160 likes | 281 Views
Proposed UM Travel Abroad Policy. Faculty Senate March 21, 2012. OVERVIEW. At the Faculty Senate’s request, to clarify the UM travel abroad procedures we reviewed the current processes.
E N D
Proposed UM Travel Abroad Policy Faculty Senate March 21, 2012
OVERVIEW • At the Faculty Senate’s request, to clarify the UM travel abroad procedures we reviewed the current processes. • The University has the responsibility to ensure that faculty and staff traveling abroad for business/study are safe. Given the growing frequency and importance of faculty and staff traveling abroad, and the increasing risks to health and safety, the University has to be able to provide assistance when needed. As such, the University: • Acquired the red24 Program • Implemented the Student International Travel Policy in August, 2011 • Benchmarked with AAU aspirational peers • Proposes the Faculty and Staff Travel Abroad Policy 2
SUMMARY – ASPIRATIONAL PEER INSTITUTIONS • Universities have begun to require travel itineraries from faculty and staff prior to their departures. UM wants to join these universities in leading the effort to help safeguard UM faculty and staff while traveling abroad on University business/study. • See Appendix A, Slide 11, for more details. 3
RED24 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE HIGHLIGHTS red24 enables UM to provide assistance during an emergency to faculty and staff who are traveling abroad on UM business/study. • red24 Services Include: • Emergency evacuation assistance • Emails and text messages of timely travel security updates, health advisories, alerts and changes in political climate, and weather events • Physician/hospital/dental/vision referrals • Repatriation of mortal remains • Return travel arrangements • Dispatch of doctor or specialist • Emergency prescription replacement • Inpatient and outpatient medical case management • Qualified liaison for relaying medical information to family members • Arrangements of visitor to bedside of hospitalized insured • Eyeglasses and corrective lens replacement assistance • Medical payment arrangements • Medical cost containment/expense • Recovery and overseas investigation • Medical bill audits • Shipment of medical records • Medical equipment rental/replacement • See Appendix B, Slide 12, for a sample emergency update email. 4
RECENT UM TRAVEL ABROAD EXPERIENCES Faculty member was ill for several days in the Galapagos Islands and needed immediate medical attention. red24 arranged a medical evacuation. As planes only have a small window of time during the day to land, medical evacuation was scheduled for the first flight the next morning. red24 was able to assist faculty member with medical assistance on the island resulting in faculty member being able to continue his research without leaving the island. Faculty member was robbed. red24 was on standby to assist with card cancellations. Student suffered spider bite and required emergency surgery. red24 arranged medical monitoring and direct billing to insurance company. Employee slipped and fell on pavement while attending a conference. Surgery was required for arm fracture. Travel arrangements were made to fly back to the United States to perform surgery. Costs were covered under Workers’ Compensation. Three students were in a roll-over bus accident in Mongolia. red24 arranged for flights back to the United States once they were medically cleared to fly. Emergency medical costs were also taken care of while they were receiving treatment abroad. During the Japan earthquake, red24 was able to make contact with two of our students in Japan and was able to provide weekly confirmations regarding their locations. 6
PROPOSED TRAVEL ABROAD POLICY SUMMARY • Faculty/staff traveling outside the United States on a University trip register their travel plans with red24. • Travel to RESTRICTED countries or regions as identified by UM insurance provider requires approval prior to departure. Faculty and staff must complete the Restricted Country Travel Authorization Form for approval. If travel is approved, faculty/staff must register their travel plans with red24. • Failure to comply with this policy will deem the trip a non-University approved expense and as such travel expenses may not be reimbursed or may be taxable to the employee. In addition, routine (non-emergency) medical expenses incurred by faculty and staff who participate in the UM medical plan will not be eligible for reimbursement. • Information on RESTRICTED countries or regions located at http://www7.miami.edu/ftp/uglobal/traveling-abroad. See Appendices C-D, Slides 13-14, for complete policy and procedure. • See Appendices C-D, Slides 13-14, for complete policy and procedure. 7
