Visitor Health Insurance: Fixed Coverage vs. Comprehensive Coverage

A limited fixed benefit, schedule of benefit plans is a plan that has a fixed "dollar" limit on each and every eligible medical expense offered by the plan. There is a fixed limit on doctor visits, urgent care visitors, emergency room, surgery, labs, etc. With a schedule of benefit plan, you can go to any doctor or hospital you choose as their is no PPO network (Preferred Provider Organization) to consider. With these types of plans, you will be responsible for paying the full bill upfront and claiming it to the insurance company to get the reimbursement per the schedule of benefits. These plans have a deducible you have to meet per sickness/illness. Some of our most popular schedule of benefit plans include Safe Travels for Visitors To USA, Visitors Care and Visitors Secure. Unless cost is the main factor for deciding a plan, we recommend sticking to a comprehensive coverage plan.

A comprehensive coverage plan is going to be the best plan type for a Visitors Insurance policy. Comprehensive plans come with a PPO network (Preferred Provider Organization) where you can get up to 100% coverage in-network for a eligible medical expense after you pay a deductible, doctor visit/urgent care co-pays or we have plan options with 100% coverage in network and you have to pay nothing out of pocket. Some of our most popular comprehensive coverage plans include Safe Travels USA Comprehensive, Atlas Travel Series and Patriot America Plus. These plans do have higher premium costs, however, these types of plans will give you the best coverage and peace of mind while traveling.

Let's use a example to better understand these types of plans and how they will work with a schedule of benefit, fixed benefit plan vs. a comprehensive coverage plan. - A traveler arrives to the United States and isn't feeling well with cold-like symptoms after a long flight. They decide to go to a urgent care clinic, however the patient isn't doing very well and needs to go to the emergency room. After the emergency room visit, the patient has been admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and will stay in the hospital for 5 days.

• • Fixed Benefit - Schedule of Benefit Plans- Regardless of the bill total for each benefit from the urgent care visit to emergency room to hospital room and board, the insured will have to pay the bill up front (example, $10,000) and claim to the insurance company for reimbursement. Because these plans do not cover 100% medical of the bills, its safe to assume the client will have to pay a portion of this out of pocket.
  • Comprehensive Coverage Plan - Once you meet your plan's deductible and/or co-pay, the bill will be covered 100% (example $10,000). All eligible medical expenses for a comprehensive coverage plan will be covered up to the policy maximum you choose. Comprehensive plans are designed to cover up to 100% of the medical bill to give you the peace of mind in case you a loved one falls ill while traveling.