Engage Health Group

Tag: #expathealthcare

  • Expat Health Insurance France: Public or Private Cover?

    Expat Health Insurance France: Public or Private Cover?

    One of the leading influences on the demand for moving to France is the impressive healthcare system, ranking 8th out of 89 countries, only behind Austria, Denmark, and Spain, in Europe (Health Care Index 2019). France’s public healthcare system offers universal coverage for all citizens regardless of age or economic situation, funded by government agencies.

    Even with this impressive public healthcare, choosing the right health insurance policy is still a top priority for expats moving to France. Although 96% of France’s population uses the country’s public healthcare, an estimated 40 million French citizens own a private health insurance policy (2018).

    Need help understanding the international health insurance market? Our friendly team of experts can help. Contact us at +44 (0)1273 20974419 for one-to-one advice.

     

    Top questions on ex-pat health insurance France

    When moving for work or long-term travel anywhere in the world, it is important to learn about a country’s healthcare system  – what additional policies are offered or what is already covered by the state – and which are the best policies companies can offer their employees moving or working in France?

    So, what are the best French health insurance options for expats living or moving to France? What needs to be considered when looking at France’s healthcare as a whole?

    What is the French Public Healthcare System? 

    France’s public healthcare system is one of the best in the world. In 2016, French healthcare was overhauled to create the Protection Maladie Universelle (PUMA), unlimited healthcare as a right for all French residents. This is regardless of age or previous medical history.

    The government implementation of PUMA was impactful for expats living in France, where previously several conditions had to be met. The 2016 changes guaranteed that any resident living or working in France for longer than 3 months consecutively would have access to public healthcare and reimbursements.

    PUMA reimbursements refer to state-fixed tariffs, such as a standard charge for doctor consultations. You can expect to receive a minimum reimbursement of 70% of a medical bill, with long-term illnesses having 100% of the costs covered.

    PUMA guarantees that legal residents keep their health insurance despite any changes in circumstances.

    What does French public health insurance cover? 

    PUMA provides state-funded cover for a wide range of treatments and procedures, with French residents having to pay upfront fees that are reimbursed by government-funded agencies. What is covered under France’s public healthcare?

    • Doctors: usually pay a flat fee of €25 – insurance providers partially reimburse these costs
    • Emergency Care: A&E services under state healthcare
    • Specialist Care:  may charge higher fees than general doctors – for reimbursement need to have been referred by GP
    • Medication: most are covered by state
    • Dental Care: covered the same way as Specialist Care, covers general visits
    • Maternity Care: majority covered – 70% of first 2 scans are covered, cost of next 6 months fully covered

     

    How expats can register for healthcare: 

    The first step to registering for health insurance in France is to either join the social security system to register for PUMA or visit a local CPAM, the local department of national health (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie). Expats drawing from a UK State Pension can apply for a UK S1 form to signify a change in address.

    Most employers will register their employees with social security, arranging the healthcare formalities.

    Once becoming an expat working or living in France for more than 3 months, your staff can then apply to be covered by PUMA, registering for public healthcare.

    Employees will need:

    • Passport / valid ID
    • Proof of French residence
    • Proof of address
    • Marriage/birth certificates (to include family under cover)
    • Evidence of income

     

    Who has access to French public health insurance? 

    Anyone who pays into the French social security system, or have lived consecutively for 3 months in France, is entitled to state health insurance. These social contributions average out to around 8% of net income above a minimum threshold set by the state.

    So, can all expats and citizens have access to state healthcare?

    • Residents: regular residency in France for 3 consecutive months per year – must intend to live there for at least 6 months a year
    • Employees: social security contributions
    • Self-employed / business owners: have access to medical insurance through Regime Social des Independants system (2006)
    • Children: automatically eligible regardless of nationality
    • Students: not typically recognised as residents (most get Student’s Social Security covering health expenses) – exceptions available for EU/EEA students with EHIC cards, scholarship students, students studying for less than 3 months
    • EU, EEA, Swiss citizens: use EHIC cards if staying temporarily
    • Unemployed / Low income:eligible for health insurance, can also get subsidies

     

    What are the different options for private expat health insurance France? 

    Although the quality of French public health care is incredibly high, residents also often opt for private French health insurance to ensure full coverage of payments and procedures. Below are the different options available for expats when deciding on French health insurance.

