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Reliant understands that some nations abroad require residents to participate in the locally provided National Health Care plan. Reliant also understands that the costs of maintaining both health plan coverages may be burdensome from an ongoing MTD fundraising perspective. ( Though MTD burden alone is not sufficient reason to choose to Opt Out.) Therefore, Reliant allows international workers to electively Opt Out of Reliant’s International Health Insurance Group Coverage Plan when they need or wish to be covered by National Health Care plans provided in the country of service. This page outlines requirements and considerations related to Opting Out of Reliant's coverage.

Most US citizens prefer to be treated in the US if a catastrophic illness occurs. Therefore, Reliant only recommends Opting Out of our International Health Insurance Plan when the international worker is ready to be cared for exclusively by the National Health Care system where they reside. Reliant recommends that an international worker consider carrying both coverages. It is fully allowable and advisable to be covered by both plans.

Important Considerations

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If you opt of out Aetna for national coverage, and are diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness (such as cancer), you will likely need to receive all your treatment in your host country. It may not be an option for you to return to the US and receive treatment at the facility of your choice or near friends and family.

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National plans likely have limits to coverage. You may have out-of-pocket expenses or need to purchase supplementary insurance for things that are not covered. Since Aetna has a $0 deductible while overseas, your cost-savings may not be as much as you initially think.

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It is your responsibility to maintain proper coverage when traveling outside your host country, whether on a furlough or visa run. A catastrophic medical bill can jeopardize your ability to remain on the field. Please consider all of these factors as you desire to steward donor funds well.

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You are not able to opt out of Aetna until you are enrolled in your alternate coverage. This means you may be required to be on Aetna insurance if employed stateside before launching.

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Reliant CANNOT

Reliant will allow overseas missionaries to electively opt out of Reliant’s Overseas Health Insurance Group Coverage. Overseas Missionaries are only allowed to waive Reliant’s group plans (medical and dental coverage) if they enroll in and are covered by the national government health plan provided by the host foreign country where the missionary is serving.

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be held responsible for any gap in health and dental coverage that results from the

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worker’s personal decision to opt out of the Reliant provided

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international medical and dental insurance. Financially, for any coverage

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gap that results, the

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worker will be 100 percent financial responsible to cover this.


The

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election will be given under the following circumstances

  • Employee must sign a legal waiver that states they are willing electing to opt out of (or waive) Reliant provided

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  • International Health Insurance Plan and are choosing to be 100 percent covered by the national government health plan of the host foreign country where they are serving.

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  • Employee must provide Reliant with adequate and official proof of their national health plan coverage before their waiver can be approved. Until final approval is given, the

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  • employee will continue to be covered under the Reliant group health plan.
  • The

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  • employee accepts 100 percent financial responsibility for their medical expenses not covered by the government national health plan they are enrolling in. So the

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  • employee should make this decision to opt out

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  • with very careful

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  •  thought, prayer, counsel and serious consideration.
  • The

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  • employee will be 100 percent responsible for securing any supplemental health insurance needed for their stateside furlough period and for any travel conducted outside of their host country. The

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  • employee will NOT be eligible to enroll back into Reliant coverage simply for any stateside two to three month furlough period.
  • Once the

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  • employee elects to opt out of Reliant coverage, they will

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  • only be allowed to

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  • Opt In again during annual open enrollment

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  • periods. The employee will thereafter remain on Reliant coverage

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  • (thus, no second

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  • Opt-Out waiver will be

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  • approved).

The

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election will NOT be given under this circumstance

  • The opt out election is reserved ONLY for those

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  • employees deciding to join their host country’s national plan, and CANNOT be used by the Reliant

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  • employee to simply seek out another alternative personal/family health insurance policy from an independent

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  • international insurance provider

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Reimbursement of National Health Care Cost

Reliant will taxably reimburse the missionary for 100 percent of the monthly or annual premiums of their host country national plan coverage for themselves and their family members. This will be done as follows: 

  • The missionary pays the monthly premiums themselves to the national government. 
  • They will also add the cost of these monthly premiums to their International Support Goal Worksheet (SGW) in Section A – Monthly Salary. It will then be paid out to the missionary as additional taxable salary. 
  • The missionary needs to submit a new International SGW for changes to be effective.

Reimbursement of Short-Term Supplemental Health Insurance Travel Policy For Furlough/Home Service while in the US

Reliant overseas missionaries who opt out of the Reliant health plan, will be eligible to taxably reimburse 100 percent of the cost of a short-term supplemental health insurance travel policy for traveling for themselves and their family members (e.g., to the USA for their 2 -3 month furlough). The missionary will need to submit this expense on a Reliant ministry reimbursement form as a taxable reimbursement. Any costs for medical claims that are incurred on furlough or while traveling, that not covered by their short-term supplemental health insurance travel policy will be 100 percent the responsibility of the missionary.

