Fyi...
> -----Original Message-----
> From: K.V. Rao [mailto:kvrao@;INDNET.ORG]
>
> Friends, Please read the following article - a sad story of
> another GOI
> undertaking taking its consumers who buy overseas medical
> insurance from
> them. We always advised our US and Canadian members to avoid the India
> Based insurance program for visiting parents, friends or business
> associates and recommend buying from the US registered
> insurance company.
> India Network offers a special program for this purpose and
> you are all
> welcome to use it and provide feedback.
>
> From November 1, 2002, we have negotiated $10 contribution
> for each new
> member of India Network from the Blackstone International, which will
> reduce the current membership fee of $25 to $15. We could
> keep/reduce the
> premiums for the health plan in the last three years and we hope to do
> more with more people participation. More details on the
> health plan can
> be found at http://health.indnet.org
>
> We are still working on a plan for green card holders and
> local residents.
> Ideally, we like to have a plan that cover everyone in every
> state that
> needs medical insurance. Please be patient and we will have some plan
> soon.
>
> K.V. Rao
> ---------------
> Snags in overseas medical insurance
> N VIDYASAGAR
>
> TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2002 11:10:51 PM ]
>
> NEW DELHI: A spat between the General Insurance Company (GIC) and its
> international service provider Mercury International has
> resulted into an
> embarrassing breakdown in providing claims to international medical
> insurance policy holders.
>
> While there are no definitive numbers, at least 1,500 policy holders
> across the country are running from pillar to post to get their claims
> honoured. This covers those who have taken the Videsh Yatra
> Mitra Policy
> from GICs subsidiaries New India, National, United and
> Oriental between
> April and July 2002.
>
> Thanks to alleged late payments by Mercury, many hospitals in the US
> refused to accept policies sold by GIC. The problem began
> early this year
> when Mercury increased its commission from 4 per cent of premium
> collections to 6.5 per cent, as well as 20 pounds per claim. This was
> unacceptable to GIC, and the relationship deteriorated as
> Mercury stopped
> payments to overseas hospitals that accept GIC policies.
>
> On their part, executives at GIC admitted that they too owe
> Mercury money,
> accepting a standoff with the UK-based service provider. We hope to
> resolve the problem with Mercury soon, says a senior executive at
> Oriental. Mercury could not be reached for comments. From
> July 2002, the
> GIC companies terminated their 16-year relationship with
> Mercury and have
> tied up with Paris-based Coris International.
>
> Every year, over 300,000 overseas medical insurance policies
> are sold in
> the country. The premium collections hover around $125
> million. Insiders
> say only 2 per cent of the policy holders file claims, which
> approximate
> as much as $90 million.
>
> Take, for instance, 65-year-old SK Srivastava, who fell ill
> in May 2002
> while visiting his son, a software professional in Los Angeles. The
> Stanford Hospital where he was admitted for intestinal
> bleeding politely
> refused to accept his Videsh Yatra policy issued by United India.
> Srivastavas son had to shell out the total hospital bill: $28,000.
>
> GIC officials maintain its business as usual. When we sell a
> policy, it is
> a contractual obligation to honour claims. We hope to clear
> all claims by
> November, said a United India official. To start with, GIC
> plans to clear
> all claims up to $500.
>
> There is no problem since we changed to the new service
> provider from July
> 2002. People continue to buy overseas medical insurance
> policies from us,
> said an Oriental official.
>
> Thats not much solace for consumers running around to get their dollar
> medical bills claims. If government-backed insurance
> companies can make me
> to run around for their inefficiency, what can we expect from private
> insurance companies, says Srivastava.
> ------------------------------------------
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