Bupa Gold Membership Guide
Bupa Gold Membership Guide
Bupa Gold Membership Guide
your calls will be recorded and may be monitored. BupaInternational victory House, Trafalgar Place, Brighton. Bn1 4fy. uk
BupaInternational offers you: Global medical plans for individuals and groups Assistance, repatriation and evacuation cover 24-hour multi-lingual helpline bupa-intl.com
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This booklet explains the terms and conditions of the Company, Maritime, Oil and Gas and International Schools Group Plans. Detailed information such as pre-authorising treatment, making a claim and moving country can be found in this booklet. www.bupa-intl.com
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I M P O R TA n T M e M B e R S H I P DOCuMenTS
The How to use your plan and Table of benefits booklets must be read alongside your Membership Certificate and your application for cover, as together they set out the terms and conditions of your membership and form your plan documentation.
Please keep your booklet in a safe place. If you need another copy, you can call +44 (0) 1273 323 563 or view and print it online at: www.bupa-intl.com/membersworld. Bold words words in bold have particular meanings in this booklet. Please check their definition in the Glossary before you read on. You will find the Glossary in the back of this booklet.
H O w T O u S e yO u R P l A n
This booklet explains how to use your plan, including; how to make a claim and other important membership information.
TA B l e O f B e n e f I T S
This booklet talks about your cover in full detail, including; what is covered, what is not covered and details of uSA cover (if you have included this on your plan).
Pre-authorisation puts us directly in touch with your hospital, so that we can look after the details while you concentrate on getting well. The Pre-authorisation section contains all of the rules and information about this. When you contact us, please have your membership number ready. We will ask some or all of the following questions:
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5 How to use your BupaInternational Group Plan 7 About your membership 8 Pre-authorisation 10 Making a claim 13 Assistance cover 16 Annual deductibles 18 your membership 21 Adding dependants 22 Making a complaint 23 Glossary 26 Medical words and phrases
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what condition are you suffering from? when did your symptoms first begin? when did you first see your family doctor about them? what treatment has been recommended? on what date will you receive the treatment? what is the name of your consultant? where will your proposed treatment take place? how long will you need to stay in hospital?
Step 2: Contact us
If you know that you may need treatment, please contact us first. This gives us the chance to check your cover, and to make sure that we can give you the support of our global networks, our knowledge and our experience. Pre-authorising in-patient treatment and day-case treatment You must contact us whenever possible before in-patient treatment or day-case treatment, for pre-authorisation. This means that we can confirm to you and to your hospital that your treatment will be covered under your plan. If we can pre-authorise your treatment, we will send a pre-authorisation statement that will also act as your claim form (see Step 3 below).
A B O u T yO u R M e M B e R S H I P
Direct settlement/pay and claim Direct settlement is where the provider of your treatment claims directly from us, making things easier for you. The alternative is for you to pay and then claim back the costs from us. We try to arrange direct settlement wherever possible, but it has to be with the agreement of whoever is providing the treatment. In general, direct settlement can only be arranged for in-patient treatment or day-case treatment. Direct settlement is easier for us to arrange if you pre-authorise your treatment first, or if you use a participating hospital or clinic. What to send We must receive a fully completed claim form and the original invoices for your treatment, within six months of the treatment date. If this is not possible, please write to us with the details and we will see if an exception can be made. Your claim form You must ensure that your claim form is fully completed by you and by your medical practitioner. The claim form is important because it gives us all the information that we need. Contacting you or your medical practitioner for more information can take time, and an incomplete claim form is the most common reason for delayed payments.
