No, the AmeriCorps Healthcare Benefits Plan is not insurance rather it is a self-funded plan, which means that it is paid for by AmeriCorps, with funds appropriated by the Congress. The approved benefits are paid directly by AmeriCorps. There is no insurance company involved.

VISTA members who maintain qualifying health coverage during their service term may enroll in the AmeriCorps VISTA Healthcare Allowance. This allowance is a supplemental healthcare allowance program that covers out-of-pocket costs associated with healthcare. Out-of-pocket expenses may include: your annual deductible, coinsurance, copayments, other qualified medical expenses as outlined by your primary health plan and/or basic dental or vision plans. The Healthcare Allowance will help offset these expenses up to the ACA Maximum out-of-pocket amount set for the year your service term began ($8,150 for an individual if service began in 2020).

Below is some general information in regard to health insurance that you may hold at the present time:

• Family healthcare coverage: If you are 26 or younger and on a parent's plan, or married and covered by a spouse's plan, you may continue this coverage during your term of service. You can even remain on your parent's plan if you are married, not living with your parents, attending school, or not financially dependent on your parents.
• Healthcare coverage purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace: Every state has a Health Insurance Marketplace where you can shop for coverage and find out if you qualify for lower costs. You may be eligible to purchase a private insurance plan or enroll in Medicaid on https://www.healthcare.gov.
• Medicaid or Medicare healthcare coverage, or military healthcare benefits: For those already receiving or eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, or military healthcare benefits, you may still receive those benefits during your year of service.

Upon entry into AmeriCorps VISTA, all members are required to make a plan selection by completing the Member Enrollment Form in its entirety denoting any other healthcare coverage on Section 3 of the form. Please note, you will not have active coverage and your claims will not be processed without your plan selection. Please continue to update this form if your other health coverage changes during your service term.

If you have primary insurance and are under the AmeriCorps Healthcare Allowance Plan, you MUST present both ID cards to each provider you visit. Your Allowance Plan benefit is secondary therefore the provider will know how to submit the claims.

If you are under the AmeriCorps Health Benefit Plan, when visiting an in-network medical, dental or vision provider or pharmacy, present your Benefit ID card allowing the provider to bill IMG directly.

Members are automatically mailed a card upon enrollment into one of the AmeriCorps VISTA Health Programs. If you need a replacement card, you can print a card from your MyIMGVISTA account. You can also contact International Medical Group via email at vistacare@imglobal.com or call toll free at 855.851.2974, if you require a new hard copy sent to you.

Please contact International Medical Group, the health benefits administrator toll free at 855-851-2974.  The Customer Service team will be on hand to assist you Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm EST.  You may also send any email inquiries to vistacare@imglobal.com or chat with a representative during normal business hours via live chat by clicking the chat button on the right side of the page.

No. It is important that the contact information you have on file with AmeriCorps is consistent with the contact information stored on file in your MyIMGVISTA account. In order to update your name or address, you must make the edits through your My AmeriCorps Portal at https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do.

Yes. International Medical Group has representatives that speak various languages, including but not limited to Spanish.  When calling the toll free number, 1-855-851-2974, you will be prompted to select option 2 to continue your call in Spanish.   Forms and guides are also available in Spanish on the website.

A PPO is a network of health care providers that have agreed to participate in the AmeriCorps VISTAHealth Benefit plan. These providers bill the plan directly, will not require payment in advance from you (except for the $5 co-pay), and have agreed to a pre-determined fee for all services. Using the PPO can save you money. If you do not go to a provider in the PPO network, you will be responsible for paying the difference between what the provider charges and what is a “usual and customary” fee for that service.

If the doctor is in the network, they are required by contract to see you as a member of the network. If you find a network provider refusing to see you because they are denying participation in the medical network, please contact International Medical Group immediately. Please note that appointment availability is based on a physician’s schedule.

No. The health care plan does not cover pre-existing conditions.

A pre-existing condition is any physical or mental condition or illness for which medical treatment was given, or a diagnosis was made, on or before the effective date of coverage. If you have received medical attention for any physical or mental illness or condition before entering AmeriCorps, treatment of that illness or condition is your responsibility; treatment for that illness or condition is not a covered benefit.

The AmeriCorps VISTAHealthcare Benefits Plan is not insurance, but rather it is a basic health benefit package; the plan does not cover pre-existing conditions or routine physicals. It was designed by the Corporation for National and Community Service, and is paid with tax dollars, designed to cover newly diagnosed and acute conditions while in service.

