The Federation of American Consumers and Travelers (FACT) is making its members aware of a fraud alert issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In the wake of newly passed health-care legislation, HHS says that there has been a proliferation of scams involving bogus health insurance policies.

The Federation of American Consumers and Travelers (FACT) is making its members aware of a fraud alert issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In the wake of newly passed health-care legislation, HHS says that there has been a proliferation of scams involving bogus health insurance policies.

According to reports, scammers are going from door to door claiming that there is a limited open enrollment period to access new government-approved health plans. In some cases, toll-free lines are being set up as well.

Vicki Rolens, managing director of FACT, warns that there are no insurance plans available which are in any way related to the new health-care bill. “At present,” she says, “no new health care marketplaces are scheduled to be open for business until 2014.”

She further advises: “If anyone calls or visits you making any claims concerning such health plans, report them immediately to your state insurance department or attorney general.”

This news bulletin has been issued by The Federation of American Consumers and Travelers (FACT), a consumer organization formed under the not-for-profit corporation laws of the District of Columbia in 1984.

FACT serves more than 1 million consumers nationwide. Additional information on FACT may be found in the Encyclopedia of Associations, and by visiting the association’s Web site (www.usafact.org).

Informative, unbiased news bulletins are regularly disseminated by FACT to help its members remain current on matters which might seriously impact their lives. The association does not offer support to — and does not receive support from — any political party or movement. In addition to publishing consumer-related reports, the association provides more than 30 benefits for its members, ranging from medical insurance and dental discounts to prescription drug savings and scholarships. FACT’s administrative office is located at 318 Hillsboro Avenue, Edwardsville, IL 62025.

Worldwide health insurance is available from many large global insurance carriers that specialize in the needs of people traveling or living outside their home countries.

The needs of travelers, students, overseas workers, and expatriates are all slightly different, but policies can be chosen that meet the specific needs, regardless of the reason for your overseas adventure.

Even if you qualify for a state-run medical insurance plan in the country where you live, a supplemental medical policy may give you additional peace of mind. International health insurance companies that maintain offices in many different countries are experts in helping you find your way through an unfamiliar health care system, and private payment will often get you quicker, better service in an emergency.

If your company sends employees oversees on frequent trips, or if some of your employees are permanently stationed in another country, your domestic group health insurance may not offer the best coverage. If this is the case, there are some excellent group plans specifically designed to cover your employees’ needs.

An insurance carrier with worldwide health insurance coverage will be your best friend and advisor if you ever need medical care while away from home.

Traveler’s medical insurance can give you peace of mind while traveling abroad.

Health care systems in other countries can be confusing, especially if you have an accident or medical emergency. Most travelers will want medical insurance that covers their financial costs for health care, just in case.

Your current group coverage may have all the benefits you need while traveling overseas, if it does not restrict you to a specific local provider panel. Most managed care plans have limited coverage outside the carrier’s service area, and Medicare will not usually cover claims from providers or facilities outside the United States. Make sure you contact your insurance carrier long in advance, so you will have time to find a temporary travelers insurance policy if you need one.

Some carriers specialize in the needs of travelers, and they offer a variety of different options. Some policies will cover pre-existing conditions, while others will not. You should look for a policy with coverage for emergency evacuation to the nearest qualified medical facility. You may find a policy that covers non-medical expenses, such as late trip cancellation costs.

As with any contract, be sure to give yourself time to study the fine print so you’ll know what coverage you are actually paying for. Keep the phone number of the insurance carrier with you at all times, so you can call their customer service number in case of emergency. They will be able to refer you to a medical facility and help you understand the local health care system.

Some important questions to ask before choosing travelers medical insurance are:

• What are the deductible and other out of pocket expenses?
• Do you have to get pre-approval from the carrier before seeking non-emergency treatment?
• Does the plan pay a percentage of “usual and customary” charges or a percentage of the billed amount?
• Does the coverage change, depending on which country you’re in when you seek treatment?
• How easy is it to submit a claim?
• Is dental or prescription coverage included in the plan?
• Are ambulance and medical evacuation services covered?
• If you become seriously ill, will the plan cover emergency transportation back to your home country?
• If additional non-medical coverage is included in the policy, do you really need the extras, or would it make sense to save money with a more basic plan?

Check several different companies, and ask all the same questions. This will help you find the best deal (and the best coverage) for your new traveler’s medical insurance policy.

Student medical insurance for studying abroad can come from many different sources.

Students traveling overseas may be covered for any accidents or medical emergencies through their family’s group coverage. Call your carrier’s customer service line to find out if you’ll be covered for medical costs while traveling or studying abroad.

Carefully study the policy to find out if your policy requires health providers to be participating in their plan, which could make it difficult to find medical help in an emergency. Some US insurance companies do have overseas offices, and they can be amazingly helpful when a traveling student needs medical care. Other companies are much more local, and they may have limited coverage for overseas claims.

If you will be joining a student travel tour or if you’ll be studying at a foreign university, a letter from your group carrier may be required for acceptance in the tour or program. If so, be sure to call your carrier long in advance and ask them to send a letter that outlines your eligibility for medical coverage.

If your group plan does not include adequate coverage while traveling, you will want to find a traveler’s medical plan that gives you the peace of mind you need.

One often overlooked benefit of a good insurance policy is the help they can give you when you need to find health care in a foreign country. If you buy student medical insurance, it pays to find out if they have offices in the country you’ll be visiting, and if they’re familiar with the local health care system. Also find out how easy it is to file a claim, and if prescription drugs will be covered on your new student medical insurance policy.