You can download a claim form from our MembersWorld website, or contact us to send you one. Remember that if your treatment is pre-authorised, your pre-authorisation statement will act as your claim form. How we make payments Wherever possible, we will follow the instructions given to us in the payment section of the claim form:
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The BupaInternational Group Plan is a group insurance plan. You are therefore one of a group of members, which has a sponsor (normally the company that you, the principal member work for). This plan is governed by an agreement between your sponsor and BupaInternational, which covers the terms and conditions of your membership. This means that there is no legal contract between you and BupaInternational. Only the sponsor and BupaInternational have legal rights under the agreement relating to your cover, and only they can enforce the agreement. As a member of the plan, you do have access to our complaints process. This includes the use of any dispute resolution scheme we have for our members. The following must be read together as they set out the terms and conditions of your membership:
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When your cover starts The start date of your membership is the effective from date shown on your Membership Certificate. If you move to a new country or change your specified country of nationality You, the principal member must tell your sponsor straight away if your specified country of residence or your specified country of nationality changes. Your new country may have different regulations about health insurance. You, the principal member need to tell your sponsor of any change so that we can make sure that you have the right cover and that all local regulations are being met.
we can pay you or the hospital we can pay by cheque or by electronic transfer we can pay in over 80 currencies
To carry out electronic transfers, we need to know the full bank name, address, SWIFT code and (in Europe only) the IBAN number of your bank account. You can give us this information on the claim form. Tracking a claim We will process your claim as quickly as possible. You can easily check the progress of a claim you have made by logging on to our MembersWorld* website. Claim payment statementMyClaim When your claim has been assessed and paid, we will send a statement to you to confirm when and how it was paid, and who received the payment. Again, please contact us if you have any questions about this information.
you, the principal members application for cover: this includes any quote request, applications for cover for you and your dependants (if any) and the declarations that you, the principal member made during the application process your rules and benefits in the How to use your plan booklet and Table of benefits booklet within your membership pack your Membership Certificate
* MembersWorld may not track claims in the USA as we use a third party here.
P R e - A u T H O R I S AT I O n
This section contains rules and information about what pre-authorisation means and how it works.
treatment will take longer than this approved length of stay, then you or your consultant must contact us for an extension to the pre-authorisation.
taken to a hospital which is not part of the network and, if it is the best thing for you, we will arrange for you to be moved to a network hospital to continue your treatment once you are stable. If we have been notified within 48 hours of an emergency admission to hospital, we will not ask you to share the cost of your treatment. Out of network treatment If your treatment in the USA has been pre-authorised, but you choose not to go to a network hospital, we will only pay 80 percent towards the cost of covered treatment. There may be times when it is not possible for you to be treated at a network hospital. These include:
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any other details change, then you or your consultant must contact us to pre-authorise this separately. We make our decision to approve your treatment based on the information given to us. We reserve the right to withdraw our decision if additional information is withheld or not given to us at the time the decision is being made.
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where there is no network hospital within 30 miles of your address, and when the treatment you need is not available in the network hospital
In these cases, we will not ask you to share the cost of your treatment.
Important rules
Please note that pre-authorisation is only valid if all the details of the authorised treatment, including dates and locations, match those of the treatment received. If there is a change in the treatment required, if you need to have further treatment, or if
MAkInG A ClAIM
At times of ill health, you want to concentrate on getting well. We will do everything we can to make your claim as simple and straightforward as possible.
written confirmation from you as to whether you think you can recover the costs you are claiming from another person or insurance company
principal member. If the claim is for treatment received by the principal member, or an adult dependant (those aged over 18 years), we will write directly to the individual concerned.
exchange, are your responsibility, unless they are charged as a result of our error. Cheques are no longer valid if they are not cashed within 12 months. If you have an out-of-date cheque, please contact customer services, who will be happy to arrange a replacement. Payment currency and conversions We can pay in the currency in which your sponsor pays your subscriptions, the currency of the invoices you send us, or the currency of your bank account. We cannot pay you in any other currency. Sometimes, the international banking regulations do not allow us to make a payment in the currency you have asked for. If so, we will send a payment in the currency of your sponsors subscriptions. If we have to make a conversion from one currency to another we will use the exchange rate that applies on either the date on which the invoices were issued or the last date of the treatment, whichever is later. The exchange rate used will be the average of the buying and selling rates across a wide range of quoted rates by the banks in London on the date in question. If the date is not a working day we will use the exchange rate that applies on the last working day before that date.
