Personal Travel

This section provides helpful information for U-M faculty and staff in a benefits-eligible position who are planning to travel internationally for personal reasons. This is not job-related travel. If you are traveling for business purposes, please refer to the Business Travel webpage. 

Planning Your Trip

To prepare for international travel, follow the steps below:

1. Register Your Travel

The University Travel Registry is a confidential and secure site within Wolverine Access for you to record travel plans and contact information. The database supports emergency location and communications when traveling abroad. 

2. Visit Global Michigan

Global Michigan is the campus-wide information hub for U-M’s international engagement. Here, you should review Country Risk Ratings for risks associated with your travel destination, information about travel safety and wellness, preparing for your travel, FAQs, and what to know about re-entering the U.S.

3. Review Your U-M Health Insurance Coverage

No matter where you are planning to travel, you will need to know your insurance coverage before you leave. U-M health plans cover emergency care when traveling outside of the U.S. In case of an emergency, you should go to the nearest emergency center. As soon as possible, contact the health plan’s customer service center to notify them of the emergency event. You may be asked to pay at the time you receive care. In order to receive reimbursement from your health plan, you must provide copies of your medical record, itemized bill, and proof of payment with the claim form. You will be reimbursed your out-of-pocket costs if the situation meets the health plan’s criteria for emergency care. 

If you have questions or need assistance outside of the U.S., visit BCBS GlobalCore or call the service center at (800) 810-BLUE (2583) or call collect at (804) 673-1177. Help is available 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week.

4. Consider GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions) Travel Abroad Health Insurance

GeoBlue Travel Abroad Health Insurance (Global Core Solutions) provides comprehensive coverage and becomes primary to any international coverage you may have through your U-M health plan or other health insurance. 

Coverage includes:

  • Medical and prescription benefits 
  • Emergency evacuation (medical, political or natural disaster)
  • Access to an English-speaking provider network

Refer to the GeoBlue(Global Core Solutions) Personal/Leisure Certificate of Coverage for benefit details 

You are eligible for the Personal/Leisure Travel Plan if you are:

  • Current (regular) U-M faculty and staff, younger than age 80, at the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses

  • Current (regular) Michigan Medicine employee younger than age 80

Note: U-M retirees, those with U-M Emeritus/Emerita titles and U-M temporary employees are not eligible to enroll in the U-M Travel Abroad plan. If you are enrolled in a Blue Care Network or Blue Cross Blue Shield medical plan, their Blue365 website provides information and discounts for GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions) travel insurance. You must log in to view and register for the discounts.

About the Plan

  • You must purchase this plan prior to departure.

  • The cost is about $2 per person, per day, plus a $5 administrative fee per person, per trip (rate changes annually).

  • The plan may be purchased for spouses, other qualified adults (OQAs) and dependents traveling with the covered individual.

To Access Coverage

Once enrolled, on the My Trip page, follow instructions under “Essential Content“ to download your GeoBlue(Global Core Solutions) insurance card and create a GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions) account. For ease of use while traveling, download the GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions) mobile app from the app store to connect with quality care providers across the globe.

5. Schedule a Pre-Travel Health Consultation 

At least two months before international travel, make an appointment for a travel consultation. Depending on your destination, you may need specific vaccines (e.g., typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, Japanese encephalitis). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides destination-specific recommendations. It’s important to get vaccinated at least 4-to-6 weeks before you travel. This will give the vaccines time to start working and should allow enough time to get a second dose if more than one dose is required.

Employees

The UHS Travel Health Clinic, located on the Ann Arbor campus, is available to U-M students, faculty and staff for immunizations, prescriptions and travel advice: 

  • There is a $100 fee for travel consultation. Consultation is not covered by insurance. The fee is waived for currently enrolled students.

  • Any needed prescriptions for travel medications can be filled at the UHS pharmacy on-site. Patients may also choose to use their own pharmacies.

  • Immunization and prescription costs will be billed to insurance. If insurance does not cover the costs, patients will be responsible. Over-the-counter medications and/or supplies may be recommended to purchase.

Non-employees

CDC-recommended vaccines are covered by U-M health plans and the U-M Prescription Drug Plan, when administered at in-network providers. Contact the health plan or pharmacy to find a participating provider. 