If you have many employees working abroad, your company may need special group medical insurance coverage for your overseas employees.

The group health plans available from your local carriers may not offer the best coverage overseas. This is particularly true if they have no offices overseas, or if they restrict treatment to a specific group of providers.

You may want to consider working with a medical insurance carrier that specializes in group medical insurance coverage overseas. Some companies offer policies for employees who travel a great deal, and others offer plans for employees living temporarily or permanently in another country. Of course, some larger international insurance carriers will offer group medical coverage for a variety of situations, depending on your company’s needs.

If your company already has a group plan that covers international travel, your employees living overseas may have adequate coverage without a separate policy. Check to see if the plan will cover prescription drugs purchased outside the United States. Some plans will not allow claims for prescriptions purchased outside the country, but will usually make an exception for emergencies and for employees permanently stationed in another country. Be sure to ask.

Also find out if the plan requires care at specific hospitals that are affiliated with the company. Some larger US group plans, such as the BlueCross BlueShield association member plans, do have a fairly extensive network of participating facilities around the world.

An important feature of any group coverage overseas is the ease of submitting a claim. The carrier should be able to translate a claim from a doctor or facility in any language, and offer quick turn-around times for processing. Smaller carriers may find this difficult, and this could delay reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses. Smaller carriers may also have little experience with the health care system in other countries, and will not be able to help your employees get the care you need.

A qualified, experienced carrier that specializes in overseas group medical insurance is an invaluable resource for an employee who is injured or becomes ill while living abroad.

A good global medical insurance policy will cover you for health care expenses while you travel, study or live overseas.

When shopping for a policy, you should carefully review the benefits, exclusions, and premium costs of several different insurance plans before making your final choice. You will also find policies designed specifically for vacation travelers, business travelers, students and expatriates.

The specific out-of-pocket costs you will incur if you need medical care will depend on the amount of your deductible and the percentage of medical costs the insurance plan will pay. Most plans will determine a “Usual, Reasonable and Customary” fee, and pay a percent of that fee rather than the billed amount.

Some global medical insurance policies will have different benefits, depending on the country in which the services are rendered.

They also may (or may not) cover medical evacuation out of the country, or the return of your mortal remains.

Of particular importance is the clause of your insurance contract that mentions pre-existing conditions. If you have a chronic illness such as diabetes or Parkinson’s, many carriers will exclude the particular diagnosis from coverage for a specified period of time. A shorter exclusionary period will lower your out-of-pocket costs. Most group medical plans that include worldwide coverage will not have a pre-existing exclusion, but it makes sense to check, just to make sure.

Some global medical insurance carriers offer policies with no exlusion period for pre-exisitng conditions. That means they will cover pre-existing conditions the same as any other injury or illness if disclosed on application and not excluded or limited by a rider.

However, be sure to check the fine print – other policies will only cover the acute or emergency onset of pre-existing conditions. Other companies will offer no coverage at all for pre-existing diagnoses in the first 24 months of your policy, so there are clearly very large differences in the benefits offered by different global medical insurance carriers.

Expatriate medical insurance could be a part of your current policy, but not all US policies include coverage for members traveling overseas.

If you live abroad, you may be eligible for the public medical insurance offered by the country in which your reside. However, even if you’re eligible for the public plans, most expatriates have more peace of mind if they’re covered with a U.S.-style health insurance plan. Worldwide economic problems are also forcing governments to make their eligibility requirements more stringent, so countries that once offered public insurance to expats may not be able to do so now.

Fortunately, a number of companies specialize in expatriate medical insurance

These companies offer policies for individuals and families, and sell group coverage for small companies doing business overseas.

After researching the benefits and premium costs of several different expatirate medical insurance plans, you may also want to find out if the carriers have offices in the country where you intend to live. It helps if the carrier you choose has familiarity with the health care system in that country, so they can offer assistance in getting the services you need. You’ll want a company that can help you find emergency medical care quickly, and that can easily let you know if a medical facility is covered under their plan. If the customer service department is in a building thousands of miles away, there may be a delay in getting help.

Also, before choosing an expatriate medical insurance policy, find out how easy (or difficult) it will be to submit a claim. Some companies have participating providers in many countries, and these providers can bill the insurance directly. Other insurance companies will require you to pay the bill at the time of service, and submit a copy of the bill for reimbursement. If this is the case, try to have the provider write up the bill in English, to make sure all the services and fees will be easily understood. If this is not possible, your reimbursement may be delayed while the insurance company finds a qualified translator.

As with any health insurance policy, ask if pre-existing conditions will be covered, and if there is a waiting list for any types of conditions.

If the health care providers near your new home abroad can only offer limited treatment options, you will need to know if your insurance plan will cover emergency evacuation back to your home country. If evacuation is covered, find out if they’ll cover the cost for  flying you only to the nearest available hospital where you can be treated, or will they allow you to return to the States or other country of origin?

Most policies do limit the coverage for evacuation to the nearest hospital, so it will be wise to research the available medical facilities long before an accident or emergency illness makes treatment necessary. If there is no facility in your new country that you trust to provide quality treatment, you may need to cover the emergency evacuation costs on your own.

Some international medical insurance companies, such as Goodhealth Worldwide , specialize in the health insurance needs of expatriates, and have offices in many countries. Companies specializing in expatriate medical insurance will have plenty of experience with the medical billing procedures and health care facilities where you live, and will be an invaluable resource if you’re ever ill or injured.