NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY International Student Management Office Fellows Handbook (Revised February 2019) Fellows: Welcome to Washington, D.C., capital of the United States of America. This beautiful city is the core of American government, and it serves as a world- renowned educational center as well as a diverse cultural hub. The staff at ISMO encourages you to enjoy your stay here as you experience politics, history, science, sports, art, and more. Fort Lesley J. McNair, home of the National Defense University (NDU), is ideally situated in the heart of Washington, D.C. for you to experience all of these things. Information about NDU can be found at www.ndu.edu; information about ISMO can be accessed at ismo.ndu.edu. This handbook is designed to ease your transition into the NDU educational program for which you were personally selected. We have provided important information about housing, transportation, identification documents, and basic living needs. Please read it thoroughly. Unfortunately, no handbook can contain all of the information that you will need, but you can talk to the staff, consult local directories, or use the internet to find anything other information that you may need. The most rewarding source of information about the D.C. metro area, and about America in general, is the population that surrounds you. Get to know your fellow students and neighbors, make acquaintances, and share experiences. They can give you suggestions about how to make the most of your experience in the USA. We encourage you to explore Washington, D.C. for yourself. It is our hope that you will leave America with an appreciation for its tremendous strengths and an understanding of its shortcomings. We are confident that your experience will be a great one. We are excited to assist you and your families to make your visit a memorable one. Sincerely, The ISMO Staff 3 Table of Contents Maps .............................................................................................................. 8 Washington, District of Columbia, USA .......................................................... 12 Military ID Cards ........................................................................................... 14 Medical and Dental Care .............................................................................. 18 Military Health Care .............................................................................................................. 18 Fort McNair Military Health Care ........................................................................................................ 19 Civilian Healthcare .................................................................................................................... 19 Medical Transportation Policy ................................................................................................... 19 Should Dependents Go to Military or Civilian Hospitals? ......................................................... 20 Local Pharmacies ..................................................................................................................... 20 Emergency Rooms (ER) ........................................................................................................... 21 Civilian Urgent Care .................................................................................................................. 21 Make a Medical Appointment ................................................................................................... 21 FOR FELLOWS: ..................................................................................................................................... 21 FOR DEPENDENTS: .............................................................................................................................. 21 Paying Medical Bills .............................................................................................................. 22 FOR FELLOWS: ..................................................................................................................................... 22 FOR FAMILY MEMBERS: ...................................................................................................................... 22 Dependent Medical Insurance ........................................................................ 24 Authorizing Dependents on the ITO ......................................................................................... 24 Pre-Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................ 24 DSCA Minimum Requirements for Medical Coverage .............................................................. 24 Dependents with Special Medical Coverage: RHCA, PFP, SOFA, NATO Coverage ............... 25 Additional Notes: ................................................................................... 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Pregnancy Regulations ............................................................................................................. 25 Other Important Considerations Regarding Healthcare in the U.S. .......................................... 26 Traveler’s Medical Insurance Policy Options ............................................................................ 27 Traveler’s Insurance Policy List: ............................................................................................... 27 Advice & Frequently Asked Questions: .................................................................................... 29 Understand the terms of your policy. ................................................................................................. 29 Before you have a procedure. ............................................................................................................ 29 4 Lowering Prescription Cost. ................................................................................................................ 30 Medication and Pre-existing Conditions. ............................................................................................ 30 Emergency treatment. ........................................................................................................................ 30 Verifying your Bill Amount. ................................................................................................................. 30 Urgent Care. ........................................................................................................................................ 30 Appeals. ............................................................................................................................................... 30 Frequently Asked Questions: .................................................................................................... 30 Transportation .............................................................................................. 33 Public Transportation – The Metro ..................................................................................... 33 Fares and Schedules ............................................................................................................................ 33 Peak Fare ............................................................................................................................................. 33 Off-Peak Fare ...................................................................................................................................... 34 Passes .................................................................................................................................................. 34 Getting to Fort McNair via Metro ............................................................................................... 36 Metrobus & D.C. Circulator ....................................................................................................... 36 Biking ........................................................................................................................................ 36 Capital Bikeshare...................................................................................................................... 36 Taxi Services ................................................................................................ 36 Ride-sharing Apps (Uber, Via, and Lyft) ............................................................................ 37 Buying a Car ................................................................................................ 38 Vehicle Registration and Car Insurance .................................................................................... 39 Car Insurance ........................................................................................................................... 42 Renting a Car ............................................................................................................................ 43 E-ZPass - Electronic Toll Collection ......................................................................................... 44 HOV- High Occupancy Vehicle Lane ........................................................................................ 45 Obtaining a Driver’s License ........................................................................ 46 Finding Housing in Washington, D.C. ............................................................. 48 Types of Housing ..................................................................................................................