    Health Card – Carte Vitale:  don’t have to make upfront payments, contains administrative information needed by medical professionals

    Mutuelle: a policy that reimburses medical costs not covered by Social Security – are offered by insurers as different packages which are catered specifically to your needs, can be offered as part of a benefits package – basic Mutuelle’s focus on hospital care and medicine, and may include limited dental coverage

    European Health Insurance Card: healthcare at the same cost as locals

    For local health insurance cover, there are many providers that offer cover for expats moving to France. A few of the largest include, April, AXA, and Allianz – all of which we at Engage work with and support.

    (Look here to discover what can be included in International Private Medical Insurance)
     

    Why is expat health insurance France needed?

    Even with France’s top public healthcare in place, being an expat in France still has many difficulties. French expats must face a range of issues when navigating and understanding what is on offer to them regarding healthcare.

    Listed below are some reasons why French expats top up their cover with private international health insurance:

    • Dentistry and private hospital care are usually only available to those with private health insurance
    • Expats may be liable to pay a percentage of most treatments – PMI can bridge this gap
    • International private health insurance is global and will cover expats anywhere in the world
    • Provides a more comprehensive plan that can be suited to specific circumstances and needs
    • Provides access to a wider range of French healthcare facilities and doctors
    • Language barriers and French social rules can prove challenging to overcome
    • A good option for those with chronic illnesses – state/public will not cover chiropractors, osteopaths, psychologist consultations
    • Covers any possible scenarios – a medical security blanket!
    • Access to private hospitals and eye care
    • Covers the first 3 months of living and working in France, before having access to the public scheme

     

    (The topmost Spanish health insurance options for expats in Spain: An inside look at Spain’s health care system)

    International Private Health insurance for expats in France ensures ease and comfort during an already tumultuous move to a different country. Where the public health care system already provides protection and care, understanding a new country’s policies and methods can be confusing and hard to navigate. Having an international private health insurance plan means that staff are completely covered for any circumstance and get any extra support they might need.

    Learn more about how expats can access international health insurance and some of the key questions to ask.

    Contact us through Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support and discover more on International Private Health Insurance.

  • Lack of Cultural Competency Training Can Impact International Businesses: here’s why

    Lack of Cultural Competency Training Can Impact International Businesses: here’s why

    Every culture comes with its values, beliefs, priorities, behaviours, and social norms, specific to ethnicity, nationality, or religion. Culture surrounds all of us, meaning we are all products of whichever cultural socialisation we grew up in, influenced by people and communities. If this is the case for our everyday interactions and national identities, it is even more apparent for businesses with their increasingly diverse teams and connections.

    When there is a lack of understanding, or willingness to learn, about different cultures, especially when working with different people or in other parts of the world, mistakes are made, and offence can be easily taken. One way that businesses can prevent this is by introducing cultural competency training (or cross-cultural training) for their employees, educating them on social practices and expressions, and developing deeper empathy towards others.

    But what happens when cultural competency training isn’t in place? What goes wrong when companies don’t offer it, and how can cultural competency training help? How important is it?

     

    What is cultural competency training? 

    Cultural competency training (or cross-cultural training / cultural humility / cultural dexterity) is an opportunity offered to employees to learn how to recognise the differences and similarities between cultures amongst other colleagues or destination countries (for working expats). Cultural competency training targets 4 main concepts: awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills.

    Any well-thought-out cultural competency training must always begin with the individual. Internationally mobile workforce must gain an understanding of their style, behaviour, background, self-knowledge, and cultural influences, to understand their own impact on the world and colleagues. Once this is established, being able to understand others will come more easily, enabling expats to learn which elements of culture are priorities for different people.

    It is the responsibility of employers to invest in their people and teams, creating an environment of support and engagement. Cultural competency training is not a static programme. It should be a practice that grows and develops alongside a business, strengthening the workplace environment and building inclusivity amongst employees and other business relationships.

    Cultural competency training is also an important practice for employees working in global marketing or sales teams, when working with and selling to different cultures and countries. By embracing the differences in cultural norms, international companies will successfully be able to get into new markets, attract international customers, or enabling a local product to be transferable to a global audience.

    By integrating cultural competency training into a workforce, employers can create a working culture that recognises, respects, and values the differences between people. Without this drive to promote difference, employees are left lacking the skills to expand out into the world.

     

    Why is cultural competency training so important for global businesses? 

