Beginning in early November, foreign nationals who wish to travel to the United States will be allowed to enter the country — if they can show proof that they have been fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and have also tested negatively for the virus within three days of their upcoming flight.

The travel bans, albeit necessary, have been in place for well over a year, not only separated families but negatively affected the tourism industry in the U.S., where international travel is key for business.

The Biden Administration announced it will be working with airlines in the coming weeks on how best to implement these new travel procedures. Travelers will also have to provide email addresses and phone numbers for enhanced contact tracing. The administration says this will help introduce stricter protocols to prevent the spread of COVID from passengers flying to the United States.

While this only applies to those flying into the United States, it does not apply to ground travel from Canada and Mexico.

Unvaccinated Americans will be allowed to travel back tot he states but will have to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test within one day of their flight.

Are you traveling outside of the United States or having family travel in from overseas? It’s important to make sure they are vaccinated or are aware of the new protocols. We can help make sure you and your loved ones are fully covered in case of an emergency. Let us help you feel secure in your health insurance and know if anything unexpected arises, you are fully covered! Questions? Give us a call today! Our agents are ready and waiting to help!

This week, the World Health Organization determined that while now is not the right time to implement Covid-19 vaccine passports, they could be used in the future. A leader from WHO stated that vaccine passports are not used right now as a prerequisite for travel due to the lack of vaccine equity around the world.

The World Health Organization is currently working with countries who are considering using the documentation in the future. They have been seen as a way to restart economies for some, while others have tried to outlaw this documentation and criticized it as further dividing the wealthy nations and low-income countries with limited access to shots.

There is also strong pushback on those who are hesitant or against the vaccine or who do not wish to share their health data. Countries like France and Italy have been requiring documentation of the vaccine or a negative test to participate in activities like going to the gym or dining indoors. Here in the United States, some concert venues and artists are requiring proof of vaccination and/or a negative Covid test to attend the event.

How do you know what the vaccine regulations are? It may be as easy as calling the location you plan on going and asking what their policy is. Planning to travel overseas and have questions? Call us! We’ll be happy to help you and make sure you and your family are always covered!

Health care in retirement can be a big-ticket items. Some experts estimate an average sixty-five year old retired couple in 2021 would need approximately $300,000 in after-tax savings earmarked for health care costs in post-work life, even with medicare.

Those costs sound daunting, right? Lucky for you there are steps to take to keep costs as low as possible. With the right planning, smart insurance choices and a good understanding of your health and coverage needs, we can help strategize and advise you on the right health insurance plan to manage your health care bills.

Take Advantage of an HSA

A health savings account allows you to put pretax money aside for medical expenses. You’re able to invest the funds, and both the principal and the earnings are tax-free if you use them for eligible medical costs. You can use them whenever you’d like! To use an HSA you must have a high-deductible plan, however. In 2021, one can save up to $3,600 pretax as a single individual or up to $7,200 if you have family coverage. This can be a great savings tool, as long as you contribute to it regularly.

Long-Term Care Planning

People don’t like to talk about it because it’s uncomfortable, but planning can help you prepare for a change in circumstances. It can be as easy as purchasing a traditional long-term care policy or a hybrid insurance product that combines permanent life insurance with a long term care rider. You could also self-insure by setting money aside annually for long-term care expenses. 

Selecting the Right Medicare Plan

We can help you find the best Medicare policy once you turn 65, one that includes your preferred doctors, regular medications, and help you avoid high out-of-network costs and out-of-pocket costs. We’re happy to help compare options and ensure you have the best plan for you.

Ask questions

We encourage all of our clients to be active in their health care, no matter what life stage. We’re also there to provide advice and options that best fit your needs. Questions? Give us a call — our agents are ready and waiting to help!

Because of the surge in 2021 marketplace enrollment (largely due to the special enrollment period), Cigna has announced plans to expand their reach to the individual health insurance market in 2022. Designed to support whole-person health, Cigna is focusing on creating superior outcomes throughout customer’s health care journeys. Cigna will be able to help more individuals and families access the care they need with more affordable, predictable, and simple health care options.

Cigna will be offering personalized guidance for those with chronic disease management needs at no cost-sharing, and will also cover prescription drug costs with a $0 to $3 copay, along with capping the prices of medications like insulin. Cigna also plans to offer miscellaneous benefits like acupuncture. 

