The University began a new Travel Assistance Program for employees and students effective February 1, 2003. The Travel Assistance Program provides assistance through toll free and collect phone numbers for travel related assistance needs such as medical evacuation and repatriation, worldwide medical and dental referrals, emergency travel arrangements, legal referrals, replacement of lost or stolen travel documents, to name but a few of the many services provided.

The Travel Assistance Program is available to the following two groups of travelers:

1. All faculty and staff traveling on U.Va. business. While there is no cost to the traveling staff or faculty member for this coverage, enrollment is necessary. Coverage can be obtained by contacting the University's Human Resources Benefits Office. Enrollment forms are available on the University Human Resources Links and Forms web page at this address http://www.hrs.virginia.edu/forms.html Click Medexintrodoc.pdf for more information.

2. When a student's school arranges for an overseas trip as part of the student's academic program. There is a fee for this coverage. Any school interested in securing this coverage for a group of students traveling overseas should contact Debbie Hinton, in the Office of Risk Management, at 924-6928, at least two months prior to departure. Students who are interested in securing coverage for personal travel should contact Student Health to obtain information about purchasing coverage through a separately administered program. Students who are interested in participating in a "Study Abroad" program for an extended period of time should contact the International Studies Office.

While the Travel Assistance Program provides assistance in securing medical care, it does not provide payment for medical services. It is recommended that all travelers plan for financial emergencies by carrying a credit card and/or information on who should be contacted in the event it is necessary to make financial arrangements to pay for emergency medical treatment. This is necessary even if your health insurer provides coverage in foreign countries because health care providers in some countries expect payment in advance before admitting or treating patients. It is recommended that schools securing the travel assistance coverage for traveling students collect the financial contact information from the students before departure, in order to provide a source for this information should the need arise. Similarly, staff and faculty members are encouraged to share their emergency financial contact information with the Human Resources Benefits Office during the enrollment process.