    With the ever-present COVID-19 hanging over us, the importance of cultural competency training has become even more of a priority for international businesses. The pandemic has meant businesses are adopting a more globalised approach, connecting with more people abroad through virtual meetings and training.

    So, why is cultural competency training such a necessity? Listed below are some reasons supporting the significance of cultural competency training:

    • Developing self-knowledge enables employees to understand how their behaviour can impact those around them
    • Teaches how to recognise/adapt
    • Teaches how to value/appreciate different perspectives, communication, and behaviour
    • Improves diversity
    • Develops inclusivity
    • Broadens a business’s marketing range to different communities
    • Leads to higher staff morale
    • Enhances leadership skills
    • Attracts global attention and investment
    • Improves overall communication within the workforce
    • Encourages active listening skills

    Bringing together employees from different cultural backgrounds produces a diversity of perspectives, ideas, and strategies – cultural competency training only brings this out further!

     

    Examples of different cultural backgrounds

    To highlight how much a lack of understanding between different cultures can impact the success of a company, below is a broken-down simplified list of typical cultural differences between the UK, Japan, Spain, and the USA – showing how deep cultural differences can run.

    Expats between UK and USA:

    Although stereotypically linked together due to sharing the same language and pop and music cultures, the UK and USA have lots of dissimilarities that get overlooked, causing issues in the workplace.

      UK USA IMPLICATIONS
    Work-Life Balance More relaxed where employees prioritise a separation between private and work-life American Dream – work culture of anyone can be successful if they work hard enough, leads to a feeling of needing to succeed Clashing in approaches to work/life balance
    Punctuality Meetings rarely begin on time / last for an hour or more Meetings begin on schedule / over quickly Could cause the feel of disrespect
    Communication Communication – understated, cynical, sincere, deflect praise, moderation, self-control, no self-promotion, “kind of”, “sort of” Communication – optimistic, energised, generous with praise/encouragement, sell themselves, “totally”, “literally” Can lead to misunderstandings over email / during meetings

    Interestingly, the move from US to UK has the most expatriate failure ratings, where the expat (and their family) isn’t prepared – with the assumption that these two cultures really aren’t that different. Expatriate failures can be extremely costly for international businesses, with the financial costs of bringing the employee home as well as the mental costs on the employee having had a bad expat experience due to a lack of cultural competency training. Earlier studies have shown that expatriate failures can cost companies two to five of the employee’s salary!

    Expats between UK and Spain:

    The UK and Spain often work together but fully understanding the ins and outs of these two cultures prove harder than it looks

    UK SPAIN IMPLICATIONS
    Timings Small lunch with dinner as main meal 7 pm Lunch as main meal with light dinner 9 pm Can be difficult to sync up timings for meetings, different schedules
    Body Language Non-contact culture, very little physical contact beyond a handshake High-contact culture, kissing of cheeks, standing close when talking Misinterpretation making people uncomfortable and even offended
    Business Negotiations Often more formal – sometimes more task-oriented Expect to build a personal relationship/trust before negotiations Must gain an understanding of the way business relationships need to be approached

    Also, in Spain, there are 17 autonomous regions in the country. This means there are 17 areas with their own particular cultures, some having their official languages, where Spaniards culturally identify based on regions!

    Expats between UK and Japan:

    Two cultures that are often classed as being very different are the UK and Japan, where their opposing cultures are often highlighted even more in the business world.

    UK JAPAN IMPLICATIONS
    Body Language “me” / “I” = pointing to chest “me” / “I” = pointing to nose Miscommunication
    Mistakes Opportunities to learn from, more open to discuss Often prefer to hide mistakes Affects collaboration and teamwork
    Work-Life balance Prioritise private life Work can become the main priority Clashes in approaches to work and wellbeing
    Language meanings “no” means “no” “no” directly is bad, instead “That could be difficult” Can cause offence if the meanings of language choices aren’t understood properly
    Decision Making Make decisions quickly even with insufficient information To make decisions, require a lot of detail – can lead to decision-making being slow Can lead to frustration between the different cultures

    Even with just the typical cultural differences outlined in these comparisons, it reinforces how the ways of thinking and working between different cultural backgrounds can be massively different. From hierarchical vs egalitarian, relationship-oriented vs task-oriented, team/collective psychology vs individualistic – the slight nuances in cultural differences can massively affect business relationships if not understood.