Consumers are also showing more interest in the marketplace, mostly due to the American Rescue Plan’s subsidies. Enrollment this year has been historic, surpassing 1.2 million new enrollees for a total of 31 million American enrolled in the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

What’s great for you as consumers (and clients) of E&M Global is that Cigna is a preferred partner! You can be sure that our insurance options can be customized to suit your needs in every sense. We offer world-class products and service through Cigna. Questions? Interested in switching insurance carriers? Give us a call today!

Do you or your loved one have plans to travel abroad for studies during the pandemic? There are a couple things to be aware of to have a safe experience.

Carry Vaccination Certificate and Be Aware of Quarantine Rules

This is probably one of the most important things in a Covid-19 world. International students should carry his/her vaccine certificate while traveling abroad, and should link the vaccine certificate with their passport as identity verification. As more and more individuals get vaccinated, some countries are going easy on quarantine rules, and some universities are reimbursing 50-100% of the quarantine cost in foreign countries.

Avoid Using Debit or Credit Cards

Credit and debit cards are super convenient, however, when it’s used abroad, can be quite costly. For every swipe abroad, banks charge you a foreign currency conversion fee (up to 3-3.5% per transaction) PLUS a foreign transaction charge (of around 2.5-3.5% per transaction).

Cash is suggested to use, sure, but instead of withdrawing from an ATM and incurring the ATM fee, many students purchase a prepaid forex card instead. Forex cards have no conversion charges, can have money added by others, like parents for example, and are secured with a pin.

Purchase A Good International Health Insurance Plan

We here at E&M Global Insurance understand how important it is to have world-class health insurance, especially if you’re studying abroad in a Covid-19 world. If you are studying outside of the US, we can provide health insurance plans that cover you worldwide, begin immediately, don’t require an SSN, and more. If you are traveling to the US for studies from another country, we offer fantastic health insurance plans for you, where it’s an F-1 Student Visa or an M-1  Vocational Student Visa.

It’s important for you to feel secure in your health, now more than ever. Let us help you find the right health insurance plan to best fit you! Call us today! 

Everyone’s got cabin fever, that’s for sure and now the demand for travel is up exponentially in 2021. As more and more individuals get vaccinated, more people are making plans to travel abroad. But with the increased spread of the deadly Delta variant, international travel restrictions and rules are constantly changing.

If you have plans to travel abroad, you’ll need to be aware of the ever-changing rules and plan for extra travel expenses. In addition to making sure you’ve got the right international health insurance plan that covers your needs, here are some extra tips to make sure you’re not caught off guard when traveling outside of the United States:

• Purchase an International health insurance plan for you and your family
  • We know, we keep harping on this, but we can’t stress this enough. Making sure your family is covered in while out of the country in case of an emergency give a sense of relief that compares to nothing else! 
  • E&M Global offers superior worldwide health insurance that can be approved within 24 hours, doesn’t need a U.S. Visa or Social Security number, with coverage starting immediately!
• Stay up to date on international travel restrictions — if you have plans to leave the country, you’ll need to be aware of the following:
  • Pre-departure testing requirements
  • Post-arrival testing requirements
  • Vaccination requirements
  • Quarantine rules
  • International health insurance requirements (we can help with that!)
  • Pre-departure testing requirements to head back to the United States

Rules for international travel are changing often. As some parts of the world experience more positive Covid-19 cases, rules will often be adjusted. Flexibility is key; expect the unexpected and be aware that your trip may not go as originally planned. Make room for adjustments!

What can offer relief is knowing your family is covered and protected with high-class quality international health insurance. Questions? We are happy to help — give us a call today!

Under the current public charge rule, immigrants can receive public payer coverage, but not all immigrants are aware the 2019 public charge rule is no longer in effect.

CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are urging all states to take steps to ensure eligible immigrants are made aware that they are in face eligible for insurance. HHS has released a bulletin stating the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule is not enforceable or in effect as of March 9, 2021. Instead the immigrant eligibility parameters for public assistance have returned to the standards that were in place prior to the 2019 update, which had existed since 1999.

Under this, all immigrant children may receive coverage under Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CMS has urged states to coordinate with community-based organizations in order to distribute the news about this year’s changes to the public charge policy.

Using data from the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, Urban Institute researchers found that a fifth of immigrant adults with children avoided using public benefits in 2020 while the public charge rule was still in effect. More than half of nonpermanent residents who decided to forego necessary care in 2020 due to cost were uninsured.

