Swiss Re Unveils Medical Travel Offering

Swiss Re's Commercial Insurance announced they now recognize medical travel coverage as part of their existing stop loss offering. Employer stop loss is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, through Westport Insurance Corp., a member of the Swiss Re Group, which underwrites the company's stop loss products.

A dramatically growing number of uninsured and underinsured U.S. patients are reportedly traveling to countries with high-quality hospitals and staffs that offer services at costs often significantly lower than those available in the U.S. Heart by-pass surgeries by highly trained surgeons in India may cost only $10,000 as opposed to $130,000 in the U.S. (TIME, "Outsourcing your heart", May 21, 2006). Similarly, high quality hip replacements, and other major medical procedures can also cost far less in selected countries overseas than in the U.S.

Swiss Re has selected WorldMed Assist (www.worldmedassist.com) as the third-party medical logistics provider to manage its medical travel option.

WorldMed Assist, as Swiss Re's medical logistics provider, will reportedly ensure that strict standards for the level of care offered by the medical staff, the hospital, clinic and any recuperative care facilities are followed. Selected medical facilities will have to meet the criteria of the Joint Commission International (JCI) and/or an equivalent accreditation.

Coverage will be coordinated with the employer's primary policy and with the patient's primary physician in the U.S. For more information about Employer Stop Loss or to be directed to a licensed agent, contact Swiss Re at 1-866-266-0902.