Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company releasedWednesday its new Group Medical Bridge 1.0 product, a grouphospital confinement indemnity plan that pays benefits to helpcover the out-of-pocket medical and non-medical expenses associatedwith a covered hospital stay.

Plans are available to also cover the out-of-pocket medical andnon-medical expenses associated with outpatient surgery, diagnostictests, doctor office visits and trips to the emergency room.

Benefits are paid regardless of any other benefits an employeroffers such as health insurance.

"This new product can help employees protect themselves from thefinancial risk associated with a hospital stay," says Susan Cotter,vice president for marketing and products at Colonial Life. "Theycan use the benefits to pay for medical expenses as well as otherexpenses such as the mortgage, daycare and groceries that don'tstop just because you're in the hospital."

Benefits and Features

Colonial Life's new group hospital confinement indemnity planoffers the following benefits and features:

• Four different coverage types are available for employees andtheir families.
• Coverage is available for everyone on a guaranteed issue basis,including employees, spouses and dependents. No healthquestions are ever asked.
• Pre-existing conditions can be waived for everyone whopurchases the policy.
• Benefits can be used to pay for medical expenses or bills asthe employee sees fit.
• Benefits are paid directly to employees, unless they specifyotherwise.