If you do not provide the information that we ask for, we may not pay your claim in full. Please also read about correspondence in the Your membership section. Important When making a claim please note:
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for each member for each condition for each in-patient or day-case stay, and for each currency of claim
If a condition continues over six months, we will ask for a further claim form to be completed. What to send us You need to return the completed form to us by post, with the original invoices, as soon as possible. This must be within six months of receiving the treatment for which you are claiming. Invoices sent to us after six months will not normally be paid. Requests for further information We may need to ask you for further information to support your claim. If we do, you must provide this. Examples of things we might ask for include:
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you must have received the treatment while covered under your membership payment of your claim will be under the terms of your membership and up to the benefit levels shown, that apply to you at the time you receive the treatment we will only pay for treatment costs actually incurred by you, not deposits or advance invoices or registration/administration fees charged by the provider of treatment we will only pay for treatment costs that are reasonable and customary we do not return original documents such as invoices or letters. However, we will be pleased to return certified copies if you ask us when you submit your claim
medical reports and other information about the treatment for which you are claiming the results of any medical examination performed at our expense by an independent medical practitioner appointed by us
Confirmation of your claim We will always send confirmation of how we have dealt with a claim. If applicable, for child dependants (those aged under 18 years), we will write to the
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A S S I S TA n C e C O v e R
(optional if purchased)
This section contains the rules and information for Assistance cover, an optional benefit which helps you if you need to travel to get the treatment that you need.
Note: Subrogation In the event of any payment of any claim under your membership, BupaInternational or any person or company that it nominates may be subrogated to all rights of recovery of the member and any person entitled to the benefits of this coverage. The member shall sign and deliver all documents and papers and do whatever else is necessary to secure such subrogated rights to BupaInternational or its nominated party. The member shall do nothing after the claim to prejudice such rights. Claiming with joint or double insurance You must complete the appropriate section on the claim form, if you have any other insurance cover for the cost of the treatment or benefits you have claimed from us. If you do have other insurance cover, this must be disclosed to us when claiming, and we will only pay our share of the cost of the treatment or benefits claimed.
Note: there are two levels of Assistance cover: Evacuation and Repatriation. Your Membership Certificate will show if you have Evacuation or Repatriation but you can visit the MembersWorld website or contact the customer services helpline if you are unsure.
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the treatment must be recommended by your consultant or family doctor and, for medical reasons, not available locally the treatment must be eligible under your plan you must have cover for the country you are being treated in, for example the USA you must have the appropriate level of Assistance cover in place before you need the treatment
Evacuation or Repatriation will not be eligible if you were aware of the symptoms of your condition before applying for Assistance cover. We will not approve a transfer which in our reasonable opinion is inappropriate based on established clinical and medical practice, and we are entitled to conduct a review of your case, when it is reasonable for us to do so. Evacuation or Repatriation will not be authorised if this would be against medical advice.
recover from the person at fault (such as through their insurance company) the cost of the treatment paid for by BupaInternational, and claim interest if you are entitled to do so
you must contact our appointed representatives for confirmation before you travel, on +44 (0) 1273 333 911 our appointed representatives must agree the arrangements with you Assistance cover is applicable for in-patient treatment and day-case treatment only
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We will pay in full for your reasonable transport costs for in-patient treatment or day-case treatment. It may also be authorised if you need advanced imaging or cancer treatment such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy. We will only pay for Evacuation to the nearest place where the required treatment is available. This could be to another part of the country that you are in, and may not be your home country. We will pay for the reasonable travel costs for another BupaInternational member to accompany you, but only if it is medically necessary. We will also pay for the reasonable costs of your, and the accompanying members, return journey to the place you were evacuated from. All arrangements for your return should be approved in advance by BupaInternational or our appointed representatives and the journey must be made within fourteen days of the end of the treatment.
