Faculty SenateMarch 21, 2012

Proposed UM Travel Abroad Policy

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

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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.

Number/ Percentage of Aspirational Peer Institutions*

Foreign Travel PolicyAspirational Peer Institutions

4 (40%)Require faculty and staff to register travel plans prior to departure.

Emory University, Tulane University, Syracuse University, University of Southern California

3 (30%)Strongly encourage faculty registration with travel emergency assistance vendor.

Case Western Reserve, NYU, Vanderbilt University

3 (30%) No formal processes in place.

Brandeis University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Rochester

See Appendix A, Slide 11, for more details. 3

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

RED24 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE HIGHLIGHTS

National Emergency Personal Event

Sample Events

• Political Upheaval (i.e. Arab Spring)

• Natural Disasters(i.e. hurricane, tsunami, earthquake)

• Acts of Terrorism

• Emergency Medical Needs

• Criminal Acts Against Faculty/Staff

Obtaining Assistance

• Accurate information is essential, as the University will be able to provide assistance, regardless of whether the faculty/staff are able to call for help.

• Contact red24 to activate the assistance service.

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WHY REGISTERING IS IMPORTANT

1. 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.

2. Faculty member was robbed. red24 was on standby to assist with card cancellations.

3. Student suffered spider bite and required emergency surgery. red24 arranged medical monitoring and direct billing to insurance company. 

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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RECENT UM TRAVEL ABROAD EXPERIENCES

• 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. 7

PROPOSED TRAVEL ABROAD POLICY SUMMARY

See Appendices C-D, Slides 13-14, for complete policy and procedure.

• 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.

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RED24 PRIVACY

QUESTIONS?

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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

APPENDIX

Itinerary Provided Prior to Departure Institution Policy/Procedure Penalty for Noncompliance

YES Emory University Itinerary registration with ISOS* required prior to departure No reimbursement of travel expenses

YES Tulane University Itinerary registration with ISOS* required prior to departure No reimbursement of travel expenses

YES Syracuse UniversityComplete itinerary (including flights and hotels) shall be

submitted to supervisor prior to departureNo reimbursement of travel expenses

YES University of Southern California“Over 90% of faculty travel is booked through University Travel

Agency, making itinerary available to emergency vendor if needed”

N/A

Encouraged Case Western Reserve Faculty are encouraged to register with iJet * prior to departure

Encouraged NYU Faculty should register with NYU Traveler* prior to departure

Encouraged Vanderbilt University Faculty should register with ISOS*

NO Brandeis University No formal policy or process

NO Carnegie Mellon University No formal policy or process

NO University of Rochester No formal policy or process

*Note – ISOS/iJet/NYU Travel Registries are equivalent to red24’s registry.

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APPENDIX AAspirational AAU Peer Institutions: Travel Abroad for University Business

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APPENDIX BExample of Emergency Email Update

PolicyTo 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.

NoncomplianceFailure 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. 

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APPENDIX CProposed Travel Abroad Policy

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Faculty/staff traveling to RESTRICTED country or region identified by UM Risk Management for University business and/or study:

• Complete the Restricted Country Travel Authorization Form and submit to UM Risk Management for approval.

• If travel is approved, faculty/staff must register their travel plans with red24, https://www.red24.com/affiliate/chartis/um/, and print a copy of the UM Travel Assistance Card prior to travel.

• Any changes to travel plans must be immediately entered on red24.

Faculty/staff traveling abroad on University business and/or study:

• Visit red24 website https://www.red24.com/affiliate/chartis/um/ and follow registration instructions. Do not forget to print a copy of the UM Travel Assistance Card while on the site.

• Any changes to travel plans must be immediately entered on red24.

APPENDIX DProposed Travel Abroad Procedure

Group Name: University of MiamiPolicy Number: GLB9130195 WR10005763Toll-free: 1-800-401-2678

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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.

Prior to travel, visit https://www.red24.com/affiliate/chartis/um to register and print your UM Travel Assistance Card.

APPENDIX EUM Travel Assistance Services Card

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.

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APPENDIX FUM/Aetna Members’ International Medical Coverage