Securing a guarantee of payment (GOP) from Bupa Global

This article is meant for members under the care of The Insurance Concierge, an intermediary based in Singapore. Due to data protection laws, we are not able to support members who are not under our care.

To secure a guarantee of payment (GOP), also called pre-authorisation, Bupa Global needs a few details about you, your treatment and your doctor. Allow five calendar days before your treatment for the approval to come through.

There are two ways to get it:

1. Let the hospital arrange it. At a hospital or clinic that bills Bupa directly, tell them you are a Bupa member and show your membership card. The hospital requests the approval from Bupa by email to preauth@bupa-intl.com. Ask them to copy hello@asktic.com so we can follow it.
2. Ask Bupa yourself. Use one of the routes below, then book your appointment. Bupa arranges the approval with the hospital.

How this works in each country, including where Bupa works through a local partner, is in Getting treatment with Bupa Global in Southeast Asia.

What Bupa needs

Detail	Notes
Your name and Bupa membership number
Treatment date
Treatment plan	Ideally with the ICD code your doctor uses
When your symptoms started	Not needed for a health screen
Diagnosis	If there is one
Lab reports	If any
Your doctor's name
The hospital or clinic, and the country
Expected charges	Optional. Usually in your doctor's report or a financial counselling form

Your doctor normally provides these on Bupa's pre-authorisation form, or in a medical report instead. You do not need the form or a report for a health screen, or where your email or your clinic's email already sets out everything above.

Send us your doctor's or clinic's email address. If anything is missing, we can then collect it from the clinic directly, so you do not have to pass messages back and forth.

Three ways to send your request

Route	Usual response	Best for
Phone: +44 (0) 1273 323 563 worldwide, or +65 6340 1688 and press option 2 from within Singapore	Usually within one hour	Treatment in the next few days, or a request that has had no reply
The MembersWorld website or app (see our MembersWorld guide)	Usually within 48 hours	Requests you lodge yourself
Email to Bupa Global at preauth@bupa-intl.com, copying hello@asktic.com	Usually within 48 to 72 hours	Routine requests with all the details above

Once Bupa has everything it needs, it usually takes two business days to assess the request. The clock starts when the information is complete, which is why missing details are the most common cause of delay.

If you have not heard back

Tell us before sending the request again. A second request opens a second reference and can slow both down. Let us know when you sent it, where, what you included and any reference you were given, and we will trace it and follow it up with Bupa.

After the approval

The approval covers your treatment as it is planned, and is updated if things change. Where the hospital bills Bupa directly, Bupa pays up to the approved amount and the hospital collects anything above it from you. On an individual or family plan with a deductible, Bupa collects the deductible from the credit card on file. On a company plan, the hospital collects from you anything the approval does not cover, usually before you are discharged.

Bring your membership card when you are admitted. If you are admitted earlier than planned, or your treatment changes, the hospital contacts Bupa to update the approval.

In an emergency

Do not wait for approval. Go to hospital with your membership card. The hospital should contact Bupa within 48 hours of your admission, and we will follow up.

If treatment happens before the approval arrives

You keep your right to claim. You can pay the bill and claim it back from Bupa: see Filing a claim for reimbursement with Bupa Global.