16 fam 460
MEDICAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
(CT:MED-50; 06-09-2023)
(Office of Origin: MED)
16 Fam 461 Authority
(CT:MED-41; 03-07-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID/Agriculture/USAGM/Commerce)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees and Civil Service Employees Located in a
Foreign Area)
The authority for this policy is 5 U.S.C. 5927, as amended by Section 337 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, fiscal year 2000.
16 FAM 462 ELIGIBLITY
(CT:MED-41; 03-07-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID/Agriculture/USAGM/Commerce)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees and Civil Service Employees Located in a
Foreign Area)
a. Those persons eligible for medical emergency assistance are U.S. citizen employees who are officially assigned or located outside the United States on U.S. Government authorization, and who require (or have an accompanying family member who requires) specified medical treatment outside the United States.
b. In order for an employee to receive an advance for a family member's medical treatment under this section, such family member must be assigned outside the United States, included on the employee’s travel orders, and in need of specified treatment outside the United States.
c. Other eligible members are nonfamily member U.S. citizen employees hired at post pursuant to Section 311(a) of the Foreign Service Act (22 U.S.C. 3951(a)), i.e., individuals hired under the provision of the Rockefeller Amendment (Rockefeller hires), outside their country of employment, and who require specified medical treatment outside their country of employment.
NOTE: Foreign Service nationals (FSNs) are eligible for medical emergency assistance under 5 U.S.C. 5927. For guidance on the administration of the FSN Medical Emergency Assistance Program, see 3 FAM 7712.3.
16 fam 463 PURPOSE
(CT:MED-41; 03-07-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID/Agriculture/USAGM/Commerce)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees and Civil Service Employees Located in a
Foreign Area)
The purpose of this policy is to provide an advance of up to three months' pay to an eligible employee assigned or located outside of the United States on U.S. Government authorization (e.g., on temporary duty) when the employee or family member must undergo outpatient medical treatment in a foreign area.
16 fam 464 GENERAL PROVISIONS
(CT:MED-41; 03-07-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID/Agriculture/USAGM/Commerce)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees and Civil Service Employees Located in a
Foreign Area)
a. Medical emergency assistance of up to three months' pay may be paid in advance when all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The money is necessary to cover the cost of outpatient medical treatment;
(2) The cost of the treatment exceeds $100;
(3) The money is for treatment where the health care provider requires advance payment or payment at the time of service;
(4) The Department would not otherwise act as a secondary insurer; and
(5) The Department would not otherwise issue a Form DS-3067, Authorization for Medical Services for Employees and/or Dependents, or otherwise advance payment for the treatment.
b. If another medical emergency occurs prior to the time the previous advance is fully paid, the employee will receive only the difference between what currently is owed and the maximum allowable, not to exceed six (6) pay periods. See 4 FAH-3 H-536.3 (Issuing Advance of Pay).
c. Payment under this medical emergency assistance section is administered independently of other advance of pay. For regulations pertaining to nonmedical emergency advances of pay, refer to 3 FAM 3280.
d. There shall be no payment under this subchapter if the expenses in question are paid by the U.S. Government under other authority.
16 fam 465 PROCEDURES
(CT:MED-50; 06-09-2023)
(Uniform State/USAID/Agriculture/USAGM/Commerce)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees and Civil Service Employees Located in a
Foreign Area)
a. Eligible employees (or family members) who require medical emergency assistance will be required to submit to the principal officer, administrative officer or designee at post of assignment or post nearest to treatment, a signed letter from the treating facility/physician documenting the need for outpatient treatment, including anticipated date and estimated cost of care.
b. Upon receipt of this information, the authorizing officer or designee after consultation with a competent medical authority (e.g., regional medical officer, Foreign Service health practitioner, attending physician or nurse, or the Bureau of Medical Services (MED) in Washington, DC), will arrange for and authorize the medical emergency outpatient assistance.
c. If approved, the advance of pay is made directly to the employee via direct deposit if possible. See 4 FAH-3 H-536 (Issuing Advance of Pay).
d. Refer to 4 FAH-3 H-536.3 for requirements to request an advance of pay, calculating the advance, processing the request, issuing the money, etc.
e. An eligible employee who wishes to request another advance payment prior to liquidating a current advance of pay may follow the procedures set forth in 4 FAH-3 H-536.3-4.
f. The information is forwarded to the payroll office for processing.
g. None of the above provisions will limit the principal officer's or management officer's discretion to follow alternative procedures as exigent circumstances require.
16 fam 466 REPAYMENT
(CT:MED-41; 03-07-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID/Agriculture/USAGM/Commerce)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees and Civil Service Employees Located in a
Foreign Area)
a. Repayment of medical emergency outpatient assistance under this section shall be made in accordance with the repayment rules for other types of fund advances. See 4 FAH-3 H-536 and 3 FAM 3280. Repayment of advance of pay for medical emergency outpatient assistance is collected on a biweekly basis through deductions from an employee's salary. The deductions from salary will begin on the pay day that falls during the second full pay period following the pay period in which the advance was paid, as cited in 4 FAH-3 H-536 and 3 FAM 3280.
b. Repayment for medical emergency assistance advances shall be made to the Department of State by payroll deductions in not more than 18 pay periods from the time that deductions commence.
16 fam 467 through 469 unassigned