The Canadian Expat Association - Canadian Expat Association
Ensuring foreign students are insured
Fernando Mejia, Marketing Coordinator, MSH INTERNATIONAL
As medical expenses in North America (Canada and USA) are among the highest in the world, a comprehensive international health insurance plan is a must for all foreign students who wish to study at an educational institution in these countries. This is particularly true since health insurance in the home country may not cover or could restrict coverage for the student who may be living out of the country for some time.
According to a 2008 study by the US Government Accountability Office, only 30% of US colleges and universities require students to have health insurance as a condition of enrollment. It also states that more than half of US colleges and universities sponsor their own health insurance plans for students. Many of these institutions require students to purchase a mandatory school operated health plan. Others offer access to voluntary insurance programs where students are not obligated to purchase that particular plan as long as they are adequately insured with a private insurance corporation. In this situation, the plan that may be best financially for the school may not be the best for the student. It would therefore be wise to compare plans before purchasing.
There are many providers for international student insurance, but they vary in what they offer, duration of the policy, and cost. This is why students should take the time to look at more than one policy, reading the details of benefits offered, terms and conditions, premiums, etc. Considerations for international students who are looking for an insurance plan include:
Coverage
It is very important to evaluate the total amount of coverage offered by the policy, as well as other terms and conditions that will affect the student directly. These include co-payments, deductibles, percentage of coverage, limits and exclusions.
Benefits
Basic coverage should include:
• Medical insurance.
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D).
• Any other line of coverage that would be appropriate for the particular situation such as Dental, Vision
Care, Life.
Value-added services
Other services that can make the access to required services and the claims process as smooth as possible include:
• Direct billing arrangements so that the student does not have to pay up front for services provided.
• Quick reimbursement to insureds if required.
• Call centers that provide service in multiple languages.
• Online access to printable ID cards, claims forms, and plan information.
• Contact information for health care providers near the student’s location.
Retreats, MBAs & International Careers
Every five years Hélène Blanchette takes a week-long retreat, typically to a calming place, where she can unwind and shed everyday stresses in order to reassess where she is on her life’s path, both personally and professionally and set goals for the next five years. In December 2006, well into her AthabascaUniversity MBA, she travelled to a sea water spa bordering Spain in the South of France where she wrote down a key goal: “I want an international career and an international outlook to my life in general.” She drilled deeper, and decided Asia was where she wanted to be.
Two months later she got a call while she was driving to catch a flight in Toronto to Guadalajara, Mexico to do an international elective as part of AU’s MBA program. “The person had been following my career and wondered if I’d be interested in a job in Singapore,” says Hélène, who had also been offered a new role by her then employer, Xerox Canada. “Both of my dream jobs were happening. I arrived in Mexico with a big decision to make.”
She immediately presented both opportunities to her AU classmates. “Here I am on a bus with very intelligent people, many of whom had knowledge of Asia and Singapore. It was like I had my own personal focus group,” says Hélène. “They looked at me and said don’t hesitate. Jump on the opportunity in Singapore. You can only learn from it. I did and I never looked back. I have been here almost 5 years and love it.”
As the head of the 1:1 Experience Service and Go-to-Market Strategy of direct marketing for Fuji Xerox responsible for the 12 countries of Asia Pacific and China, Hélène is witnessing first hand a cultural shift. “It is so exciting to see so much growth, wealth and will power and yet at the same time old cultures and mindsets trying to function in a very modern world, at a very fast pace. There are great challenges and great opportunities for cultural learning.”
She is putting her AU MBA to good use. “One of my goals for the MBA was to put structure to my instincts and to understand on a more in-depth level how large corporations function,” says Hélène. “It has certainly helped me better understand operations, which makes me more aligned with the strategic goals of the company so I can link my creative, conceptual, strategic mind to operations to implement more effectively.”
Hélène is due for her next retreat and reassessment. In the meantime, she is thoroughly enjoying her time in Asia and her international outlook. “In 10 days, I am heading to China for business, where I will take the time to visit the Great Wall and Forbidden City. Outside of work, my full-time job is travelling and discovering new cultures, so for pleasure, my husband and I will be going to the jungles of Borneo.”
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Hélène Blanchette is presently head of the 1:1 Experience Service for Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific and the Go-to-Market Strategy Manager for 1to1 marketing, Direct Marketing and Transpromo (covering 12 countries).
At Fuji Xerox, Hélène’s responsibilities range from heading innovative marketing services and strategies to international program management. Hélène, originally from Canada, has been active in the communication and the marketing industries for over 20 years.
In November 2010, Hélène was honoured with the Individual Global Brand Leadership Award, a coveted title in the marketing world. In April of 2009, Helene received the Woman of Distinction Award, a prestigious international award of merit given by OutputLink media in the USA and Australasia, and in July 2005, she was identified by Print Action Magazine as one of the top 50 most influential people in Canada in the Communication Industry.
She is the founder of the Xerox 1to1 lab that has gained worldwide recognition and won numerous marketing innovation awards. This strategic concept has been implemented in several countries around the world and is now an integrated service offering of Fuji Xerox.
Over the years, Helene has published more than 100 articles and columns for several industry related magazines. Known for her talent as a great communicator, she is frequently invited to deliver conferences throughout Asia, Europe and North America.
