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Frequently
Asked Questions
We've
addressed some of the most common questions about CIGNA
International Expatriate Benefits below. If your employer has
selected an CIGNA Pharmacy Management® prescription or MBA plan, and you have questions,
see CIGNA Pharmacy Management® Frequently Asked Questions. Or MBA
Frequently Asked Questions. If you are unsure whether you are
participating in these plans and need further clarification, please
contact our office at : Contact Us
What type of assistance does CIGNA International provide participants in
responding to procedural questions?
Have you changed your name?
What should a member do before being admitted to a hospital within the U.S.?
What is the minimum number of lives you cover?
What should a member do at an emergency room in a foreign location?
Is the CIGNA International card recognized worldwide?
What are CIGNA International's claim reimbursement standards?
Is there a deadline on how quickly an employee must remit a medical bill?
How does a member update his or her family status?
Must claims be converted into English or U.S. dollars for your claim analysts?
What can delay reimbursement?
How can a member set up direct deposit for reimbursement?
Does CIGNA supply claim forms in languages other than English?
What if a claim is lost in the mail?
What if I have a claim with a service date prior to my effective date with
CIGNA International?
What if I am transferring to CIGNA International in the middle of the plan year
and have met my deductible with my prior insurance company?
Why did the doctor or hospital I went to insist I pay the bill myself?
How do I authorize CIGNA International to pay a provider directly?
What
type of assistance does CIGNA International provide participants in
responding to procedural questions?
CIGNA International provides:
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Toll-free telephone and fax service from
anywhere in the world
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24-hour telephone coverage for verification
of benefits
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Ability to reimburse claims in most major
currencies
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Foreign language translation for claims
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Ability to investigate international
claims.
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Have you changed your name?
Yes, we've changed our name from CIGNA International
Employee Benefits to CIGNA International Expatriate Benefits.
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What must a member do before
being admitted to a hospital in the U.S.?
If a member or covered dependent must be admitted
to a hospital within the U.S. through the emergency room, they must
contact us within 24 hours. If a member or a covered dependent plan
to be admitted to a hospital within the U.S. for any reason other
than an emergency, they must contact CIGNA International before the
admission to get pre-admission certification. Benefits may be reduced
if these procedures aren't followed. Please check your plan booklet
for specific details.
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What is the minimum number
of lives you cover?
CIGNA International Expatriate Benefits plans
require a minimum of two employee lives. Customization of group benefit
coverage requires a minimum of 10 lives.
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What should a member do
at an emergency room in a foreign location?
Unlike in the U.S., having a medical ID card
does not mean that a foreign hospital does not guarantee admittance
and care. To verify benefits, the doctor or provider should call CIGNA
International toll-free at : Contact Us. Our Service
Center is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Is the CIGNA International
card recognized worldwide?
CIGNA International has offered expatriates
and their dependents coverage for more than 22 years. So, the CIGNA
International card is recognized worldwide by major hospitals. We
cover approximately 130,000 expatriates and their dependents. We offer
wire transfer of funds or direct reimbursement to the hospital, if
necessary.
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What
are CIGNA International's claim reimbursement standards?
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Claims submitted for payment in U.S.
dollars are processed within 10 working days from the date complete
information reaches the claim office, regardless of the language
or currency.
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Claims submitted for payment in local
currency (non-U.S.) may take a few days longer due to currency conversion
banking procedures. Minimum foreign currency reimbursement should
be at least $100 United States equivalent. Our system automatically
calculates the currency exchange rate using a standardized, recognized,
and published international currency exchange table, and uses
the incurred date of service to determine the currency conversion
factor.
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Is there a deadline on how
quickly an employee must remit a medical bill?
CIGNA International will accept claims for
up to 18 months from the original date of service.
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How can a member update
his or her family status?
The member should contact his or her international
benefits representative within 31 days of the family status change.
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Must claims be converted
into English or U.S. dollars for your claim analysts?
No, CIGNA International can reimburse claims
received in many languages and currencies.
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What can delay reimbursement?
Submitting a claim in a foreign language or
currency will not delay reimbursement. To minimize other delays, we
recommend that you fax your claim(s) toll-free to : Contact
Us.
Mailing claims may delay receipt a few days. Reimbursement checks
or Explanation of Benefits may also take a few days to reach your
destination. In addition, CIGNA International needs to determine the
diagnosis and itemized costs before a claim can be processed.
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How can a member set up
direct deposit for reimbursement?
To
have us direct deposit reimbursement checks into your bank account,
complete the front of the CIGNA International claim
form
. We can also handle
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to U.S. bank accounts located in the
United States. When we direct deposit claim payments to a bank account,
we forward an Explanation of Benefits to the current address as confirmation.
Please call our International Service Center for an enrollment application. Call toll-free at 800.441.2668 (AT&T Access Code +). Or call collect in the U.S. or Canada at 302.797.3100. Our Service Center is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Does CIGNA supply claim
forms in languages other than English?
CIGNA
International provides English, Spanish, Portugese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and Thai claim forms. For example, if a Spanish claim form would help you in
Latin America, please inform your benefits representative or CIGNA
International. We issue English claim forms as standard. You can also
download these claim forms online.
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What if a claim is lost
in the mail?
We suggest retaining copies of expense forms
and itemized bills for your records. Please contact your provider of service to request copies if your originals are misplaced or lost.
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What if I have a claim
with a service date prior to my effective date with CIGNA International?
Claims incurred prior to the effective date
under the CIGNA International plan should be submitted to your prior
insurance carrier.
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What if I am transferring
to CIGNA International in the middle of the plan year and have met
my deductible with my prior insurance company?
Please include your most recent Explanation
of Benefits (EOB) from your previous insurer and enclose with your
first claim submission to receive credit for deductible/out-of-pocket
payments and/or time spent under the other plan (if applicable).
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Why did the doctor or hospital
I went to insist I pay the bill myself?
For small charges and expenses, most doctors
or hospitals will ask you to pay the bill yourself using cash or a
credit card. We are always willing to work with a hospital to arrange
direct billing, but we cannot control what hospitals are willing to
accept. If you are forced to pay a large bill you can fax the claim
receipts and claim form to CIGNA International, providing complete
information including the diagnosis and itemized charges. Please make
sure your original form is complete and legible (especially for faxed
claims) to avoid any delay in processing.
For larger claims, we are able to pay a provider directly. You should
inform your doctor that you have an insurance plan that can pay directly,
quickly, and in local currency. We can even wire money directly to
their bank account if necessary.
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How do I authorize CIGNA
International to pay a provider directly?
For CIGNA International to pay a provider directly
you must sign the appropriate section of the claim form authorizing
direct reimbursement or you may write or fax us a letter and provide
the reimbursement instructions and details when the claim is submitted.
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