RED24 PRIVACY • red24 employs policy and process to ensure quality, consistency and compliance with all applicable regulatory standards. • Hardware firewalls, which are monitored 24/7, are in place to filter both inbound and outbound connections. • All traffic to the server is carried over signed and encrypted connections. • red24 monitors login activity for suspicious behaviors, such as simultaneous logins by a single username from geographically unrelated regions. • The University’s IT Security Department reviewed a series of documentation and spoke to vendor to confirm an appropriate level of controls in the handling of UM’s data by red24.It is ITs assessment that red24 adheres to industry standard best practices. 8
APPENDIX A - Aspirational AAU Peer Institutions: Travel Abroad for University Business 11 B - Example of Emergency Email Update 12 C - Proposed Travel Abroad Policy 13 D - Proposed Travel Abroad Procedure 14 E - UM Travel Assistance Services Card 15 F - UM/Aetna Members’ International Medical Coverage 16 10
APPENDIX A Aspirational AAU Peer Institutions: Travel Abroad for University Business *Note – ISOS/iJet/NYU Travel Registries are equivalent to red24’s registry. 11
APPENDIX B Example of Emergency Email Update 12
APPENDIX C • Policy • To ensure that the proper safety procedures and insurance coverage apply, faculty and staff traveling outside the United States on a University trip must register their travel information with red24 at https://www.red24.com/affiliate/chartis/um/ prior to travel. The link can also be found in myUM under Online Resources. Faculty and staff must register their travel plans, including all anticipated travel destinations. Any travel changes prior to and/or during the trip must be updated on the red24 website as soon as reasonably possible. • Travel to restricted countries or regions identified by UM insurance provider is not allowed. If travel to restricted country or region is necessary for University business and/or study, faculty and staff must complete the Restricted Country Travel Authorization Form for approval. If travel is approved, faculty/staff must register their travel plans with red24 prior to travel. • UM Risk Management reserves the right to disapprove a University-sanctioned trip if the trip is deemed unsafe. If the UM Risk Management determines that a country poses an unacceptable risk for any reason, the trip may be cancelled. The University reserves the right to cancel or withhold approval for travel to countries in which hostilities have erupted or in which a man-made or national disaster, epidemic/pandemic or other facts have compromised the safety of faculty, staff and students overseas. • Noncompliance • Failure to comply with this policy will not only expose individual faculty and staff to personal liability, but will also cause the trip to be deemed a non University approved trip and therefore, travel expenses may not be reimbursed or may be taxable to the employee. • In addition, faculty and staff who participate in the UM medical plan and incur routine (non-emergency) medical expenses during the trip will not be eligible for reimbursement. Proposed Travel Abroad Policy 13
APPENDIX D Proposed Travel Abroad Procedure 14
APPENDIX E UM Travel Assistance Services Card Prior to travel, visit https://www.red24.com/affiliate/chartis/umto register and print your UM Travel Assistance Card. Non-insurance benefits provided through TRAVELGUARD offer traveler assistance through coordination, negotiation, and consultation using an extensive network of worldwide partners. Expenses for goods and services provided by third parties are the responsibility of the traveler. Group Name: University of Miami Policy Number: GLB9130195 WR10005763 Toll-free: 1-800-401-2678 15
APPENDIX F UM/Aetna Members’ International Medical Coverage • Emergency Care • UM/Aetna provides emergency coverage worldwide for all travel (UM business and personal travel). Note: Any injury sustained, either domestic or abroad, while in the course and scope of employment is covered by workers’ compensation. • Member is responsible for same amount they would have paid for domestic, in-network medical care. • Member must contact Aetna as soon as reasonably possible to notify them of event and submit all expense documents for processing. • Routine Medical Care • Routine medical expenses are reimbursed for faculty/staff who are traveling abroad on approved UM business only. • Member is responsible for same amount they would have paid for domestic, in-network medical care. • Member must contact HR-Benefits as soon as reasonably possible to notify them of event and submit all expense documents for reimbursement. 16