Atlas America PPO Network: How to Find In Network Doctors

The Atlas America PPO network in the United States is the UnitedHealthcare Options PPO network. To find an in network doctor, urgent care or hospital, open the Find a Provider link on WorldTrips' provider page, search by ZIP code, confirm by phone that the provider takes the UnitedHealthcare Options PPO, and show your WorldTrips ID card at check in.

Atlas America pays 100% of eligible expenses after the deductible whether or not you use the network, so the network mainly decides whether the provider bills WorldTrips directly at negotiated rates or asks you to pay first.

Key facts at a glance

• WorldTrips states that in person care in the US under Atlas travel medical plans uses the UnitedHealthcare PPO network, accessed by presenting your ID card.
• According to WorldTrips, providers do not need prior authorization from WorldTrips or UnitedHealthcare before giving care.
• Claims inside the UnitedHealthcare PPO are processed by UnitedHealthcare. Out of network, dental and non US claims are processed by WorldTrips.
• WorldTrips' Atlas America page lists a $200 emergency room copayment for an illness unless you are admitted, and a $15 urgent care copayment waived with a $0 deductible.
• The Atlas Description of Coverage asks for proof of claim within 60 days of the last day of your certificate period.
• WorldTrips' provider assistance line is (800) 605-2282 inside the US and +1 (317) 262-2132 from abroad.

Which PPO network does Atlas America use?

WorldTrips points Atlas members in the US to UnitedHealthcare. The Find a Provider button on its provider page opens UnitedHealthcare's guest provider search already set to the Options PPO network, so you do not need a UnitedHealthcare account to use it. The same network applies to Atlas Essential America and Atlas America Premium, though what the plan pays differs by tier.

Outside the US there is no PPO. WorldTrips says you may see any licensed provider abroad and offers Air Doctor for booking. Inside the US, Air Doctor is limited to video telehealth for Atlas plans, and in person visits go through the UnitedHealthcare network.

How do you search the Atlas America provider directory by ZIP?

• Open WorldTrips' Find a Doctor page and choose the UnitedHealthcare PPO Find a Provider link, which opens the Options PPO directory.
• Enter the ZIP code where you are staying, not your host's mailing address if it differs.
• Choose the type of care: primary care or family medicine for routine illness, urgent care, or a hospital for planned admissions.
• Filter by distance and open hours, and note two or three options, not just the nearest.
• Write down each provider's exact name, address and phone number as listed, because clinics in the same building can be in different networks.
• Call before you go to confirm participation, as directories can lag behind contract changes.

If the search is not working, call WorldTrips at (800) 605-2282 and ask for help locating a provider near you. For general guidance on getting care as a visitor, see how to see a doctor in the US as a tourist.

Should you use urgent care or the emergency room?

For anything that feels life threatening, such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of stroke, severe bleeding or a serious injury, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Do not spend time looking for an in network hospital first. Atlas America pays emergency care at the same percentage in or out of network, and you can sort out billing afterwards.

For fevers, minor injuries, infections and other problems that can wait an hour, an in network urgent care center is usually the better route. The urgent care copayment is $15, compared with a $200 copayment for an emergency room visit for an illness that does not lead to admission. Injuries treated in the emergency room carry no copayment under the plan schedule.

What should you say when calling a clinic?

Front desk staff often do not recognize travel medical insurance by name. Lead with the network, not the insurer. A short script that works:

• "I have travel medical insurance that uses the UnitedHealthcare Options PPO network. I found your practice in their provider directory. Can you confirm you are in network for Options PPO?"
• "My card is administered by WorldTrips. Can you bill them directly using the claims address and payer details on the back of my ID card?"
• "Are you able to see me today, and is there anything I should bring besides my passport and insurance card?"

If the clinic agrees to bill directly, you will usually pay only your copayment and any deductible at the visit. If they refuse, ask whether they can give you an itemized bill with diagnosis and procedure codes, so you can claim yourself. Our guide to direct billing with PPO networks covers what to do when a provider is unsure.

What changes when you go out of network?

On Atlas America the coinsurance does not change: WorldTrips' plan document shows 100% of eligible expenses after the deductible either way. Three things do change. You lose the network discount, so the starting bill can be higher. The provider may ask you to pay in full and file a claim yourself. And eligible expenses are limited to usual, reasonable and customary amounts, so if a provider charges well above that, the difference can fall to you.

An illustrative example: an out of network clinic bills $600 for a visit and tests, and the plan judges $450 of it to be usual and customary. After your deductible, the plan reimburses based on $450, and the clinic may still ask you for the remaining $150. In network, the negotiated rate would normally apply and the clinic would bill WorldTrips directly.

On Atlas Essential America the gap is wider. In network it pays 70% after the deductible; outside the network it pays usual, reasonable and customary amounts and you may owe the rest. Our Atlas Essential America review explains that tier in full.

How do you claim if a provider will not bill directly?

Pay the bill, and collect an itemized statement, receipts and any medical notes before you leave. Submit a claim through the WorldTrips member portal with a signed claimant's statement, the itemized bills and your receipts. WorldTrips' Description of Coverage asks for proof of claim within 60 days of the last day of your certificate period, so do not wait until you get home. Our step by step guide to filing a visitor insurance claim lists every document.

Download our free In Network Provider Finder Checklist below. It gives you the search steps, the call script, a direct billing request and a saved provider list template, so you can fill in three nearby options on day one of your trip.

How to get covered

If you do not yet have a plan, compare Atlas America with other plans that use the UnitedHealthcare network on the visitor insurance quote page. Premiums depend on age, trip length, policy maximum and deductible. Choose a plan first, then set up your provider list before you fly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Atlas America accepted by all US hospitals?

No plan is accepted everywhere. Atlas America uses the UnitedHealthcare Options PPO network, which is large, but individual hospitals and doctors choose their contracts. In an emergency you should go to the nearest emergency room regardless, because Atlas America pays emergency care at the same percentage in or out of network. For planned care, confirm participation by phone before you go.

Do I need to call WorldTrips before seeing a doctor?

For routine and urgent care, no. WorldTrips states that providers do not need prior authorization from WorldTrips or UnitedHealthcare before giving care. Call WorldTrips if you need help finding a provider, if a clinic questions your coverage, or before any emergency medical evacuation, which must be arranged through the plan. Keep the assistance numbers on your ID card and in your phone.

Can I use the Atlas America network for a pre-existing condition?

You can visit any network provider, but the plan excludes pre-existing conditions, defined as anything that existed in the two years before the effective date. Atlas America's acute onset benefit may cover a sudden, unexpected flare needing treatment within 24 hours for travelers under 80, but the wording excludes flares related to chronic conditions. Routine management of a known condition is not covered.

What if the clinic says my insurance is not accepted?

Ask whether they participate in the UnitedHealthcare Options PPO network, rather than asking about WorldTrips or Atlas by name. If they are listed in the directory but still refuse, call WorldTrips at (800) 605-2282 while you are there. If you decide to be seen anyway, pay, keep an itemized bill and receipts, and file a claim within the deadline.

A few minutes of setup, a saved provider list and the right phrase at the front desk make US care far simpler on Atlas America. Compare visitor plans on Ombrela and build your list before you travel.