two vaccines approved and recommended for Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. GeoBlue is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our members during this extraordinary crisis and have taken several actions to offer additional support and protection, including coverage of COVID-19 testing and treatment for our plans.

In the U.S., the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine is covered by the U.S. government under the CARES Act regardless of whether a member’s policy includes an immunization/vaccination benefit. The pharmacy or provider, where the vaccine is administered, will be reimbursed under the CARES Act. Members are not responsible for any cost share for the vaccination itself.

It’s important to note that coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine varies when the vaccine is administered inside or outside of the United States. If the vaccine is administered outside the U.S., members will need to check their certificate of insurance or benefit summary to see if their policy includes an immunization or vaccination benefit. Based on the country where the vaccination is administered, the government may or may not fund the cost. If a member’s plan includes immunization/vaccination coverage, GeoBlue will pay any non-government paid cost following their immunization/vaccination benefit (member cost share and limits may apply). If a member’s plan does not cover immunizations or vaccinations and a claim is submitted to us, the claim will be denied.

For more information and guidance visit our COVID-19 FAQ page.
 

Know Before You Go: Travel Guidance

The global pandemic has changed global travel significantly, forcing travelers to ensure their travel is not only safe, but compliant with local requirements.

The CDC requires that those traveling to the U.S. get tested no more than three days prior to their flight. The test must be a viral test (either a nucleic acid amplification test ‘NAAT’ such as the Rapid-PCR or an antigen test). Travelers must bring the test results with them and provide documentation to the airline.

Air travelers worldwide have experienced issues with locating testing that is rapid enough to meet the CDC requirement. Some international airports have put in place testing capabilities to meet testing needs. A global resource for locating testing is testfortravel.com.

Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

Plan ahead: Make sure you understand and follow all airline and destination requirements related to travel, testing, or quarantine, which may differ from U.S. requirements. If you do not follow your destination’s requirements, you may be denied entry and required to return to the United States.

Click here for more information about international travel requirements.
 

Care from Anywhere: Telehealth

Meeting our members where they are remains essential to keeping them connected to quality care. Free, 24/7 access to telehealth services is an effective way to ensure members can find the non-emergency treatment they need reliably and affordably.

A recent report on utilization of our telehealth service, Global TeleMD™, indicates engagement at 60%.*

Source: Teladoc Health utilization data, January 2021

The convenience of telehealth continues to fuel its acceptance. It’s also cost effective—by offering members free access anytime, from anywhere—care is delivered without increasing medical claims.

For more information about Global TeleMD, ask your GeoBlue representative.

*Figure based on total number of consultations divided by total number of registrations.