Click here to jump to changes to the AFS Participant Medical Plan coming in January 2025. For information about claims and services in 2024, continue reading.
Medical Coverage
All AFS-USA hosted participants are covered under the AFS Participant Medical Plan. The AFS
Participant Medical Plan is a travel medical plan. As such, it is designed to provide extensive
secondary medical coverage in response to most illness or injury that may arise for a participant
while they are on their AFS Program. Many volunteers and host families find it helpful to
remember AFS Medical plan as designed to respond to medical incidents, rather than function
like most primary insurance plans that people have in the United States.
The AFS Medical Plan responds to injury and/or illness. The AFS Medical Plan is ultimately
responsible for medical expenses only if the expenses are not payable through a primary policy
first, such as a national health plan or private insurance held by the sending family.
Click here to read the AFS Medical Pamphlet. Volunteers are encouraged to become familiar
with the AFS Medical Pamphlet, the plan, and major exclusions (the pamphlet is often updated
on a yearly basis). Volunteers are also encouraged to use this pamphlet as a guide and refer
host families and students to it as needed. Please refer to the other articles in this section for
more information on handling medical and health matters pertaining to AFS participants:
o Managing medical concerns and coverage questions
o Reporting Medical matters and concerns
o COVID-19
o Student Mental Health and Wellbeing
Please also refer to the available resources and guidance to host families on medical and health
matters in the AFS Help and Learning for Host Families Platform.
The AFS Participant Medical Plan does not cover care that is considered preventative (this may
include routine physicals, inoculations, vaccinations, or examinations, even if required by
schools.) Other major exclusions include:
- Routine vision care
- Routine dental care
- Routine physical exams
- School physical exams
- Inoculations and Vaccinations
- Pre-existing conditions
- Birth control treatment
- Medicine and checkups for regular control of chronic conditions
Students and sending parents are responsible for paying for any student medical care obtained on program that is not covered under the AFS Medical Plan. Host parents are not expected by AFS to pay for uncovered medical expenses. All students and sending parents have been informed of this requirement before the program begins. However, it can be common for many students and parents to not fully understand the cost of healthcare in the United States. Therefore, we recommend all host families speak with their volunteers about any upcoming medical expense if they need assistance confirming payment.
All dental and eye concerns must be reported to AFS-USA before any medical procedures are performed to ensure that arrangements for payment are made in advance with the student’s sending family.
Immunizations
Vaccines are considered "routine care," and are therefore excluded from coverage under the AFS Medical Plan, unless they are specifically ordered by a treating physician in response to a medical concern. AFS participants do not require AFS approval prior to receiving most routine vaccines while on program. However, it is critical that the participant's parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have given their consent. Any costs associated with obtaining a vaccine(s) will also be the responsibility of the participant and the sending parent(s)/legal guardian(s).
Prescription Medicines
The AFS Medical plan covers the cost of prescriptions ordered by a treating physician in response to a participant medical concern. Coverage is through reimbursement; participants or host families are expected to pay for prescription drugs up-front and then submit a claim for reimbursement.
Additional Benefits Coverage
AFS provides a package of additional travel-related benefits for AFS participants. This package offers seven kinds of benefits that can be helpful with illness or injury that happens during travel, but that is not covered under the Participant Medical Plan.
The additional benefits include:
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)
- Reunion Benefit
- Trip Interruption Benefit
- “Tail” Medical Insurance
- Permanent and Total Disability Insurance
- Bereavement and Trauma Counseling Benefit
Click here to see where information about the AFS Participant Medical Plan is provided to host families on the Help and Learning for Host Families Portal.
Click here to learn more about allowances under the AFS Participant Medical Plan for students hosted through the YES, FLEX, or CB scholarship.
Important Changes to the AFS Participant Medical Plan in 2025
As of January 1, 2025, the AFS Participant Medical Plan will change service providers. Below is important information on the new service providers.
Effective January 1, 2025, AFS will work with Cigna Life Insurance Company of Europe SA/NV as our insurer. Willis Towers Watson GmbH will serve as Claims Administrator and primary point of contact for billing and payment inquiries.
Changes to service providers will not result in major changes to the AFS Medical Plan. In fact, coverage will be expanded in the following areas:
- Emergency Dental coverage, which was previously an Additional Benefit (see above), is now a part of the core Medical Plan, and coverage limit has been raised to $600.
- Non-emergent surgery for sports injuries has been added.
Click here to learn more about obtaining medical care for AFS students on program, and for obtaining help with billing questions, as well as information on how to obtain help with any billing question for medical care received on or before December 31st, 2024.