If a Sister Cities exchange visitor became ill or injured:

• How would you know the best hospitals and providers in the host country?
• How would you communicate with providers who may speak a foreign language?
• How would you handle providers who require advance payment?
• If you had severe burns, needed major heart surgery or a serious injury or sickness, how would you get evacuated to
  a more suitable facility or arrange for evacuation to your home or home country?
• How would you arrange for repatriation?
• How would you arrange for emergency legal assistance, get help with potential liabilities?
• What would you do about participants’ lost or stolen items?
• Would you be responsible for participants’ uninsured medical expenses, or deductibles or co-insurance?

Unfortunately, injuries, automobile accidents, sudden sicknesses, and travelers’ mishaps are all too common. When these events occur during international travel, they are especially troublesome. Medical insurance prevents an accident from becoming a financial calamity.

U.S. major medical insurance seldom provides for referral to Dr’s & Hospitals, guarantee payment to providers, paid evacuation & Repatriation, and a host of other assistance services. Any Sister City Internationals coming to the USA with a J-1 visa are required to have coverage meeting the INA mandated standards. Your policy meets all federal requirements. SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL has therefore developed a unique international medical insurance plan to provide peace of mind to its member cities and their participants. The SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL plan supplements existing insurance at a minimal cost.

• Comprehensive Medical Benefits: Unlike traditional plans which feature high deductibles and coinsurance, the SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL pays 100% up to $50,000 after a low $50 deductible. The plan makes direct payment to overseas physicians, hospitals and transportation agencies. This makes the complications of exchange rates and payments easy. Assist Services will put your members in touch with cooperating & approved Doctors, Hospitals or Service Providers around the world;

• Complete Assistance Services: Unlike traditional plans, Medex Assistance’s 24 hour support staff helps to interpret symptoms in a foreign language; guarantees payment to the hospital and physician; arranges and pays for return transportation of an ill or injured insured; and provides assistance on a wide variety of problems such as legal matters and lost or stolen items.

The plan is only available on a group basis. A group may be as small as a single individual, but 100% of the group must be insured. To enroll a group, complete and return the enrollment form located here.

We endorse this plan enthusiastically and recommend that all Sister Cities exchange groups purchase this important coverage. If you have any questions, please call Collegiate Risk Management, our insurance broker, at 1-800-222-5780.