My daughter (age 31) wants to do a post-doc residency in Germany for 9 months. It is not a university but a non-profit organization. The residency says they offer health insurance but we are doubtful that will cover type 1.
I have been looking into ways to make this residency possible. So far, many of the international plans exclude type 1. She is currently on a university plan that covers type 1 (though of course supplies are expensive still) which ends in June.
I am trying to find out whether, if she continues on BC/BS after graduating, she can use a BC/BS expat plan. It states it does not exclude preexisting conditions with continuous coverage, but is not enough to meet ACA requirements. Hmmmm.
I have emailed BC/BS and will call but wondering if anyone on this forum has run into this problem.
Pamela @windyshores , the only “trustworthy” way for your daughter is to personally contact the carriers [BC/BS and German Carrier] and ask these questions directly - and get responses in writing FOR HER. In that there are potential high costs for her I would hesitate for her to extrapolate from the experience or guess-work of someone else.
Based on what my pre pandemic next door German neighbor [six months here, six months there] has told me, Germany does have good insurance plans - covered surgery and hospitalization here - but they don’t have T1D.
Ditto to what @Dennis shared. I suggest you start with the residency coordinator to be put in touch with their Blue Cross contact since they’re intimately involved with your daughter’s program.
Congratulations!
The residency does not have a BC/BS contact. It is in Germany.
We have contacted several insurance agencies that offer expat insurance, and also her current BC/BS customer reps. That is the natural first step, but it helps to ask fellow T1D’s.
We would never rely on a forum absolutely but in my experience, often forums offer ideas we would not think of. For instance, perhaps there is a foundation for this type of thing.
In her field it is a big issue to not be able to go to Europe for any length of time. She was admitted to the Royal Conservatory several years ago but could not go due to insurance issues.
She has done festivals for short periods of time with travel insurance and vacation overrides for supplies and meds.
I am casting a wide net and posting here was just one effort. It really doesn’t help to be told not to post here. Of course we are seeking info directly from insurers, but with little luck. Type 1 is the ONLY chronic condition consistently excluded by insurers for expats.
Thank you that is exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Something I had not thought of. I am not hopeful but will try.
This is a big issue. Awards like the Fulbright and others I won’t name, have inadequate insurance for type 1, which appears to be the pariah for insurance companies. Without the pump and CGM being supported by insurance, I think the insurance companies might actually end up paying more in the form of hospitalizations, which are actually covered.
True, and it’s very frustrating - saving money up front could lead to higher costs down the road. Very short sighted.
I did a Google search on insurance in Germany and found this link
I want to caution you that I don’t know about the topic first hand so can’t attest to anything; and I didn’t see a date. So I would say use it as a jumping off point and as a guide to maybe help you formulate some questions when you call the State Department. I imagine the latter would be your best resource. Speaking of which, State Department has advisories on travel to other countries: Germany International Travel Information
… and there is some info on health care that may be of interest although they don’t address insurance plans. Again, please do your own research (I like to include that disclaimer even if you don’t find it necessary yourself😉).
PS - if you add “Germany” to your topic or change the title you might more quickly catch the attention of people who have been there.
My daughter has done two applications to GeoBlue for expat insurance. The program is not actually a post doc but a residency for artists. She is over 30. Geo Blue has turned her down twice (they suggested she do the second and leave off celiac, for which she has never had a biopsy).
From what I have found online, German health insurance does not accept type 1 diabetes. But I will keep looking.
If she stays longer than 3 months she is an expat. The duration of the residency is 6 or 9 months.
Her field really requires some time in Germany. But it isn’t looking good. I am scared enough about her staying covered here in the US after graduating!