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Learn more about your health coverage available for out of country travel. Whether your travel is for business or pleasure, one week, or several months, you can find the resources you need here.

Traveling Abroad on University of Kentucky Business

UK provides comprehensive travel medical insurance and evacuation coverage (with no copay and no deductible) to faculty and staff who travel abroad on university business. This insurance is provided at no cost to the traveler. This coverage also extends to family members or official guests that university travelers may bring with them on business trips. This insurance is available to all UK employees traveling on UK business, regardless of their personal health insurance plan. To ensure coverage and access to the benefits, travelers are required to register their travel in the university’s international travel registry prior to their departure. Please refer to the university’s International Health, Safety & Security website for additional information.

 

Traveling Abroad for Extended Periods of Time

 When you’re a Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan member, your coverage travels with you, through the use of the UK Indemnity Plan. This plan, also referred to as the BlueCard Program, gives you access to doctors and hospitals almost everywhere, giving you the peace of mind that you’ll be able to find the healthcare provider you need.  See the links below for more information. For further assistance, call 1-800-810-BLUE (2583)

BlueCard Brochure

BlueCard Worldwide Claim Form

 

Traveling Out of the Country for Brief Periods (e.g. vacations less than one month)

 

Anthem BlueCard Worldwide

ONLY EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE COVERED OUT OF THE COUNTRY, UNLESS ENROLLMENT FOR INDEMNITY PLAN IS COMPLETED

  • Verify your international benefits with Anthem by calling the customer service number on the back of your ID card before leaving the United States.  Coverage may be different outside the country.
  • Always carry your current Medical Plan ID card.
  • In an emergency, go directly to the nearest hospital.
  • Call the BlueCardWorldwide Service Center at 1-800-810-BLUE (2583) or collect at 1-804-673-1177, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for information on doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare professionals or to receive medical assistance services around the world.  An assistance coordinator, in conjunction with a medical professional, will help arrange your out of country emergency, if necessary.
  • Call the BlueCardWorldwide Service Center when you need emergent inpatient care. In most cases, you should not need to pay upfront for inpatient care at participating hospitals except for the usual out-of-pocket expenses. The hospital should submit your claim on your behalf.
  • You will need to pay upfront for care received from a doctor and/or non-participating hospital. Then, complete an international claim form and send it with the bill(s) to the BlueCardWorldwide Service Center (the address is on the form). The claim form is available from your Blue Plan, the BlueCardWorldwide Service Center, or online at www.bcbs.com/bluecardworldwide.

 

Incurring Medical Claims Out of Country

For information on medical claims while out of the country on official UK business, please visit the International Health, Safety & Security website for more information.

If you incur medical claims while on vacation, generally speaking, foreign hospitals are not willing to file for insurance for ER visits and short stays. They expect cash via your personal credit card. You can file the claim with Anthem when you return home.  If the hospital stay is going to be for several days, foreign hospitals become willing to work with the insurance company.  When this occurs, Anthem will negotiate with the hospital and pay the claim.