Important information when taking your student to the doctor

This might be a daunting moment for any host family. Please contact your IEC as soon as possible if your student gets ill or injured and needs medical care—they will guide you on what to do. This section only applies to students with Erika coverage.

Student information

Provide the doctor’s office with your student’s first and last name as written on their passport. Do not include any middle or nicknames.

 

If Aetna Student Health does not have your student’s name, call EF at 1-800-447-4273 and we will confirm eligibility with Aetna Student Health. All students are required to have insurance coverage while participating in the program.

Copayment

Students should pay the in-network copayment up front while they are at their appointment. They will be responsible for covering the $20 copayment ($70 if the facility is not in the Aetna network).

Billing address

The doctor's office will require Aetna Student Health's billing address as well as your student's billing address. Your student should list either their current US address (if you are comfortable with that) or EF Boston's address.

Aetna's billing address

Aetna Student Health

PO Box 14101

Lexington, KY

EF Boston's billing address

EF Education First – High School Exchange Year

One Education Street

Cambridge, MA 02141

 

For billing purposes, student's parents in their home country should be listed as the guarantor and host family details should be listed as the custodial parent(s).

Verifying coverage

Be sure to have the doctor's office call Aetna Student Health at 1-800-783-7447 to confirm the insurance benefits and coverage dates. Have them call while your student is there in person so insurance coverage can be determined and/or applied. Aetna Student Health is only open during office hours. The assistance companies listed on the previous page are open 24/7 and are able to verify eligibility as well.

 

In the event the doctor's office cannot reach someone at Aetna, or gives you difficulties, write down the name of the person in the doctor's office so EF can contact them during the next business day. You may also call Aetna and ask them to contact the doctor's office on your student's behalf to confirm your student's Erika coverage.

Payment

Once a bill has been received by our offices or your student, your student may be asked to submit a claim form to Aetna Student Health with a copy of the outstanding medical bill.

 

Ensure your student reviews the doctor’s bill carefully. In the event your student did not pay the copayment up front, or if they had a routine or otherwise non-covered doctor’s visit, they may be receiving a legitimate bill that must be paid.

 

When the bill is for more than the copayment amount, contact Aetna Student Health at 1-800-783-7447 to be sure they have received the invoice and that the condition is covered. Otherwise, the doctor will expect payment and may start sending collection notices. To prevent this from happening, students should contact Aetna Student Health immediately if they receive a bill.

 

Send a copy of any medical bills to your IEC so they can provide assistance as needed.

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© EF Education First 2011-2021. EF High School Exchange Year is operated by EF Educational Foundation for Foreign Study, a non-profit corporation designated by the U.S. Department of State to operate a J-1 student exchange program. Note: Featured photo/videos do not include prospective students, and are representative of program participants.