the reasonable cost of the return journey by the most direct route available by land or sea, or the cost of an economy class air ticket by the most direct route available, whichever is the lesser amount we will pay reasonable costs for the transportation only of your body, subject to airline requirements and restrictions, to your home country, in the event of your death while you are away from home. We do not pay for burial or cremation, the cost of burial caskets etc, or the transport costs for someone to collect or accompany your remains
We will pay in full for your reasonable transport costs for in-patient treatment or day-case treatment. We will pay for repatriation to your specified country of nationality or your specified country of residence. We will pay for one repatriation for each illness or injury per lifetime. We will pay the reasonable costs for a relative or your partner to accompany you to your specified country of nationality or your specified country of residence if we have authorised this in advance of the repatriation. We will also pay an allowance of up to GBP 25, USD 50 or EUR 37 per day for up to 10 days to cover the living expenses of the person accompanying you. We will pay for you and the person accompanying you to return to where you were repatriated from. All arrangements for your return must be approved in advance by BupaInternational or our appointed representatives and you must make the return journey within fourteen days of the end of the treatment you were repatriated for.
the reasonable cost of the return journey by the most direct route available by land or sea, or the cost of a scheduled return economy class air ticket by the most direct route available, whichever is the lesser amount we will pay reasonable costs for the transportation only of your body, subject to airline requirements and restrictions, to your home country, in the event of your death while you are away from home. We do not pay for burial or cremation, the cost of burial caskets etc, or the transport costs for someone to collect or accompany your remains
Note: we do not pay for any other costs related to the evacuation such as hotel accommodation or taxis. Costs of any treatment you receive are not payable under Evacuation cover, but are payable from your medical cover as described in the What is covered? section of your Table of benefits booklet. Please also note that for medical reasons the member receiving treatment may travel in a different class from their companion.
Note: we do not pay for any other costs related to the repatriation such as hotel accommodation or taxis. Costs of any treatment you receive are not payable under Repatriation cover, but are payable from your medical cover as described in the What is covered? section of your Table of benefits booklet. Please also note that for medical reasons the member receiving treatment may travel in a different class from their companion.
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An n uAl D eD u C TI B le S
Please read this section if you have an annual deductible on your plan.
the annual deductible applies separately to each person included on your membership even if the amount you are claiming is less than the annual deductible, you should still submit a claim to us this is an annual deductible, therefore, if your first claim is towards the end of your membership year, and treatment continues over your renewal date, the annual deductible is payable separately for treatment received in each membership year if your claims are paid direct to your medical provider, you are responsible for paying any deductible shortfall to the provider after the claim has been assessed and paid
The amount of your annual deductible will be shown on your Membership Certificate, which you can view online at our MembersWorld website. If you are unsure whether your cover includes an annual deductible, please contact our customer services helpline. At any point you can check the amount of your remaining annual deductible by contacting our customer services helpline. Annual deductibles are only available on the following levels of cover:
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we will send payment to the medical provider for the eligible claim. We will deduct from this payment the remaining annual deductible on your membership we will send you a statement as usual, confirming the amount that we have paid towards your claim you are responsible for paying any shortfall to the provider after your claim has been assessed and paid
You are responsible for paying the annual deductible in all circumstances.
Classic with dental Gold with dental Gold Superior Gold Superior with optical and dental
your benefit will be paid less the amount of the annual deductible we will send you a statement showing how your claim has been settled, including any amounts set against the annual deductible
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yO u R M e M B e R S H I P
This section contains the rules about your membership, including when it will start and end, renewing your plan, how you, the principal member can change your cover and general information.
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if your sponsor does not pay subscriptions or any other payment due under the agreement for you or for any other person if the membership of the principal member ends upon the death of the principal member
been a member for a certain period, the time you were a member with us will count towards that. Please note that if you request a transfer to a local partner, we will have to share your personal information and medical history with the local partner. If you change your specified country of residence or your specified country of nationality, please call the BupaInternational customer services helpline so we can confirm if your BupaInternational membership is affected, and, if so, whether we can offer you a transfer service.
If you move to a new country or change your specified country of nationality You, the principal member must tell your sponsor straight away if your specified country of residence or your specified country of nationality changes. We may need to end your membership if the change results in a breach of regulations governing the provision of healthcare cover to local nationals, residents or citizens. The details of regulations vary from country to country and may change at any time. In some countries we have local partners who are licensed to provide insurance cover but which are administered by BupaInternational. This means that customers experience the same quality BupaInternational service. If you change your specified country of residence to a country where we have a local partner, in most cases you will be able to transfer to our partners insurance policy without further medical underwriting. You may also be entitled to retain your continuity of BupaInternational membership; which means that for those benefits which arent covered until you have
with the sponsors approval, you, the principal member add a new dependant to your membership (if applicable) we need to record any other changes requested by your sponsor or that we are entitled to make
Your new Membership Certificate will replace any earlier version you possess as from the issue date shown on the new Membership Certificate.
