Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Introduces Portfolio of International Health Insurance Products to Serve Multinational Employers and Individuals Traveling Globally

CHICAGO, July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) today announced a suite of newly branded, international private medical insurance products that will serve multinational employers and individuals traveling globally.

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Global health plans are specifically designed to provide coverage solutions for all expatriate and travelers' needs and situations worldwide. These include options for U.S. employees traveling and/or working in other countries, foreign nationals traveling or working in the U.S., and foreign nationals working in or traveling to other non-U.S. countries.

"We have pulled together a comprehensive suite of international medical insurance products to meet the growing needs of multinational employers and individuals traveling globally," said Maureen Sullivan, senior vice president and chief strategy officer of BCBSA. "Travelers around the world can now benefit from the security and stability that Blue Cross and Blue Shield members have long relied on."

Newly branded products sold by GeoBlue, a BCBSA licensee that sells international travel and expatriate insurance to U.S. employers, include:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Expat™: International major medical insurance and assistance services. This plan is designed for employees on international assignments and their families when they leave their home countries for six months or more.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Traveler™: Provides group supplemental medical benefits and services for business travelers outside of their home country for trips lasting up to 180 days.

Additional international travel insurance products for individuals and students will be renamed under the BCBS Global family in the future.

"Combining our leading technologies with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand has created extraordinary value for international travelers," said Guillaume Deybach, recently appointed the CEO for GeoBlue. "This strength, knowledge and expertise means customers can be confident in knowing that they have access to quality health care when and where they need it."

In addition, newly launched, co-branded products are being sold by Bupa Global, a BCBSA licensee that sells international health insurance outside the U.S. Bupa Global/BCBS Global's co-branded products leverage the largest global health care networks spanning 190 countries and are designed to meet the needs of internationally mobile customers outside the U.S. The range includes five products called Select, Premier, Elite, Ultimate and Major Medical, which meet customer needs based on different coverage and price options.

These international health insurance offerings boast regional service centers that provide language and cultural support 24 hours a day across the globe for both medical emergencies and routine inquiries. They also provide online and mobile tools to find local health care professionals and medical services.

Completing the portfolio, BlueCard Worldwide^®, a basic international benefit offered as part of most BCBS employer-sponsored health insurance policies, will be renamed Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Basic International Coverage™. The benefit processes international claims and may reimburse medical professionals or members for medical costs incurred abroad.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally-operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for more than 107 million members – one-in-three Americans.  Blue Cross Blue Shield Global is a brand owned by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. GeoBlue is the trade name for the international health insurance program of Worldwide Insurance Services (WIS), an independent licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog, for up-to-date information about BCBSA.

About GeoBlue
GeoBlue is the trade name for the international health insurance programs of Worldwide Insurance Services, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.GeoBlue works with participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies in the U.S. Setting the industry standard, GeoBlue's mission is to provide peace of mind to long- and short-term global travelers by offering competitive insurance protection and technology-powered assistance, including an elite community of thousands of carefully selected, contracted doctors and hospitals in almost every country in the world as well as its signature destination databases, mobile tools and concierge-level services. The scope of GeoBlue's services and technology creates a complete, reliable, convenient way to keep international travelers and expats healthy and productive. GeoBlue provides individual, academic and employer focused health insurance plans. For more information on individual plans, visit www.geobluetravelinsurance.com, for academic plans visit www.geobluestudents.com, for information on group plans visit www.geo-blue.com.

About Bupa Global
Bupa Global is the international health insurance arm of Bupa, serving 2 million customers around the world.  Bupa Global provides products and services for globally minded and mobile people who want the most premium coverage and access to the healthcare they need anytime, anywhere in the world, whether at home or when studying, living, traveling or working abroad.

Bupa Global employs over 1,800 people and has offices in Bupa Global has offices in London and Brighton (UK), Miami (USA), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dubai (UAE, in partnership with OIC), and Hong Kong (China) as well as regional offices in Mainland China, Singapore, Egypt, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Brazil, Panama, Guatemala and Ecuador.

Bupa Global is a trade name of Bupa, an independent licensee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Bupa Global's rights to use the Blue Cross Blue Shield Brands are limited in some areas. For more information, visit bupaglobalaccess.com

Bupa Global does not sell Blue Cross Blue Shield branded products in Anguilla, Argentina, BVI, Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Uruguay and US Virgin Islands.

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SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association