Does anyone have any experiences using Bupa International Health Insurance?
Is it truly international and do hospitals in the U.S. recognize it? Also, wondering if there is any other international health plans out there to replace my Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Afraid previous answers may be well intentioned, but they are incorrect/misleading
The British United Provident Association (BUPA) International scheme is NOT a reimbursement scheme it is direct settlement (i.e. they pay the hospital etc NOT you).
Checking with your local commissioner probably won’t tell you very much either since it works on the basis of reciprocal direct settlement arrangements with Healthcare providers and insurers throughout the world, so it probably won’t appear on any ‘state list’.
In the UK you’d have access not only to BUPA hospitals (which are excellent), but also other independent ‘private’ hospitals on a direct settlement insurance basis.
For healthcare outside of the UK, BUPA either have a network of local hospitals with which they have direct billing arrangements (e.g. Australia) or they have an arrangement with a local company.
For the US this is United Healthcare (UHC) so it is THAT name which will appear on any commissioners list , NOT BUPA. If you need treatment in the US, you get it the same way as if your cover was with UHC… i.e. on a direct settlement basis.
I have no idea how good UHC are, as I was fortunate enough not to need medical attention while I was working in the US and in fact to be honest I’ve not had that much call to use it anywhere, but I’ve never had any problems with the BUPA International scheme when I did.
My BUPA cover is employment related so I don’t get much choice in which company gets used, but I wouldn’t change if I did.
Oh and it covers 180 countries so yes it is fairly international !
