Planning to hit the road this travel season? You’ve got a lot to do! You’ll have to book your travel, lodging and activities, pack and be sure your home is looked after while you’re gone. That’s a lot to think about, and the list goes on.
With so much to do, it’s easy to overlook one item that might prove crucial: ensuring that you will be covered if you need medical care while traveling. Most Blue Cross Blue Shield members can rest easy since Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage opens doors in all 50 states and is accepted by over 90 percent of doctors and specialists. And if your extended travel plans take you abroad,
you can ensure you have access to quality care through GeoBlue. If you aren’t sure what’s covered, it’s a good idea to call your Blue Cross Blue Shield company to find out what your benefits are if something goes awry while on vacation. When traveling within the United
States, most Blue Cross Blue Shield members will be covered under the BlueCard program, which connects all 36 individual Blue Cross Blue Shield companies so that members can enjoy access to the savings the local Blue Cross Blue Shield plan has negotiated with its doctors and
hospitals. For example, if a member of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, whose Plan includes the BlueCard program, falls and breaks his arm while hiking in Yellowstone, he will be charged the rate Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming has negotiated with the local hospital rather than paying the steep fees he would otherwise encounter. Likewise, a
BCBS Wyoming member who falls ill in Dallas would be charged the rate BCBS Texas has negotiated with its local providers. It’s one of the many benefits of belonging to the nation’s oldest and largest health insurance system. If your plans include international travel, GeoBlue has an extensive network of options to meet your needs when living or working abroad for
an extended period of time. Though many Blue Cross Blue Shield plans cover international care in emergency situations,GeoBlue plans offer the most complete set of benefits and access to services like emergency medical evacuation, which might not be covered by your regular plan. Insurance Tips for TravelersHere are a few steps you can take to take charge of your health while traveling: Traveling Within the United States
Traveling Abroad
To learn more, visit BCBS.com or the GeoBlue website. GeoBlue The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is an association of 35 independent, locally operated Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield companies. Providing Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic All 35 Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are fighting against COVID-19, investing more than $12.8 billion in the nation’s recovery. We are expanding access to vaccines, educating communities, and meeting ongoing
healthcare and social needs in communities across the country. In the face of COVID-19, every question, answer and vaccination is important. That’s why we’re providing you with information to help alleviate concerns about your children
receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Using facts from the CDC, we hope to answer your questions and arm you with the knowledge you and your children deserve so you can feel confident in your decision. More than 140 million Americans have received a dose of
the COVID-19 vaccine. That’s a big step toward stopping the spread of the virus. But some are still hesitant to get the shot. A nurse case manager with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island found that listening, without judgment, to one patient’s concerns made all the difference. |