WARNING: Many online insurance carriers, who offer short-term supplemental health insurance travel policies, only offer limited coverage and limits or exclusions on many pre-existing conditions. Please make sure you are completely aware of these important details of the coverage and its limitations.

Proceed With Extreme Caution When Seriously Considering Opting Out of Reliant’s Overseas Health Plan

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  • , carrier or broker.

Salary increase allowed for national health care premiums

Reliant employees may add the monthly cost of National Health Care premiums to their monthly salary goals.


Warning

Proceed with extreme caution when seriously considering opting out of Reliant’s international health plan.

The employee is making the decision to opt out 100

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percent at their own risk. Thus, Reliant

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requires that any

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employee decision to opt out of the Reliant

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International Health Insurance Plan be made very carefully, prayerfully and with much counsel. This decision may have significant consequences on a

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employee’s health coverage and possibly their personal finances. Making the decision simply because it means less

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Reliant ministry MTD support to raise can be

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an extremely short-sighted reason and should NOT be made simply for that reason.

Here are additional issues to be considered:

  1. Reliant

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  1. International Health Plan provides excellent world-wide coverage for all our

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  1. international workers. Many host country’s national health plans reduce (or possibly even eliminate) coverage benefits when traveling outside the host country or back to the USA. This will be a challenge when returning home to the United State for furlough or when traveling outside the host country for visa renewals, staff/pastors conferences, vacations, etc.
  2. Reliant strongly recommends that the

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  1. employee consider short-term supplemental health insurance for any trips back to the USA for family, furlough, or other ministry reasons. We cannot stress enough the importance for the

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  1. employee and their family members to have adequate health insurance coverage while outside of their host country
  2. As previously mentioned, many short-term supplemental health insurance policies for any travel back to the USA very often do not include coverage for pre-existing conditions. Reliant strongly recommends that the

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  1. employee obtain a short-term health plan policy that includes coverage for preexisting conditions. One such possible resource

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  1. is www.insubuy.com. (NOTE: Reliant does not officially endorse this website, but is simply providing it as an information resource).
  2. If the

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  1. employee ever needs extended medical treatment, this may need to take place back in their host country. For example, if the

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  1. employee is on the host country’s national health plan and gets diagnosed with cancer. And they really desire to come back to the States to be treated at the Mayo Clinic or another US health facility. The government’s national health plan may require them to be treated in the host country. Thus, choosing to opt out of Reliant’s

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  1. International Health Plan may result in such restrictions that the

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  1. employee must be willing to live with if they ever face a serious illness.
  2. There may be waiting periods for certain coverages or pre-existing condition restrictions associated with joining a host country’s national health plan. The

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  1. employee needs to be fully aware of these.
  2. When opting out of Reliant coverage, the employee is also taking full 100 percent responsibility for the financial consequences that may result from this decision. Therefore, any costs incurred for medical expenses and claims not covered by their host country’s national health plan will be the responsibility of the employee.
  3. Emergency medical evacuations will be affected by choosing a national host country health plan. You will lose the following coverages provided by Reliant’s

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  1. International Health Plan:

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  1.  
    • This consists of evacuation and repatriation coverage at 100 percent (Deductible waived) of up to $20,000 for Repatriation of Remains available through Reliant health coverage. 
    • Reliant may require the employee to carry medical evacuation and repatriation insurance in addition to National Healthcare, at its discretion. 
    • You may possibly lose $1,000,000 per occurrence for Medical Evacuation. Host country national plans may or may not provide these benefits. Reliant cannot be held responsible for any gap in coverage resulting from the

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    • employee’s personal decision to opt out.

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If an international worker desires to opt out of Reliant’s health plan and plans to enroll in their host country’s national health plan

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:

  • They will be covered by Reliant’s global coverage until the

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  • employee provides the Opt Out Request form and proof of National Health Coverage to Reliant.
  • The employee needs

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  • to research to see if they qualify for the national health plan of their host country.

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  • The employee needs to research the national health plan & compare it to Reliant’s Coverage Plan Benefits.

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  • The employee should understand clearly what the national health plan does and does not cover when traveling outside their host country.
  • They should discuss this important decision with their family, supervisor and other

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  • goers before making any final decision. 

Next

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steps for

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opting out of Reliant

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coverage

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Employee must first confirm that they are eligible for host country national health

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coverage, enroll and receive proof of coverage. (Often this involves a page being added in a passport, or other identification cards.) 

Send the following to Reliant (email these to: international@reliant.org)

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  • Submit updated International SGW to account for changes in medical premium expenses

Until final Reliant approval is given for opting out, the

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employee will continue to be covered under Reliant’s

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International Health Plan.

 

For questions: email international@reliant.org

 

International Opt Out Request Form

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FMHOME:International Staff Contact
FMHOME:International Staff Contact