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 Boca Benefits Consulting Group Inc.

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BBCG Consultants - Creating The Best Teams For The Task At Hand Since 1980
 
 
(727) 510-7138
 
Copyright © 2010 Boca Benefits Consulting Group, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | Clearwater, Florida USA 
top      Issue:  05.032.0C98
Foreign Service Officers Healthcare Plan

Wednesday, March 31, 2010     

Official US Passport
 An Assignment Abroad?
Tourist US Passport
Dear Professional Foreign Service Officer: 
 
We recently sent an email to many Beijing, China embassies in an effort to make them aware of a healthcare product that we at BBCG have found is much desired by diplomats and staff posted there (see below). Whether covered by a foreign ministry purchased insurance plan or by a national health plan, supplemental international coverage both inside China and in any other countries to which the diplomat may travel is considered critical by many. In order for BBCG to provide a foreign service officers plan ("FSOP") via a major U.S. based international healthcare insurance carrier, we utilize the Washington D.C. embassy location of the specific country as the U.S. contract situs and then make eligible any diplomats the foreign ministry chooses throughout the world (minimum of two covered persons). 
 
Although Beijing has been our most recent focus, the FSOP approach can be used wherever your country has posted foreign service professionals and concern about healthcare issues presents itself. We have also found that specific healthcare conditions of key diplomats and/or staff can at times also be directly addressed and optimum healthcare modalities established in many cities of posting. 
 

Please read the below pieces for more information.

 
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Foreign Service Officer Healthcare Insurance Coverage in Beijing
               U.S. Based FSOP For Ambassadors, Consuls and Staff Now Available 
 
Boca Benefits Consulting Group ("BBCG") located in Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A., is now positioned to provide international healthcare insurance plans to members of various foreign service corps members posted in Beijing. If your country has an embassy in Washington, D.C. (U.S.A.), then that location can be used as a domestic contract situs for a U.S. based international health insurance plan (i.e., an "FSOP" or "foreign service officer plan") that extends eligibility to any diplomatic post your foreign ministry chooses (i.e., including other countries in addition to China).  BBCG has on staff an insurance broker properly licensed in Washington, D.C. (U.S.A.) for the purpose of conducting business with the various embassies located there. The primary insurance carrier utilized by BBCG is a major U.S. based company with a financial strength rating assigned by the A.M. Best Company insurance rating service of "A-" (Excellent). Alternative insurance carriers are available for specfic risks.
 
BBCG has found that Beijing posted dipomats often desire alternatives to expand the scope of their personal healthcare resources when assigned to China. Some of the underlying reasons are:
 
  • Domestic home country insurance or national health plans may have limitations in China
  • Many foreign service officers travel between China and other Asian countries requiring international coverage in multiple countries
  • At times foreign service officers return to their home countries via third countries and require temporary portable healthcare coverage
  • Access to high quality providers of healthcare both in China and in third countries is considered extremely important
  • Availability of lowest contracted costs of health services for both personal out-of-pocket expenses and those billed to home countries
  • Native language, around-the-clock, customer service support provided by the international health insurance plan is extremely important
  • Direct payment arrangement between the health insurance carrier and the China-based provider of health services (i.e., in lieu of cash at time of service and a subsequent filing of a claim) is a high priority for many diplomats and staff
  • Repatriation and/or medical evacuation to countries with certain supplemental healthcare facilities desired by diplomats or staff may be limited by the present arrangement 
  • Desire for a healthplan to be portable if diplomats are permanently posted to another country
  • Need for relatively short-term cover for transient home country nationals on temporary assignment in China (e.g., termporary World Expo staff)
 
In addition to the international healthcare coverage for diplomatic and staff personnel, if you have local nationals or permanent expatriates employed, there is now domestic"on-shore" healthcare insurance available with the same high standards of quality and support. This insurance has recently become available as the result of a 2009 joint venture between the same international healthcare insurance carrier noted above and a major Chinese company. BBCG is not licensed to sell a domestic product inside China. However, it has established a referral network of appropriately licensed brokers in China for that purpose. As such, we can provide a solution for virtually all the employees of your embassy or outlying consulates.
 
Please contact us directly for a proposal either from Beijing or via your Washington D.C. (U.S.A.) embassy. BBCG honors the privacy of our clients. However, if requested, BBCG will request a Beijing-based reference from one of your diplomatic colleagues be provided to you prior to purchase of any coverage.
  
