Visitors insurance plans can be different than the domestic healthcare plans most medical providers regularly deal with when seeing patients in the U.S. Because of this, the way they must process the insurance can differ as well.
If you visit a doctor, hospital, or other medical provider in the U.S. and present your insurance card bearing the United Healthcare logo, there is a chance that the provider may try to process it incorrectly. They could come back to you saying the insurance policy is inactive, or that they cannot find your account to confirm that you have coverage.
This can be stressful for you, as you’ve purchased visitors insurance specifically for this reason, and you’re wondering why you aren’t covered now. Rest assured; this is most likely not the case.
Q: What should I do if my medical provider says my policy is inactive, or they cannot pull up my account?
A: Tell your medical provider to call the number on the insurance card to verify benefits and eligibility. They are likely attempting to process your insurance through United Healthcare’s domestic portal. For your visitor’s insurance policy, they will need to follow the instructions on the ID card, or access the United Healthcare international portal. Calling the number on the insurance card can give them all the information they need.
Q: What if they tell me they’re still unable to confirm my coverage?
A: Please make sure they are actually calling the phone number on the insurance card. If your provider is still having problems, you can tell them to call the number of the insurance company’s benefits department, also listed on your insurance card.
Q: What if they say they tried to contact United Healthcare and could not, so they bill me instead?
Rest assured, you can still file a claim for these bills with the insurance company. Details for this process are noted here. We have all the claim forms you might need on this page, feel free to give us a call if you need help.
Q: I extended my insurance but United Healthcare failed to update my information and the provider could not verify me. What is the procedure?
Please call the insurance company’s benefits department number listed on your insurance card and explain the issue and they will work with United Healthcare to get that fixed.
Q: Can I get additional compensation for the trouble I went through because the provider could not confirm my coverage with United Healthcare?
Unfortunately, such additional compensation is not available. The insurance company is only obligated to pay according to the terms and conditions of insurance policy for valid claims.
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