The Importance of Emergency Medical Coverage and Other Health Precautions
when Traveling Overseas
Before traveling abroad, it is important to be aware of the health and
safety risks you may encounter and take precautions to ensure that you
have adequate coverage in an emergency. Travel in some countries may expose
you to disease, hazardous transportation, or high rates of crime; the risk
may be even greater if there is inadequate medical care. One of the many
precautions travelers can take is to purchase emergency medical assistance
and medical insurance plans that provide coverage for short trips and longer
stays abroad.
The Benefits Office, Travel Office and the Office of International Programs
(OIP) have materials on companies that offer evacuation and emergency aid
insurance. You can purchase insurance for the cost of evacuation and treatment
during evacuation, or you can buy complete medical coverage for your trip
abroad. Policies for overseas medical insurance offer a range of travelers
assistance services, including one or more of the following: legal assistance,
lost document assistance, weather forecasts, passport requirements and
emergency cash advances. Many credit card companies feature travelers assistance
programs for their cardholders. These programs can make reservations, replace
lost or stolen items and arrange for emergency medical transportation.
Medical Coverage
Before you travel abroad, check health advisories in the region where
you will be traveling. Also be aware of immunization requirements, the
quality of water, and laws governing the import of medications and medical
supplies including contraceptives. Information about health conditions
abroad can be obtained at the Penn campus by visiting the Travel Medicine
and Immunization Service at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center,
which offers people traveling abroad counseling and immunizations. The
clinic is located at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Ground
Floor, Silverstein Building. For information or an appointment call 215-
662-2427 or call PennHealth at 800-789-PENN (7366). Other sources of information
include your family physician, Penn Student Health Services at http://pobox.upenn.edu/~shs/,
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/travel.html.
Continuing your medical insurance when you travel is important, but
you may consider purchasing additional medical insurance to cover the immediate
payment of medical bills while abroad. In a medical emergency, most plans
will reimburse reasonable charges for emergency medical assistance, as
long as members follow the health plan's procedures for notification during
a medical emergency. As a safety precaution, you can learn how to get medical
assistance in the country you are visiting before the need arises. Blue
Cross (Plan 100 or PENNCare) members can check with Blue Cross to see if
they have contracted with a hospital near their travel destination. A list
of Blue Cross participating hospitals abroad is also available in Penn's
Benefits Office.
Prescriptions
You should determine if the prescription medications you are currently
taking are available abroad. Travelers who get medications refilled abroad
may find themselves unexpectedly over medicated because doctors in Europe
and abroad sometimes prescribe stronger doses than doctors in the United
States. If you use a prescribed self-injected medication, you may need
to bring your own needles and syringes. Foreign customs may require a physician's
prescription for medications and medical supplies, and having your prescription
in more than one language is useful.
Emergency Medical Coverage Options
Emergency medical coverage and evacuation insurance is an important
precaution for anyone who travels. However, if you are traveling in developing
or third world countries, evacuation insurance may be especially important.
If you get seriously sick, you may not want to be treated at a local hospital;
in some developing countries, people are advised to stay at home and wait
for a house call, because their homes may have more acceptable surroundings
than the hospital.
Penn's Travel Office and the Office of International Programs have information
and applications for emergency medical coverage for students, faculty or
staff who are working, studying or traveling abroad. One insurer suggests
purchasing at least $50,000 of medical evacuation coverage. You may also
want to consider a policy that makes a payment directly to the provider
instead of reimbursing you for expenses later. Another important feature
to look for when purchasing medical emergency insurance is repatriation
of remains.
The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) may be provided to Penn
students studying abroad. The ISIC card includes basic insurance coverage,
and limited emergency medical coverage of up to $25,000 for evacuation
and $7,500 for repatriation of remains. Students who are vacationing or
traveling abroad can purchase the ISIC through the Council on International
Educational Exchange, which can be reached at http://www.ciee.org
or contact their West Philadelphia office at 215-382-0343.
The purchase of medical and evacuation insurance for travel is considered
a personal expense by the University and is not reimbursable. Faculty and
staff requiring medical assistance abroad during the course and scope of
employment may be eligible for the benefits provided under the Pennsylvania
Workers' Compensation Statute and University HR Policy Number 714. Workers
Compensation benefits include assistance in securing medical attention
or evacuation, or a hospital deposit or guarantee up to $5,000. If you
need to use the benefit, call the CIGNA International Assistance Alarm
Center 800-542-5911 or call collect to 215-244-2211. Identify yourself
as a faculty or staff member of the University of Pennsylvania; the CIGNA
Plan Number is 01 SP585 and the University contact is the Office of Risk
Management at 215-898-4327.
If you have a Corporate American Express Card through the University,
you can purchase medical transportation insurance through the American
Express Global Assist Plus Program. The cost is approximately $130 per
person and insures you for an entire year. For more information, you can
contact American Express Global Assist Plus Program at 800-544-AMEX (2639).
The American Express Platinum Card includes this coverage and costs $300
a year.
American Express and many other credit card companies provide a service
that arranges for emergency medical care and transportation but does not
actually pay for it. The service is accessible to all card holders, regardless
of how travel tickets are purchased. However, travelers may be faced with
some surprisingly high bills once they arrive home. Contact your credit
card company to learn what types of travelers assistance it provides.
-- Personnel Benefits Committee/Human Resources Office