22 Medical Information & Health Insurance
Medical History
Living abroad can prompt emotional and physical stress and may exacerbate pre-existing conditions as students adjust to changes in climate, diet, exercise, and living conditions. Therefore, accurate and up-to-date information on the student’s Statement of Medical History is essential to the student’s health and safety and helps IUHPFL acquire the appropriate assistance for a student in case of an accident or illness.
Incomplete medical records and undisclosed medical conditions can complicate or delay a student’s treatment abroad. For the student’s well-being, students and parents/guardians are encouraged to provide current and complete information about medications, drug allergies, and chronic or recurring physical and psychological conditions, including eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. To ensure accuracy, students and parents/guardians should inform the IUHPFL Office of any significant changes to the student’s Statement of Medical History before departure.
Students who are currently under medical or psychological care should talk frankly with their physician and/or counselor about whether or not they are ready for an extended time abroad and what kind of support they might need. Students and parents/guardians should then be sure to relay all information to the IUHPFL Office. In most cases, the program can accommodate a student’s needs, but only if these needs are known.
For general information on health abroad, visit the websites for the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization:
Differing Abilities
The passage of legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, has spurred schools in the U.S. to accommodate students with varying abilities. Other countries are not bound by U.S. legislation but most have enacted similar laws and policies.
IUHPFL complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and engages in the interactive process required by the ADA to provide reasonable accommodations for eligible students. The first step in this process is disclosure and documentation on the part of the student and parent or guardian of any special or disabling condition (physical, emotional, learning, etc.). If you anticipate needing accommodations during the program, call or email the IUHPFL Office as soon as possible and certainly prior to April, with information about accommodations that might be necessary.
If a student requires a level of care that program instructors and host families cannot reasonably accommodate, then the student’s parents or guardians will be requested to arrange for these additional services at their own expense.
Medications Abroad
Students who currently take medications should talk to their physician about continuing the medications abroad. Students should make sure to take the amount of medication they will need for the entire four to five weeks. If this is not possible, students should ask their physician to provide a typed prescription with the generic name of the medication (not the commercial name) clearly indicated in order for adequate supplies to be filled while abroad.
Students should not alter their medication—type, dosage, or frequency of dosage—within one month prior to departure or during the program unless absolutely necessary.
Any medications carried overseas should be left in their original containers and clearly labeled. Students should also carry a letter from their physician describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of each medication. Any liquid medications in carry-on luggage must meet the airline’s quantity restrictions, or they might be thrown away during the security check.
It is imperative that students be able to administer their own medications and manage their medical conditions while abroad. Host parents are not permitted to administer medications and are not responsible for students’ medical care. Host parents are also not permitted to pay for a student’s prescriptions or medical care or to sign promissory notes to a medical facility promising that payment will be made at a later date.
Student Privacy
Details related to a student’s current health condition, medications, and/or treatment are typically shared by the Office with Onsite Coordinators, instructors, and host families, so that the student can receive the care and attention that they need while abroad. Other information, such as past conditions should be shared with the Office, but will not be provided to outside parties, unless necessary for the purposes of the student’s care onsite.
IUHPFL adheres to the strict guidelines of Indiana University in the storage, distribution, and sharing of students’ critical and sensitive data.
Health & Medical Insurance
Included in the Program Fees paid by students and parents/guardians is the premium for health, medical, and emergency evacuation insurance coverage. Students and instructors at our European sites are insured through GeoBlue Global Health and Safety Services during the program dates.
Should a student become ill while abroad, they should not hesitate to see a physician. At all program sites, medical professionals are available to provide excellent care. The onsite coordinator or instructor and often a host parent will accompany the student to the clinic or hospital. It is primarily the responsibility of the instructor acting as Student Coordinator to oversee the student’s care and needs during their illness, but all instructors will assist to ensure the student receives excellent care. Onsite Coordinators provide additional support during these times, often checking in on the student and attaining updates from the medical staff. Onsite Coordinators and instructors work together to provide updates to the Director, which are then shared immediately with parents and guardians. In serious cases, the onsite staff can be connected directly with parents and guardians to facilitate timely communication.
Onsite Coordinators are aware of all clinics and hospitals in the host city and make recommendations to students, instructors, and host families based on the quality, type, and cost of service. Whenever possible, Onsite Coordinators seek facilities that are already partnered with the insurance provider in order to save students and their parents/guardians from paying for medical care out-of-pocket. If an arrangement does not exist between the facility and the insurance provider, the student and their parents/guardians will need to make payment up-front and then file a claim with the insurance provider for reimbursement.
The following documents will need to be submitted to the insurance provider by the parents/guardians in order for a claim to be processed:
- The claim form (instructors have access to these)
- A description from the doctor of the condition and treatment (the Office will acquire these and send to the parents)
- If possible, an itemized bill from the hospital or clinic
- Copies of all prescriptions and
- Copies of all receipts for payments made (the Office will acquire these and send to the parents)
Per Indiana University policy, no one except the student and their parents can pay for the student’s health and medical care while abroad. The IUHPFL Office, Instructors, Onsite Coordinators, and host families cannot pay for such expenses or sign any promissory note for payment on behalf of the student and their parents.
In the very rare case that the cost of care is more than the coverage provided by IUHPFL, the insurance that the parents/guardians provide for their student will need to be applied. Students will want to carry an identification card or other documentation from their insurance company as proof of coverage.
Students who plan to stay abroad after the program might wish to purchase supplemental medical insurance to cover the additional time. Students are only insured through IUHPFL for the duration of their specific program dates.