Welcome to Benefitshealthplan.com - Information on Short Term Out-of-Country Health Insurance

The past year will be remembered for many reasons: the U.S. economy took a downturn (interest rates fell to their lowest point in 40 years); President Bush signed into law the largest tax cut Americans have seen in 20 years; and the promise of lifetime health care for military retirees and their families was restored with TRICARE for Life--to name a few.

And then, of course, the tragic events of 11 September, which caused U.S. citizens to view life and community with a different perspective.

In the midst of all the national and international happenings of 2001, ROA also had an eventful year working hard for its members. Most notably, several new ROA-sponsored insurance plans are now available exclusively to ROA members and their families.

For example, three new insurance plans have been added to the wide assortment of benefits designed for ROA members. These plans are TermSmart, IncomeShield, and Gateway.

TERMSMART FOR TERM-LIFE

TermSmart is a level term-life insurance plan with guaranteed level premiums for ROA members who need a higher level of protection. You may choose from 5, 10, 15 or 20 years in which your premium will remain the same for $500,000 up to $3 million in benefits.

This term-life plan, at affordable group rates, is renewable to age 95, and offers several riders, including an accidental death benefit, waiver of premium, term-life insurance for your children and a living benefit.

INCOMESHIELD FOR TOTAL DISABILITY

Accidents can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. ROA recognized this. That's why it assisted in the development of IncomeShield, a disability plan designed to help protect your income and assets from the financial hardship of a disabling accident. IncomeShield offers a short 30-day waiting period, and acceptance is guaranteed for ROA members and their spouses under age 65.

IncomeShield pays you monthly benefits if you become disabled from an accident and are unable to work in your usual job. That's different from other disability plans that stop paying once you can return to any type of job. Benefit amounts from IncomeShield range from $2,000 up to $5,000 (as long as your benefit amount doesn't exceed 70 percent of your monthly income).

GATEWAY FOR OUT OF COUNTRY

Gateway International offers a variety of health and medical insurance plans designed for ROA members and their families who live, travel or work outside their home country. Protection includes benefit periods ranging from 15 days to three years for medical insurance protection, an accidental death benefit, emergency medical evacuation/repatriation and access to worldwide medical/travel/legal assistance services.

Choose Gateway USA for short-term visits to the United States or Gateway International for your short-term visits from or to any worldwide location (except the United States). Gateway Premier offers coverage for extended stays anywhere in the world. Gateway Global provides coverage for one year to ROA members and their families who frequently travel to international destinations.

REDUCTIONS, LONG-TERM CARE, CHANGES

The ROA-sponsored Term-Life Insurance Plan, now underwritten by ReliaStar Life Insurance Co., offers reduced rates. ROA members can take advantage of even lower group rates--33 percent less--for the same high-quality level of protection you and your family are used to.

With the recent implementation of TRICARE for Life, ROA members and their spouses age 65 and older are enjoying the restored promise of lifetime health care. However, as good as Medicare and TRICARE for Life are, they still don't cover long-term care.

The good news for ROA members is that you have an exclusive service, the ROA-sponsored Long-Term-Care Solutions Network. This is a free, no-obligation service to evaluate your needs, deliver personalized quotes, and custom design a long-term-care plan that works within your budget.

A toll-free call to 1-800-882-6035 will put you in contact with a licensed long-term-care consultant who will discuss long-term-care options with you. You'll speak with a consultant who doesn't work on a commission so the focus is on you and your family's needs, not on selling policies. The ROA-sponsored Long-Term-Care Solutions Network offers a choice of providers and benefit options.

The year 2001 also meant many changes for such ROA-sponsored insurance plans as AD&D, cancer, long-term disability and excess major medical. Leaders at ROA headquarters found new insurance carriers that could provide the same outstanding benefits that ROA members are accustomed to. Among the companies now underwriting the ROA family of insurance plans are Monumental Life Insurance, United States Life Insurance, ReliaStar Life Insurance, and Hartford Life Insurance.

For more information on the ROA-sponsored insurance plans, please visit ROA's newly designed Web site at www.roa.org or call toll-free, 1-800-247-7988, and request priority code 13022-1-1-1.

Mr. Michael G. Bruner is vice president of the Marsh Affinity Group Services, a service of Seabury & Smith, Inc.