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| Home > Members > Frequently Asked Questions | |
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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 question, 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 the 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 is Pre-existing? What type of assistance does CIGNA International provide participants in responding to procedural questions? CIGNA International provides:
Have you changed your name? Yes, we've changed our name from CIGNA International Employee Benefits to CIGNA International Expatriate Benefits. 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. 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. 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. 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. What are CIGNA International's claim reimbursement standards?
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. How can a member update his or her family status? The member should contact his or her international benefits representative by using CIGNA International's Enrollment and Change form within 31 days of the family status change. 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. 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 at : 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. 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. 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. What if a claim is lost in the mail? We suggest retaining copies of expense forms and itemized bills for your records. If you need to fax a claim and cannot send original receipts, please include a letter with your fax requesting a claim processing without original receipts. 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. What if I am transferring to CIGNA International in the middle of the plan year and have met my deductible with the 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). 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 perform 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 are always willing to work with a hospital, physician or dentist to perform direct billing, but we cannot control what providers are willing to accept. 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 must write or fax us a letter and provide the reimbursement instructions and details when the claim is submitted. What is Pre-existing? A pre-existing condition is an injury or sickness for which a person receives a diagnosis, treatment or incurs expenses from a physician within 90 days prior to the date a person begins an eligibility waiting period or becomes an insured, which ever date is earliest. A person that was previously covered under a plan which qualifies as creditable coverage will receive a reduced pre-existing limitation period under the new CIGNA policy, provided that the employer was notified about the previous coverage under a prior plan and fewer than 63 days have elapsed between the coverage under the prior plan and coverage under the CIGNA plan. The pre-existing condition limitation period will be reduced by the number of days of prior creditable coverage. |
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