     

    What happens when there is no cultural competency training? 

    From these examples, whichever countries are working together, no matter how similar you think they might be, there will always be cultural differences. This is where cultural competency training comes in, without it issues begin to emerge.

    Here are some examples of what goes wrong when your business doesn’t have cultural competency training:

    • Natural reflex to label people that are different from ourselves – this label tends to be something negative
    • Misunderstandings in communication
    • External work complaints – discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment – could lead to government fines, legal action, loss of good employees
    • Privacy / personal space – in different cultures, there are different ideas of how much or how little privacy everyone has e.g., in some cultures, people cluster tightly and in others, they spread out
    • Physical contact – different cultures have different values on physical touch, therefore the need for anti-harassment training with guidelines for appropriate workplace behaviour and cultural sensitivity is evident is needed
    • Political correctness
    • Generation gap – different belief systems between young and old

    Cultural competency training can help any of these issues. Even if you don’t have full comprehensive background knowledge on every culture, shifting your attitude to being empathetic and understanding towards your colleagues can make all the difference in avoiding discomfort and conflict.

    (Why Cross-Cultural Training is a Must for International Businesses in 2021)

     

    Wellbeing and Engage 

    Introducing cultural competence training to your internationally mobile workforce is a process that develops and evolves – this is no quick-fix solution! For companies to fully reap the benefits from cultural competence, their workforce must be willing and open to learning, which can only come from genuinely being interested in other people.

    Cultural competence training helps create a working environment that employees are proud to be a part of, targeting all aspects of wellbeing. Training is rooted in supporting the happiness of employees, providing opportunity and space for relaxed communication and expression. Look here to see what else is involved in cultural training.

    At Engage Health Group, we work across the health and wellbeing marketplace to ensure you find the right policies at the right price, and ensure your whole benefits package provides prices from across the market.

    Contact our expert team at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

  • CASE STUDY – Managing Expat Risk with a Medical Evacuation Plan

    CASE STUDY – Managing Expat Risk with a Medical Evacuation Plan

    How to support expats posted to developing nations in a critical medical incident

    A case study in partnership with Timber Trading Agency International

    The number of medium to high-risk countries where expatriates work is constantly growing due to rapid globalisation. This is a promising fact, but the actual employees could be exposed to different variety of risks from natural disasters, diseases to kidnapping. When expats live abroad they can suddenly fall ill or catch a virus and may require a medical emergency evacuation by air ambulance. The fact is that multinational businesses need to prepare for the worst.

    About the case study:

    In this study we look at a small international company (Timber Trading Agency International) with staff in India, UK, Lebanon and Ghana and get a detailed insight into how they responded to an increasingly anxious workforce and how they implemented a comprehensive employee support program. This aimed at protecting their international employees in the case of a medical emergency, particularly due to the growing pressure of the COVID-19 outbreak, both in terms of the increased risk of infection and the pressure on local healthcare systems

    Thanks to Engage’s guidance, the client was able to quickly communicate coverage changes, rollout enhanced benefits, and promote and support new technology to overcome emerging issues. Furthermore, they implemented a COVID-19 emergency evacuation plan across an employee base spanning 4,700 miles, four time zones and some of the lowest quality healthcare in the world, to support a particularly vulnerable employee based in rural Ghana.

    Eva Maguire, The General Manager of Timber Trading explained “Engage Health Group have been very helpful with our members, many of whom are based in third world countries. They have solved the problems raised regarding the COVID pandemic especially relating to evacuation if needed.”

    Download the full case study to learn what your business needs to consider in terms of expatriates support in a critical medical incident:

    >>>>  Engage International Case Study – Managing Expat Risk with a Medical Evacuation Plan <<<<

    The case study covers three sections:

    1. Identifying the need for an urgent Employee Assistance Programme
    2. Critical support & risk planning when the covid-19 pandemic hit Africa
    3. Driving tech solutions to help Timber Trading’s expat support all around the world
  • Why Cross Cultural Training is a Must for International Businesses in 2021

    Why Cross Cultural Training is a Must for International Businesses in 2021

    Cross cultural training for international businesses has been an integral part of organisations for years. However, after facing the last 16 months of the COVID-19 outbreak, maintaining cultural relationships and an openness towards other cultures has become essential.

    The one thing COVID has taught us is that we are all in this together, so shouldn’t there be more emphasis on trying to learn about one another?