General information
Other parties No other person is allowed to make or confirm any changes to your membership on our behalf, or decide not to enforce any of our rights. No change to your membership will be valid unless it is confirmed in writing. Any confirmation of your cover will only be valid if it is confirmed in writing by us.
whether you (or they) can join the plan what subscriptions you have to pay whether we have to pay any claim
if the agreement between BupaInternational and your sponsor is terminated if your sponsor does not renew your membership
After your Company membership ends You, the principal member can apply to transfer to a personal BupaInternational plan if your membership of your group plan ends. You can also apply for your dependants (if applicable) to transfer with you.
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A D D I n G D e P e n DA n TS
If you, the principal member change your correspondence address, please contact us as soon as reasonably possible, as we will send any correspondence to the address you last gave us. Correspondence Letters between us must be sent by post and with the postage paid. We do not return original documents, with the exception of official documents such as birth or death certificates. However, if you ask us at the time you send any original documents to us, such as invoices, we can provide certified copies. Applicable law Your membership is governed by English law. Any dispute that cannot otherwise be resolved will be dealt with by courts in England. If any dispute arises as to interpretation of this document then the English version of this document shall be deemed to be conclusive and taking precedence over any other language version of this document. This can be obtained at all times by contacting the customer services helpline. Liability We shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, illness and/or injury whatsoever, that may occur as a result of any action carried out directly or through a third party, to assist in the provision of services covered by these rules.
This also applies to newborn children who have been born as a result of assisted reproduction technologies, ovulation induction treatment, adopted or born to a surrogate or being enrolled on their own membership who can be included from their 91st day on completion of an Additional Members or Application form. When cover starts for others on your membership If any other person is included as a dependant under your, the principal members membership, their membership will start on the effective date on the first Membership Certificate we sent you for your current continuous period of BupaInternational Company membership which lists them as a dependant. Their membership can continue for as long as you, the principal member remain a member of the plan. If your, the principal members membership ceases, your dependants can then, of course, apply for membership in their own right.
Adding dependants
If your sponsor agrees, you, the principal member may apply to include any of your family members under your membership as one of your dependants. To apply you, the principal member will need to complete an Adding Members form. Newborn children can only be included on your membership from their date of birth if you have completed an Adding Members form, and we have received the form before your child is 90 days old, provided the child has not been born as a result of assisted reproduction technologies, ovulation induction treatment, adopted or born to a surrogate. Newborn children born as a result of assisted reproduction technologies, ovulation induction treatment, adopted or born to a surrogate can be included from their 91st day on completion of an Additional members or Application form. The medical history for any newborn children you apply to include on your membership will be reviewed by our medical underwriters. This may result in special restrictions or exclusions which will apply from the childs 91st day of life, or we may decline to offer cover.
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We are always pleased to hear about aspects of your membership that you have particularly appreciated, or that you have had problems with.
G lO S SA Ry
This explains what we mean by various words and phrases in your membership pack. words written in bold are particularly important as they have specific meanings.
If something does go wrong, we have a simple procedure to ensure your concerns are dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible. If you have any comments or complaints, you can call the BupaInternational customer helpline on +44 (0) 1273 323 563, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Alternatively, you can email or write to the Head of Customer Relations via www.bupa-intl.com/membersworld or Bupa International Victory House Trafalgar Place Brighton BN1 4FY, UK We want to make sure that members with special needs are not excluded in any way. For hearing or speech impaired members with a textphone, please call +44 (0) 1273 866 557. We also offer a choice of Braille, large print or audio for our letters and literature. Please let us know which you would prefer.
