The Catch: Oct. 19

The program also offers translation services, emergency medical evacuations and emergency cash transfers.

There are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions, MetLife says.

MetLife notes that it has been in the expatriate benefits market for about 35 years.

MetLife's Delaware American Life Insurance Company writes the coverage.

MUNEY RISES AT CIGNA

The Bloomfield, Conn., health insurance arm of CIGNA Corp., Philadelphia (NYSE:CI), has named Dr. Alan Muney chief medical officer.

Muney began working for CIGNA as a senior vice president in charge of network contracting operations in 2010.

Muney also has worked at a private equity firm and as a chief medical officer at other managed care companies. He has a bachelor's degree and a medical degree from Brown University, and he is board-certified in pediatrics.

MONEY POOLS IN CALIFORNIA

Gary and Mary West, residents of the San Diego area, have formed the West Health Investment Fund L.L.C.

The $100 million fund will focus on investments in programs that can lower health care costs, according to program representatives.

The Wests founded the West Wireless Health Institute in 2009, and they say lack of financial support is interfering with efforts to get new health care ideas out into the market.

"The fund's areas of interest include health care technologies, data analytics, technology-enabled services, cost transparency, and interoperability," fund representatives say.

One company in the portfolio, Change Healthcare, is developing a Web-based tool that can give consumers personalized health care pricing information and alerts about availability of health care discounts.

TANSTAAFL

The American Enterprise Institute, Washington, plans to hold a discussion on benefits cost tradeoffs 9:30 a.m. Oct. 28 in Washington.

One panelist, Sylvester Schieber, will take about research suggesting that health care inflation is limiting the prospects of many low-wage and moderate-wage workers.