Study abroad in Italy - legal and medical issues?

My kid got quite sick while studying abroad in Eastern Europe. Her program included medical insurance in the cost of the program. We had to pay her medical bills up front (she travelled with one of our credit cards that had no foreign transaction fees) and the program’s insurance reimbursed us once we submitted the bills to them. They reimbursed 100% of the costs which is more than our insurance would have paid if she had gotten sick here. Make sure your D gets and saves receipts if she gets sick.

Best advice, make sure you and she have read through every word of the information provided by her program and that you have easy access to it (know where it’s saved on your computer) should anything happen and you need to look at it. This really helped when my D needed care. She should have a credit or debit card for easy access in case of emergency. You both should know how your cell phone plan works internationally. She should know the laws of the place she is studying—hopefully her program provides an orientation that covers this stuff as well. And then don’t worry too much. In all likelihood she will have a great experience.

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Thank you both!!
My D is going to see a travel agent soon - hopefully they can advise that beautiful Santorini is worth a trip!

Parentof2014grad - I hadn’t thought about the possibility of upfront payment of medical bills. I’ve had to do that w/one of my medical providers here in the US - it’s been an unending problem trying to get compensation back. I’ll ask about that specific aspect. Glad your daughter was okay!

Insurers do vary. Our BCBS does provide coverage—up to the “customary and reasonable charges” for similar treatment in the US. Many insurers have geographic limitations for coverage.

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