   
 
 
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 Other China Related BBCG News Items
 
BBCG Places U.S. Based International Health Plan for Beijing Posted Officers
                                                                            Meeting the Needs and Maximizing the Opportunities
 
In the late fall of 2009 BBCG was approached by a group of foreign diplomatic personnel at that time posted in Miami, Florida and asked if we could structure a plan for them in anticipation of a a new posting to China that was forthcoming. Due to certain health considerations and the original relatively small size of the group, BBCG placed the business with a major US carrier which has also established a substantial China presence via a joint venture there. That carrier was inclined to take more risk in return for a case with relatively high visibility and growth potential. For those knowledgeable about insurance, the business contract situs was established at the Washington, DC embassy of the country and eligibility was extended to all diplomatic personnel of that country, worldwide.
 
 
BBCG Participates in U.S. Department of Commerce Beijing, China Initiative
                                                                                                  White Paper Posted in Shaghai 
 
Following on the abve sale of a FSOP ("Foreign Service Officers Plan") in Beijing, BBCG was vetted by the US Department of Commerce for participation in its "Access America"  initiative in China.  An Internet based summary of services has been listed in both Chinese and English with the assistance of a Shanghai based translator.  Per the request of the AccessAmerica coordinator, BBCG also wrote and posted an associated white paper titled "Accessing International Healthcare Insurance in the Global Economy." There are four primary resource links per below. May require "Simplified Chinese" language pack in your browser for full functionality.
 
Shanghai Serviced Internet Links:
 
Link to directory with BBCG listing:  http://www.buyusa.gov/china/zh/aa_directory.html 
 
Link to AccessAmerica resource listings: http://www.buyusa.gov/china/zh/aa_resources.html
 
Link to posted white paper: http://www.cschina.us/files/intl_health_insurance.pdf
 
 
 
BBCG forms "On-Shore" China Correspondent Relationship
                                           Can Now Write In-Country Groups via Correespondent
 
A relationship has also recently  been established to place domestic healthcare insurance on persons inside China via approrpiately Chinese licensed brokers there.  This in-country sales network relationship may be used for health insurance plans that require an actual China contract situs (i.e., as opposed to international plans having a US based contract situs). For US investors and others establishing a China presence, BBCG can now broker health plans for both white collar employees with international requirements and Chinese nationals and/or resident expatriates. It should be noted that as of this writing the orientation of one of our primary carriers there remains white collar for both international and domestic plans. Please contact us to discuss any non-white collar groups (e.g., supervisors and manufacturing employees, etc.). We will do an appropriate market search on your behalf.
 
   
BBCG Brokers Short-Term Healthcare Plans for Participants in Shanghai World Expo
                                                                                                                       World Trade Fair Begins in May
 
Many countries are deploying temporary employees to Shanghai for the 2010 World Expo. BBCG has been asked to provide short-term international healthcare cover for groups associated with countries having a US embassy presence. As per the FSOP above, if a US contract situs can be established, we are prepared to write such cover quickly on a direct basis utilizing a major US carrier's international subsidiary. 
 
 
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For questions or information, please click here to email BBCG Inc. or telephone us at +1.727.510.7138.  

 
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 International Healthcare Insurance Recap for Diplomatic Officers 

 
International commerce, tourism, education and cultural exchanges require large numbers of people to be outside the geographic limitations of their domestic insurance or national health plans at any point in time.  Some of those with international medical insurance needs are:
 
 
  • Travel companies in your home country for in-bound and out-bound tourists
  • Your country's entities having foreign trade development missions requiring frequent travel abroad
  • Your universities or international schools for both in-bound and out-bound students/faculty
  • Established ex-patriate communities and/or organizations
  • Embassy, consulate and other government employees, per se, having postings abroad
  • Your country's major employers with offshore manufacturing or distribution
  • Your country's employers which provide limited sub-contract services to major global companies
  • Your country's insurance industry distribution chain, per se, desiring a correspondent brokerage relationship in the U.S.
  • Long-term joint venture potential between IMG Global and insurance/financial industry companies in your country
  • Missionaries and/or non-governmental organizations ("NGO's") whether in-bound or out-bound
  • Companies operating vessels with international ports of call (e.g., shipping, fishing, ferries, liners, etc.)
  • Other captain/crew manned vessels with international ports of call (e.g., personal, goverment and corporately owned yachts, etc.)  
 
 
 
 
About Boca Benefits Consulting Group, Inc.
 
BBCG, Inc. has been providing brokerage and consulting services to Florida employers since its formation in 1996.  Its principal consultant, Robert W. Murphy, has 30 years of insurance carrier management and consulting experience. He holds an advanced financial degree and four of the most prestigious financial services designations in the industry (REBC, ChFC, CLU, RHU). He has been a panelist/speaker at a national conference on the future of healthcare and was a participant at a Harvard University executive program entitled "Skills for the New World of Health Care."
 
Please click here for additional contact information. 
 
Please click here for a proposal request or contact by BBCG.