Now, coming out of a year in which immigrants actively avoided these benefits, immigrants may be hesitant to leverage any of the benefits that may now apply to them.

At E&M Global Insurance, we offer health insurance options for public charge: domestic health insurance and international health insurance. Questions? That’s great! We’re ready and waiting to help — give us a call today!

As variants like Delta continue to spread like wildfire throughout the U.S. rules and restrictions for American travelers are popping up across the globe and staying informed can feel like another chore on your to-do list that is never checked off. But we’re here to help! Making sure you are fully covered with worldwide health insurance is a fantastic first step and we can help you get there. Your coverage can start immediately and you can be covered worldwide plus many more amazing benefits.

When Europe reopened its borders to Americans in mid-June, it seemed the world was in a better shape, that the summer was going to resume relative normalcy, however, so much has changed. With U.S. tourists now boarding trans-Atlantic flights and free strolling across the globe, Europe has had to bring back its travel restrictions to combat the highly contagious Delta variant. 

In countries like Greece and Spain, some regions have brought back nighttime curfews to contain the sharp rise in cases among younger people. France, which is now battling its fourth wave of the virus, is requiring people to show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test to access restaurants, bars, shopping malls, and even public transport. Italy will introduce something similar beginning in August, requiring at least one dose of the vaccine or a negative test result for social activities, including visiting museums.

What makes things even more complex is the fact that the rules are frequently changing from curfews to documentation that needs to be provided. Figuring all of this out can be head-spinning and the American Society of Travel Advisors says it has seen an 81% increase in interest in potential travelers seeking advice.

Our advice? If you’re not already fully vaccinated, consider it — especially if you’re traveling outside of the U.S. Second — look into worldwide health insurance to ensure you are fully covered should any sickness or emergency arise. If you do find yourself with a positive test result while overseas, it’s comforting to know your health insurance will take care of your costly hospital bills. Questions about international health insurance? Give us a call today — our agents are ready and waiting to help!

Being an expat can be both the most amazing experience and also extremely difficult! From new friends and a new life far from your home, planning for your life abroad also means figuring out how to manage your health and medical needs. Finding the appropriate level of health coverage is essential for everyone, especially expats. However, with so many options, it can be stressful to determine which package is adequate for expatriate healthcare. Should you be covered in multiple countries? Should I just get local coverage?

We at E&M Global Insurance offer both domestic health insurance and international health insurance. But what’s the difference exactly?

Domestic Health Insurance

In certain states, immigrants can purchase a non Affordable Care Act plan which are short-term plans varying in length from one month to three years. Non-ACA plans can be renewed yearly, however, it depends on the state of residence.

Affordable Act Plans (ACA) is also another option for Domestic Health Insurance and can be purchased during open enrollment or a Special Election Period. These plans cover all pre-existing conditions and most carriers don’t require a Social Security or Tax ID Number. We can also determine whether one is eligible for subsidies to help offset any plan costs.

International Health Insurance

International health insurance is available in all 50 states and plans don’t require a Social Security Number. They can be purchased before applicants are even in the country and don’t have waiting periods.

We understand that everyone moving to the US is seeking world-class/medical health insurance coverage. We work directly with attorneys, accountants, and regional centers and know the challenges — as well as the advantages — of the programs offered. We not only review your current medical/health insurance policy, but we also ensure any new plan is up to the care you’re accustomed to — and expect.

Questions? Give us a call! Our expert agents are ready and waiting to help!

Obviously, when it comes down to it, all that matters with your health is making sure you have the right care and treatment when you need it, wherever you are in the world. However, there are a plethora of international health insurance options, so how do you know which plan is right for you? Should you choose based on hospital access, or which countries you think you may need treatment in, or should you choose based on monthly premium or pre-existing coverage?

All great questions — and luckily, E&M Global Insurance can simplify everything for you. We can confidently assure you the most unique, affordable medical/health insurance providing worldwide coverage. Our long-term insurance is specially designed for those born outside of the U.S., as well as for expats who work and live abroad, and comes with a advantages:

• PPO insurance
• Insurance doesn’t expire
• Not tied to any special election timeframe
• Applicants don’t need a U.S. Social Security Number
• Applicants don’t need a U.S. Visa
• Approval within 24 hours
• Coverage begins immediately

Our focus is always providing you with quality care and guidance. We are ready to listen to your needs, help you compare each plan and then walk you through the fine print to ensure you are comfortable with your decision.

Ready to chat with one of our expert agents? Give us a call today!