Medical Healthcare Overview

Please remember that ultimately, even with insurance, you are financially responsible for all of the medical costs for your dependents. Review your selected policy in full before purchasing- look at what is covered and what is not covered, and evaluate if that insurance will work for your family members medical needs.    If you are unsure if the policy you have purchased meets the minimum requirements, please feel free to check with me or with your SCO, but please note that we are not the final approving authority. If you have any other questions, please let Elizabeth McCahon (primary) or Katie Martin (secondary) know. Once you purchase compliant medical insurance, send your insurance documents to your SCO so they can upload it into the system for final approval. Please note that proof of medical coverage/insurance must be provided to the Security Cooperation Officer (SCO) at the U.S. Embassy in the IMS' country prior to placing their dependents on the ITO. If the dependents are not on the ITO (i.e. medical insurance not purchased) they will not be authorized to accompany the IMS in the United States. 

Types of Coverage for IMS & Authorized Dependents:

(1) Foreign Country Indemnification means that the foreign country has agreed to provide direct payment to medical service providers for healthcare cost incurred by the IMS and/or their authorized dependents. Bills for healthcare services will be sent directly to the IMS' government entity with a U.S. address for payment. Bills should be paid within 90 days after the bill is sent.

(2) Training Case Line Item for Medical Coverage means that an FMS or FMF training case may provide medical coverage. If a country wishes to include payment of pregnancy, childbirth costs, and/or non-emergency dental care or other elective procedures for IMS and/ or their authorized dependents within this line, the details must be included in the ITO. 

(3) Grant Programs (e.g. IMET, CTFP, FMF cases with approved medical lines, etc.) pay for healthcare  for the IMS only.

(4) RCHA or NATO/PfP SOFA agreements require supplemental commercial healthcare insurance or indemnification by their government for medical services not covered under the RCHA or NATO/PfP SOFA.

(5) Commercial Healthcare Insurance policies must be DSCA compliant and meet the following requirements:
 

Please review the IF Medical Insurance Policy 2020 (located on the right) for more information and guidance regarding DSCA regulations and ISMO's insurance policy recommendations.
 

 

Medical Care Facilities for IMS and Authorized Dependents Stationed at NDU

There are two medical clinics for IMS only located at NDU, the Fort McNair Clinic and the Health & Fitness Directorate. The Fort McNair Clinic is a small on base clinic staffed to handle minor IMS sickness and illness during school hours. The Health & Fitness Director is staffed with a physical therapist, dietitian, doctor, nurse and medic; they are equipped to handle sports related injuries, conduct executive health assessments and blood screenings.  

Since NDU is located in the have of the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia area), there are several outstanding military hospitals (i.e. Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Andrew Rader Health Clinic, and the Water Reed National Military Medical Center) in the area where IMS and their authorized dependents can receive medical care. In addition to the military hospitals, there are numerous high quality civilian hospitals in the area as well for dependents with private medical insurance.
 

 

It is most important that you understand the following: You are required to have medical insurance for each dependent in order for them to be listed on your ITO. Review your selected policy in full before purchasing – look at what is covered, what is not covered, and evaluate if that insurance will work for your family members’ medical needs.   

As you may already know, the Defense Security & Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has allowed NDU and other senior level schoolhouses to authorize dependents ONLY if one of the two conditions outlined below are met. Please note that a letter of indemnification is no longer required if the insurance purchased explicitly includes pandemic coverage in addition to meeting DSCA requirements.

1.       Your government covers all healthcare related expenses for healthcare, either through your embassy or through country purchased health insurance. This must CLEARLY be indicated on the ITO.

2.       Private insurance coverage for all dependents that meets normal DSCA minimum requirements and includes COVID-19 or pandemic coverage.

If you are unsure if the policy you have purchased meets the minimum requirements, please feel free to check with ISMO or with your SCO, but please note that ISMO is not the final approving authority. Once you purchase compliant medical insurance, send your insurance documents to your SCO so they can upload them into the system for final approval.

If your government covers all medical care for your family, you do not need to purchase an additional insurance policy, but it MUST be stated on your ITO that your government will cover all costs for dependent medical care. If you are unsure if your government covers your family's medical care, please check with your SCO. 

Please remember that ultimately, even with insurance, you are financially responsible for all of the medical costs for your dependents.

Finally, we want to take a moment to clarify travel policy. You may be required to travel several times during the school year; decisions for spring travel are forthcoming and will be contingent on the status of the pandemic. These Field Studies are mandatory, academic trips where you will not be able to have accompanying dependents.