Written By Steven Lopez (Bio)
Submitted by Pacific Prime
Study abroad programs offer students, staff, and faculty a unique opportunity to enhance the educational journey. But with new locations and different cultures, health and security come into question. The best study abroad programs offer services that can easily be accessed from anywhere in the world, at any time. Cigna StudyWell is an insurance plan designed with all this in mind and more, providing support for students, faculty, and staff studying and teaching across the globe.
An overview of Cigna StudyWell coverage
Offered in conjunction with leading insurance provider Cigna, Cigna StudyWell is an exclusive Pacific Prime plan that offers worldwide coverage and options to include or exclude US coverage. With Cigna StudyWell coverage, students, faculty, and staff participating in study abroad programs have access to the largest network of doctors, clinics, and hospitals globally, with more than one million providers outside the US.
Regardless of whether they’re living in a busy city or a remote town, they’ll have easy access to healthcare through the insurer’s global proprietary network, as well as local service providers.
Global telehealth
Global telehealth is ideal for those in a foreign place and looking for medical advice. With just one click, students, faculty, and staff can search for their healthcare provider of choice online or contact Cigna’s 24/7 global service center for assistance. These services make it easy to discuss their symptoms and treatment options with licensed doctors over the phone. They can also schedule an appointment, no matter where they are located, 24/7.
International Member Assistance Program (IMAP)
Cigna StudyWell gives students, faculty, and staff access to confidential assistance with personal issues completely free of charge. They can contact the IMAP service for around-the-clock live assistance, including telephonic support and short-term professional counseling. On top of that, there are additional value-added services included in coverage without additional costs, such as Global Telemedicine via Teledoc (available 24/7) and Global Employee/Student Assistance Program (EAP) with mental health resources.
Cigna StudyWell plan benefits
Along with the aforementioned points, Cigna StudyWell benefits include:
No pre-existing conditions limitations
Coverage for
Physical health, mental health, and substance abuse care
Dental, vision, and maternity care
Prescription drugs, preventative care, and immunization
COVID-19 testing and treatment
Medical evacuation and repatriation
Global Crisis Management Plus Program is included as well and offers time-sensitive advice and coordinated in-country assistance for the following:
Pandemics
Natural disasters
Terrorism
Political threats
Violent crimes
Kidnaps
Extortions
Wrongful detentions
And more.
What’s more, Group Life Component is available for up to USD $25,000 with optional add-ons like Group Long Term Disability and Group Short Term Disability at preferential rates.
Example of a Cigna StudyWell plan
The options presented in the image below are for reference only and are subject to applicable limitations and exclusions. For more information on plan specifics, get in touch with Pacific Prime directly.
Why international schools should review their plans for the new year
Most schools review their policies two (29%) to four (27%) months before the renewal period, according to Pacific Prime’s International School Survey Report 2021. However, it’s in a school’s best interest to start reviewing their policies as early as possible - and what better time to be reminded of this than the start of a new year.
Large schools, or schools that employ over 70 teachers, should review their plans six to eight months before the renewal period as this gives the school and broker enough time to:
Review current and historical claims data
Discuss the upcoming year’s objectives
Evaluate insurer proposals
Negotiate plan changes (if necessary)
It’s also worth noting that insurers need time to collect plan usage data, so a school’s renewal strategy should take claims data collection into account.
Making the most informed decisions on your school’s plan
To start, it’s imperative to gather a sufficient amount of claims data (ideally three to five years worth) to better understand underlying member claims trends and how to improve its performance moving forward. This step is even more important for large international schools with huge claims data. Some questions to think about when analyzing your school insurance plan’s past claims data include:
How often are outpatient benefits being used?
How many claims were made per member per year?
Has the average cost per claim increased or decreased?
Do plan members go to specific facilities?
Have there been any problematic claimants?
Questions such as these can help schools understand what adjustments to make for the new year, though they are just the tip of the iceberg. That’s one of the many reasons why most international schools (83%) prefer to secure their medical benefits via a broker.
How Pacific Prime can help
As a leading insurance broker with over two decades of industry experience, Pacific Prime can help schools, corporations, and individuals alike review their existing insurance plans or design a new one based on their needs.
When it comes to sourcing the ideal benefits and school insurance solutions, brokers are generally more flexible than insurance providers. Our HR tools and options make it possible for us to meet the international school community’s insurance needs and maintain closer relationships in the long term. What’s more, our value-added services put our international school clients at the heart of the decision-making process - with services that include:
Premium and benefits negotiations
Plan and claims analysis
Benefits communication
And more.
Regardless of what your school’s needs are, you can be sure that you’ll get more out of working with a broker like Pacific Prime than an ordinary insurer. As a trusted advisor to over 250 international schools, we utilize our knowledge and expertise of the industry to provide unbiased advice year on year.
Contact our corporate team with your insurance questions or to learn more about our offerings today. You can also download your free copy of our International School Survey Report 2021 for a closer look at the latest international school insurance trends.
About the author
Steven Lopez
Head of Corporate Sales for the Latin America region
Pacific Prime
Steven began his career with Pacific Prime in Shanghai in 2015 as a Sales Consultant and was soon promoted to Business Development Manager for the Latin America region, whose role was to help set up an office in Mexico City. Today, Steven is the Head of Corporate Sales for Latin America and focuses on SMEs and large corporate accounts, including a number of international schools. Originally from Colombia, Steven has lived in Canada, China, and Mexico. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business and International Trade from Donghua University and speaks fluent English, Chinese, and Spanish.