Within the US the idea of global health insurance is usually confused with universal coverage, or the idea that every person should have health insurance. Within the actual insurance industry, however, global health insurance is a term used to refer to medical insurance that is not limited by the boundaries of one’s home country.
People who travel generally can’t take their existing health insurance with them. It is only usable in their country of origin. In order to make sure that they have access to medical treatment while traveling, they need to purchase global insurance. These plans provide emergency treatment for illness and injury while travelers are overseas. They can even have provisions for medical evacuation back home in the case of very serious injury. For those who are on long-term policies for extended stays in a given country there should also be preventative treatment and check ups included.
Global policies are ideal for students and workers on long term visas in other countries. They are also good for expatriates who are living most of the time outside the US. There are even special policies for those in Canada and Mexico who want access to American health care. Career or full-time travelers who like to visit multiple countries are ideal candidates for these types of health insurance policies.