Important

  • Many travel clinics provide travel and vaccination counseling before administering the vaccine. These counseling sessions are not covered or reimbursed by your U-M health plan.  

  • Passport Health, a popular travel clinic, is not an in-network provider.

6. Check Prescription Drugs

Prior to Travel

  • The U-M Prescription Drug Plan authorizes coverage for extended supplies of medication to members traveling internationally when all of the following conditions are met:

    • The member's benefit eligibility is active during the entire duration of the travel dates.

    • The requested medication is a covered drug under the member's plan.

    • The member is established on the medication (i.e., this is not a new therapy initiated immediately prior to travel).

  • If you need extra medications for travel, one extra month refill of your prescriptions can be requested by contacting Prime Therapeutics at (888) 272-1346.

  • If you need a supply for more than an extra 34 days, contact the Shared Services Center - HR Customer Care at (734) 615-2000 or (866) 647-7657 (toll-free) at least one week before leaving the country. 

  • Check local regulations. Some U.S. medications may be illegal abroad. Consult the country’s embassy or consulate before traveling.

Medications Purchased Abroad

Emergency medications: The U-M Prescription Drug Plan provides for claim reimbursement up to a 34-day supply when drugs are purchased outside the U.S. on an emergency basis while traveling. Download the U-M Prescription Drug Claim Form.

GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions)
Travel Abroad Health Insurance 

If you purchased a GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions) Travel Abroad Health Insurance plan, refer to the Personal/Leisure Certificate of Coverage for prescription refill and benefit details.

Additional Considerations

Political and Natural Disaster Evacuation

Political and natural disaster evacuation (Crisis24) is included with GeoBlue Travel Abroad Health Insurance (Global Core Solutions). This benefit is available in most (but not all) countries for U-M faculty, staff, students, and eligible accompanying dependents. To receive this support, travelers must be enrolled in U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance, register their travel and follow any additional instructions on your destination’s Country Risk Rating page on Global Michigan. Evacuation assistance must be coordinated through the U-M Office of the Provost Global Engagement Team and GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions).

In case of an emergency while abroad:

Flexible Spending Accounts

Drugs or medicines purchased outside the U.S. and brought or shipped to the U.S. are not legal and therefore not eligible for reimbursement from your Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

Dental Plan

If you are enrolled in U-M's Dental Plan, you are covered by the Delta Dental passport program for dental care. When outside of the U.S., call AXA Assistance collect at (312) 356-5971 to receive a referral through an English-speaking operator. You must identify yourself as a Delta Dental enrollee when you call. The operators are available 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. Your dental plan coverage outside the U.S. is the same as your coverage within the U.S. Please note that AXA Assistance dentists are considered non-participating.

When you receive dental care outside the U.S., you will be required to pay for the services at that time, then file a claim with Delta Dental for reimbursement. Present the Delta Dental claim form to the non-participating provider at the time services are provided so they can complete applicable sections of the claim form. Be sure to get an itemized receipt for all dental services you receive. 

The receipt should include the dentist's name and address, the services performed and an indication of which tooth or teeth received treatment. It should also note if the dentist's charges were billed in U.S. dollars or the local currency. Make a copy of your receipts, then send the originals along with the completed Delta Dental claim form, following the instructions on the form. Delta Dental will reimburse you subject to the terms and conditions of your existing Delta Dental coverage. The reimbursement may not cover your entire cost.

In the Event of a Death

GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions) Travel Abroad Health Insurance provides repatriation of remains for the return of the deceased person's remains back to the place of residence. Any expense for repatriation of remains requires approval in advance by GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions).

If the deceased is a university employee, it is recommended that someone contact the following U-M departments:

When You Return

File any claims for reimbursement with GeoBlue (Global Core Solutions), if purchased, or your U-M health plan. 

You are responsible for:

  • In-network deductible(s), copayment(s) and coinsurances

  • Payment of noncovered services 

  • Submitting documentation to your health plan, including copies of your medical record, the itemized bill and proof of payment, along with completed International Claim Form(s) 

  • Forms are available from BCBSM, U-M Health Plan Forms and Documents or online at bcbsglobalcore.com.

  • If you had a change in family status or dependent coverage, call the Shared Services Center - HR Customer Care at (734) 615-2000 or (866) 647-7657 toll-free within 30 days of the event.

  • If you changed your address with the university while you were away, update your address using Wolverine Access.