HEALTH INSURANCE
diseases, for example malaria. They might involve people with an out-patient problem like diarrhoea and vomiting, an infected insect bite, or a fracture. Those requiring in-patient treatment might be suffering from a heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, appendicitis, all of which are acute conditions and which could be very serious. “Where you fall ill can have a direct effect on your likely outcome,” he explains. “If you have a heart attack in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia rather than Montreal in Canada, the quality of treatment will be different.” In extreme cases, policyholders ring if they need support for evacuation, which might mean organising an escorted transfer from their hotel, chartering a private aircraft if passenger flights are grounded or the airport closed, or following advice to stay put while the situation develops, making sure they are safe and have sufficient food and water. Corporate travel policies are quite permissive; they are there to facilitate travel. So there is a duty on the employee to use it wisely. Exclusions might include some psychiatric conditions, alcohol or drug abuse.
Expatriates working and living abroad Expatriate employees living and working abroad will need international private medical insurance and their cover will need to be more robust. While the business traveller may be away anything from a few days to a few months, the expatriate will be living abroad over a longer period of time, and their needs will be different. They could be travelling with their family and they will want to know about the security situation, whether the medical care available locally is going to be appropriate, or perhaps whether there will be the equivalent of the NHS vaccination programme for children available. Expatriate cover tends to be more generous in terms of benefits. For example, someone who was living in the Lebanon for work could choose where they had their medical treatment – and that might include returning to the UK to have surgery. “Cover will be personal and unique to each company depending on their needs,” says Juan Peña Núñez. “It helps if the company can prepare employees in advance about how to deal with an incident.” In the majority of countries, most capital cities will have a public emergency service, but the definition of what an ambulance is, for example, will be very different from the kind of high-tech vehicle we are used to in the UK. The main reasons for calls are acute conditions, acute trauma – car accident or sporting injuries.
Corporate and social responsibility “Companies have a responsibility for the wellbeing of an employee who is taking on an overseas assignment, and healthcare is a big part of that obligation,” says Kevin Melton, Global Head of Sales and Marketing at AXA – Global Healthcare. Plans can include cover for both emergency and everyday medical treatment and consultations, as well as services such as a dedicated cancer care team, virtual doctor consultations via phone and video conference and a second medical opinion. “This kind of cover not only removes the risk of having to cover significant medical bills, but should an expat become ill, they may also have access to translation services, online access to their policy wherever they are and consistent service from a multilingual team, all of which can make things easier when they’re away from home,” he says.
The impact of new technologies Thanks to advances in technology, features like AXA-Global’s virtual doctor service are also becoming more popular. It provides access to experienced, internationally qualified, multilingual doctors over the phone 24 hours a day, or via a video consultation, and helps customers to fit healthcare into their busy schedules. “Many expats learn enough of the local language to at least get by with the basics, but it can be hugely reassuring to be able to discuss medical terminology in their mother tongue, especially when trying to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system,” he says. AXA-Global Healthcare’s World of Work report showed that as well as international health insurance, the benefits most valued by expats on assignment include housing
support, flights home and education support for their children. “For employees to be motivated, they need to be engaged, and offering a comprehensive benefits package, alongside regular contact and support, can really help to achieve this. It makes them feel valued as well as offering peace of mind that everything is taken care of for them and their families.”
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Do employees know which number to dial in an emergency, and what to expect from the emergency services? If you dial the equivalent of 999 when you are abroad, what if the operator does not speak English? Do they know what treatment they will be entitled to, where the local hospital is, and what facilities are there? Do they know who to inform at the company if they or a colleague are taken ill or have an accident? Who is their next of kin? If they call an emergency number will there be a problem with a language barrier or explaining where they need to send help? They may not be familiar with the area, and may not know where to go or which hospital is closest or most suitable. All these procedures should be agreed with the member of staff before they go abroad, so that there is no confusion at a time of real emergency.
For all the latest health and wellness news plus managing international assignments visit
relocateglobal.com/health
relocateglobal.com | 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