Taking it further
Its very rare that we cant settle a complaint, but if this does happen, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You can:
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DeSCRIPTIOn International medical and scientific evidence which include peer-reviewed scientific studies published in or accepted for publication by medical journals that meet internationally recognised requirements for scientific manuscripts. This does not include individual case reports, studies of a small number of people, or clinical trials which are not registered. Treatment from a medical practitioner of a disease, illness or injury that leads to your recovery, conservation of your condition or to restore you to your previous state of health as quickly as possible. The agreement between BupaInternational and the sponsor under which we have accepted you into membership of the plan. A knee brace which is an essential part of a repair to a cruciate (knee) ligament or a spinal support which is an essential part of surgery to the spine. The amount you, the principal member have to pay towards the cost of the treatment that you receive each membership year that would otherwise be covered under your membership. The amount of your annual deductible is shown on your Membership Certificate. The annual deductible applies separately to each person covered under your membership. Technologies including but not limited to in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) with or without intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT), zygote intra-fallopian transfer (ZIFT), egg donation and intra-uterine insemination (IUI) with ovulation induction. A medical facility often associated with a hospital that is designed to provide a homelike setting during childbirth. Bupa Insurance Limited or any other insurance subsidiary or insurance partner of the British United Provident Association Limited. An acupuncturist, chiropractor, homeopath, osteopath or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who is fully trained and legally qualified and permitted to practice by the relevant authorities in the country in which the treatment is received. A surgeon, anaesthetist or physician who:
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Active treatment:
write to them at South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9JR, UK call them on 0845 080 1800 or +44 (0) 20 7964 1000 find details at their website www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Please let us know if you want a full copy of our complaints procedure. (None of these procedures affect your legal rights.) Confidentiality The confidentiality of personal health information is of paramount concern to the companies in the Bupa group. To this end, Bupa fully complies with applicable data protection legislation and medical confidentiality guidelines. Bupa sometimes uses third parties to process data on our behalf. Such processing, which may be undertaken outside the EEA (European Economic Area), is subject to contractual restrictions with regard to confidentiality and security obligations in addition to the minimum requirements imposed by data protection legislation in the UK.
is legally qualified to practice medicine or surgery following attendance at a recognised medical school, and is recognised by the relevant authorities in the country in which the treatment takes place as having specialised qualification in the field of, or expertise in, the treatment of the disease, illness or injury being treated
By recognised medical school we mean a medical school which is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, as published from time to time by the World Health Organisation.
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DeSCRIPTIOn Treatment which for medical reasons requires you to stay in a bed in hospital during the day only. We do not require you to occupy a bed for day-case psychiatric treatment. A person who:
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DeSCRIPTIOn
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a state of profound unconsciousness, with no sign of awareness or a functioning mind, even if the person can open their eyes and breathe unaided, and the person does not respond to stimuli such as calling their name, or touching
is legally qualified to practice dentistry, and is permitted to practice dentistry by the relevant authorities in the country where the dental treatment takes place
The state must have remained for at least four weeks with no sign of improvement, when all reasonable attempts have been made to alleviate this condition. Pre-existing condition: Any disease, illness or injury for which:
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The other people named on your Membership Certificate as being members of the plan and who are eligible to be members, including newborn children. Investigations, such as X-rays or blood tests, to find the cause of your symptoms. A serious medical condition or symptoms resulting from a disease, illness or injury which arises suddenly and, in the judgment of a reasonable person, requires immediate treatment, generally within 24 hours of onset, and which would otherwise put your health at risk. A person who:
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you have received medication, advice or treatment, or you have experienced symptoms
