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Award Winner Andrew Bard from HCC Insurance Holdings

For the past nine years, Andrew Bard has been involved in the global benefits industry. During that time, he has learned the tricks of the trade and now, as the vice president of sales and marketing for HCC Insurance Holdings, he has shared some explanations and tips.

It takes a whole team of people in each company to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of overseas operation, Bard said.

Legislation is constantly being amended, so it is important to keep up-to-date on the latest alterations affecting American-based insurers and insurers that provide any United States benefits.

Bard said the biggest challenge facing the industry is the reoccurring changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was enacted into legislation by President Barack Obama in 2010.

The act reformed various aspects of the private and public health insurance realms, increased insurance coverage of pre-existing conditions, expanded access to insurance and increased projected national medical spending while decreasing Medicare spending.

Although the law primarily affects American insurance companies, Bard believes it will have an extending effect on any insurance company with U.S. operations.

“As a consequence, over the next couple of years, you may see a constriction of insurance carriers that provide benefits for expatriates and foreign nationals,” he said. “Certainly, you will see the U.S.-based companies changing benefits, limits, etc.”

He said the key to building a successful partnership with clients is offering excellent service at a low cost. This is the mantra for his company, HCC Insurance Holdings. He said service is the number one driver behind customer satisfaction, followed by cost.

Bard provided some tips for implementing a successful global benefits plan:

Find a trustworthy and competent insurance broker with global experience

Stay involved in the process! Do not let the broker make all the decisions

Understand, in detail, the benefit plan you are buying

Always ask for references from both the broker and the insurance carrier

http://www.medicaltourismmag.com/article/award-winner-andrew-bard-from-hcc-insurance-holdings.html

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Medical tourism or medical travel is not an entirely new concept. Until recently, medical tourists were usually a very select few who chose to travel for elective surgeries such as tummy tucks and face-lifts, combining surgery with a holiday in a far away locale that ensured both privacy and a pleasant stay. As well, there were also a limited number of people who sought experimental medical treatments for illness and diseases such as cancer in foreign clinics. Today there is a swelling rank of medical tourists comprised of ordinary citizens who seek a wide variety of health care services and medical care outside of their home country, and every year that number grows.

For some, medical tourism or international medical travel can literally be a lifesaver, enabling patients to access quality medical services that they might not otherwise be able to afford. In the United States, patients without private health insurance can be faced with exorbitant medical bills for even the most routine surgeries. Sometimes a heartbreaking choice must be made – to have a life saving operation and suffer extreme financial hardship or to not have the procedure and deal with the health consequences. For those who are fortunate enough to have private health insurance, some may find that their insurer does not cover all medical procedures or that their insurance plan imposes unreasonable restrictions. In Canada, where public health insurance pays for most medical care, it has been well documented that unacceptably long wait times are forcing patients to take matters into their own hands and head off shore for timely medical treatment.

Medical tourism has garnered much media attention of late. Word is rapidly spreading about the excellent medical care that is available for bargain prices in countries such as Thailand, Hong Kong, and India. In the book, ‘Patients Without Borders: Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, World-class Medical Tourism,- author Josef Woodman investigates this growing industry. He reports in depth about the high quality of care available in foreign hospitals and how patients, who have surgery performed overseas, can save up to 80 percent. By example, a heart bypass in India can be had for a fraction of the price of one in the United States.

India has become one of the world’s leading destinations for medical travelers. Over the years, India has developed a stellar reputation with medical tourists, due to its state-of-the-art medical facilities that offer advance medical procedures, such as hip resurfacing, knee replacement, heart surgery, kidney transplant and abdominoplasty, at prices that are a fraction of those charged for similar procedures in North American hospitals. ‘Axiom Health Solutions works with Indian hospitals that are staffed with some of the most highly trained surgeons and professional medical personnel available. Huge investments have been made by each hospital group to ensure the highest of standards and the most modern facilities and equipment obtainable. In many cases the success rate in these hospitals is higher than those of American hospitals.

The future of medical tourism looks bright. Factors such as improved technology and standards of care and the availability of companies that specialize in arranging medical tourism packages makes international travel for medical services a very attractive proposition. Undoubtedly, the driving force behind the rise in medical travel is the high price of medical services in North America factor that is unlikely to change in the near future.

Medical Solution
MMedical Solution
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