    Digital technology has opened up new possibilities for businesses. Hiring (and setting up business channels) abroad has never been so easy. This means mastering the art of cross-cultural communication has never been more important.

    So, what is cross-cultural training? What are the latest best practice tips? And how do international businesses get started?

    What is cross cultural training?

    Practised for years in many international businesses, cross-cultural training provides opportunities for expatriates to develop their understanding of the country they are travelling to or communicating with. The main concepts involved are cultural awareness, cultural competence, cultural safety, cultural humility, and cultural intelligence.

    Employees are given the opportunity to learn about the culture and values of a destination country, the beliefs and norms, practical hints and tips for daily living, work issues to specific situations, cross-cultural communication, reflect on cultural assumptions, and to make comparisons to the culture of origins.

    Whilst learning about other cultures is a key part of this training, employees must also gain an awareness of their own cultural background and place in the world. By understanding yourself, you gain an awareness of your own impact on others.

    Employees gain the ability to recognize the differences and similarities between cultures and, in doing so, the capability to adjust to different cultural contexts.

    What are the latest trends in cross cultural training?

    The face of cross-cultural training has shifted massively over the last 10 years. Everything is all about moving with the world – becoming more connected through international and multicultural growth.

    Below are a few predicted trends that international businesses will adopt:

    • Training everyone (not just expats)

    Understanding different cultures is needed at all levels of business – multicultural teams, business travellers, HR, short-term assignees, virtual teams, interacting with clients and vendors abroad.

    • Integrating Technology

    As technology develops, so must the delivery of training. Examples of how to introduce technology more into cultural training: information directly into portals and intranets, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), texting apps, chatbots and training on machine applications.

    • Adopt an Honest Approach

    Trust and honesty mean more business, supplementing businesses’ credibility. Open and honest communication is needed now more than ever, with COVID meaning more virtual meetings where miscommunication can easily take place.

    • Changing language

    Avoid labelling misunderstood interactions as “abnormal” “weird” or “wrong”. Changing slight linguistical approaches can drastically make all parties more comfortable.
    These examples are all based around a larger inclusion of different people and their cultures, encompassing as many people as possible.

    What are the factors influencing these latest trends?

    What is influencing international businesses to change their approaches to cross cultural training?

    • Growing emphasis on virtual training – more access to material
    • There is an increase in connectivity through the internet, social media, and remote working
    • Having culturally diverse teams gives businesses different ways of thinking to develop new approaches to problems
    • COVID – the so-called “new normal” creating distance between businesses and audiences

    One main factor is the rise of the modern learner. These employees are keen to learn (with 94% of employees saying they would stay at a company if it invested in their career) and want to develop skills in body language, communication, emotional intelligence, critical thinking. This shows a shift away from practical knowledge, and a greater emphasis on employees wanting to learn more about people and cultures.

    Is cross cultural training more important than it was 10 years ago?

    Compared to 10 years ago, the leading countries in global connectivity have changed. Where the main connections were between Germany, UK, and US, there is now an increased emphasis on China, Singapore, and India. This change only furthers how small the world is becoming, creating connections further afield.

    Cross-cultural training is more important than it was 10 years ago. Business relations strengthen when employees are trained to communicate effectively across cultures. This is particularly true following the last 16 months of pandemic.

    COVID-19 has meant a more globalised approach to business is needed, bringing people together as everyone faces the same challenges and experiences. Businesses are connecting with more people abroad, made easy through virtual training and meetings. Every employee needs cultural training to be able to understand what is happening in different parts of the world.

    How it can impact wellbeing

    Cross-cultural training not only helps with the success of partnerships and deals for businesses, but it also improves employee wellbeing!

    The relocation service Cartus said that 61% of failed assignments were unsuccessful because of family or personal issues. This highlights the importance of cross-cultural training on the wellbeing of employees.

    Cultural training is rooted in supporting the happiness of employees through direct engagement and interactions with different people. It targets the three pillars of wellbeing, particularly the mental wellbeing of employees, providing a space for open communication. Take a deeper look into international employee benefits and wellbeing here.

    Cross-cultural training for international businesses is a vital part of organisations and is only getting more important as the world is constantly and unpredictably changing. You can find more information of what else is involved in cross-cultural training here.

    Contact us through Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support and find out whether your cross-cultural training plan is up to date.
    Reveal the impact of covid on expats’ mental health