whether the condition was diagnosed or not in the four years before the start of your current continuous period of cover. Principal member: Prophylactic surgery: Psychiatric treatment: Psychologist: Qualified nurse: Registered clinical trial: Rehabilitation: Renewal date: The person who has taken out the membership, and is the first person named on the Membership Certificate. Please refer to you/your. Surgery to remove an organ or gland that shows no signs of disease, in an attempt to prevent development of disease of that organ or gland. Treatment of mental conditions, including eating disorders. A person who is legally qualified and is permitted to practise as such in the country where the treatment is received. A nurse whose name is currently on any register or roll of nurses maintained by any statutory nursing registration body in the country where the treatment takes place. An ethically approved and clinically controlled trial that is registered on a national or international database of clinical trials (eg www.clinicaltrials.gov, www.ISRCTN.ORG) or http://public.ukcrn.org.uk) Treatment in the form of a combination of therapies such as physical, occupational and speech therapy aimed at restoring full function after an acute event such as a stroke. Each anniversary of the date you, the principal member joined the plan. (If however you are a member of a BupaInternational Group Plan with a common renewal date for all members, your renewal date will be the common renewal date for the group. We tell you the group renewal date when you join.) A company or organisation that provides services on behalf of BupaInternational. These services may include approval of cover and location of local medical facilities. A natural tooth that is free of active clinical decay, has no gum disease associated with bone loss, no caps, crowns, or veneers, that is not a dental implant and that functions normally in chewing and speech. The country of nationality specified by you in your application form or as advised to us in writing, which ever is the later. The country of residence specified by you in your application and shown in your membership certificate, or as advised to us in writing, which ever is the later. The country you specify must be the country in which the relevant authorities (such as tax authorities) consider you to be resident for the duration of the policy. The company, firm or individual with whom we have entered into an agreement to provide you with cover under the plan. The assumption of the members right by BupaInternational to recover from an at fault party the costs of any claims paid by BupaInternational for treatment to the member. A medical procedure involving an incision into the body.
Family doctor:
is legally qualified in medical practice following attendance at a recognised medical school to provide medical treatment which does not need a consultants training, and is licensed to practice medicine in the country where the treatment is received
By recognised medical school we mean a medical school which is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools as published from time to time by the World Health Organisation. Hospital: A centre of treatment which is registered, or recognised under the local countrys laws, as existing primarily for:
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carrying out major surgical operations, and providing treatment which only consultants can provide
Treatment which for medical reasons normally means that you have to stay in a hospital bed overnight or longer. Intensive care includes:
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High Dependency Unit (HDU): a unit that provides a higher level of medical care and monitoring, for example in single organ system failure. Intensive Therapy Unit / Intensive Care Unit (ITU/ICU): a unit that provides the highest level of care, for example in multi-organ failure or in case of intubated mechanical ventilation. Coronary Care Unit (CCU): a unit that provides a higher level of cardiac monitoring.
Service partner: Sound natural tooth/ teeth: Specified country of nationality: Specified country of residence:
A complementary medicine practitioner, consultant, dental practitioner, family doctor, psychologist or therapist who provides active treatment of a known condition. The period beginning on your start date or renewal date and ending on the day before your next renewal date. By start date we mean the effective from date on your first Membership Certificate for your current continuous period of membership. A hospital, or similar facility, or medical practitioner which has an agreement in effect with BupaInternational or service partner to provide you with eligible treatment. Treatment given at a hospital, consulting room, doctors office or out-patient clinic where you do not go in for in-patient treatment or day-case treatment. Treatment including medication to stimulate production of follicles in the ovary including but not limited to clomiphene and gonadotrophin therapy.
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DeSCRIPTIOn A physiotherapist, occupational therapist, orthoptist, dietician or speech therapist who is legally qualified and is permitted to practice as such in the country where the treatment is received. Surgical or medical services (including diagnostic tests) that are needed to diagnose, relieve or cure an acute condition, disease, illness or injury. Great Britain and Northern Ireland. BupaInternational. This means you, the principal member and your dependants unless we have expressly stated otherwise that the provisions only refer to the principal member.
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Here are some everyday descriptions of some medical words and phrases used in your membership pack.
DeSCRIPTIOn Drugs that are used specifically to kill off cancerous cells in the body.
Diseased tissue:
Ectopic pregnancy:
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the use of synthetic or natural hormones to treat a hormone deficiency. Most commonly, this is used in the treatment of symptoms accompanying the menopause. Tests carried out to help determine or assess a medical condition, for example blood tests.
Post-partum haemorrhage:
Heavy vaginal bleeding in the hours and days immediately after childbirth.
When the afterbirth is left in the womb after delivery of the baby.
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