Yes, it would include conditions for which you were diagnosed in the past but not had recently, however acute conditions (such as the flu or a UTI) are looked at as a new occurrence each time and not as a pre-existing condition. For questions about specific conditions or situations, please contact International Medical Group Customer Care directly.

Please refer to the Prescription Coverage questions below.

Most medications are covered as long as it is not on the drug exclusion list. There is a $0 copay on covered generic medications, $5 copay on covered brand name medications, and a $0 copay on covered brand medications with no generic equivalent.

The pre-existing clause does not apply to prescriptions; however there is a non-covered drug list in the AmeriCorps VISTA Health Benefit Member Guide ; please review this list to ensure your prescription will be covered (not all pre-existing medications are covered).

Insulin, lancets, alcohol swabs and test strips are covered. Insulin pumps, supplies for insulin pumps, and insulin pump cartridges are not covered.

It is preferred to use mail order for maintenance medications to save the program money, although it is not required; additionally, mail order will allow a 90 day supply. You can fill any covered medication at a retail pharmacy however you will only be able to get a 30 day supply at a time.

Yes, prescription contraceptives and birth control are covered; for prescription copays please see “Does International Medical Group pay for 100% of our prescriptions?”

No. Any over-the-counter drug that can be bought without a prescription is not covered.

Yes. In order to claim the flu shot costs, you will either need to have the medical provider submit the medical claim for you or (if you paid out of pocket) fill out the claim form available online yourself and attach the receipt; please ensure completed claim forms are mailed or submitted through your on line MyIMGVISTA member login to International Medical Group for reimbursement. Remember - always keep copies for your own records.

Yes, one annual GYN exam with Pap test is covered per service year.

Yes, one bone mineral density test is covered per service year for women 65 years of age and older.

Yes, one mammogram is covered per service year for women 40 years of age and older.

No. AmeriCorps does not cover tests for family history; these are considered routine.

No, not if you visit a network provider; network providers should send International Medical Group a claim on your behalf and should only charge you the initial copay of $5 for office visits.

The blood test would not be covered if anemia is pre-existing; routine labs are not covered. Please refer to the Member Healthcare Guide for more information.

As long as it is documented that: the visit is not for a pre-existing condition is a newly diagnosed condition, and a covered benefit under the plan, the visit should be covered. If you wish to discuss your specific situation, please contact International Medical Group.

Yes. AmeriCorps VISTA Plans offer coverage for dental emergencies. Some routine dental services are covered up to $1000 per Service Term. For more information on eligible dental benefits, please contact International Medical Group (IMG) at 1-855-851-2974, email Vistacare@imglobal.com or by clicking the live chat feature on this site.

A routine vision exam and pair of glasses or contacts are covered up to $200 per service term. For more information on eligible vision benefits, please contact International Medical Group (IMG) at 1-855-851-2974 or visit americorpsvista.imglobal.com

Yes, you are covered by worker’s compensation if you are injured in the line of duty. If you are injured or experience an emergency illness related to your service assignment, your supervisor must be notified immediately; your Project Leader will be able to instruct you on how to file for a worker’s compensation claim.

AmeriCorps members are considered employees of the federal government for purposes of coverage under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), which is administered by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). FECA provides compensation benefits for an illness or injury if it is judged by OWCP to be service-related (i.e., caused or aggravated by the performance of a member's assignment).</u">

Coverage by FECA begins for AmeriCorps VISTA members after they are enrolled (sworn in) in the program and for AmeriCorps NCCC Members the date they arrive on campus for training.

Members are not covered by FECA if the injury or disability results from your own misconduct, intoxication, or willful intent to bring about injury or death to yourself or others.

Benefits approved under FECA begin after termination from AmeriCorps service.

If you are injured or experience an emergency illness related to your service assignment, your supervisor (this would be your Project Supervisor as well as the CNCS State Office) must be notified immediately. To protect your right to apply to OWCP for compensation, you need to complete the form (CA-1 or CA-2); forms are available for VISTAs from the CNCS State Office.

• The CA-1 form - Notice of Traumatic Injury, should be filed when an accident or physical injury occurs during performance of duties.
• The CA-2 form - Notice of Occupational Disease or Illness, should be filed when a disease or illness is suspected of being caused by job performance.

Completed forms should be forwarded to your CNCS State Office for submission to OWCP.

Since worker's compensation will not begin until your service ends, you should also submit any claims or necessary documents (to include an IMG Injury and Accident Form) to the AmeriCorps Healthcare Administrator, International Medical Group, as soon as possible.

Physical therapy for an injury is covered as long as it happened while in service and is prescribed by a physician. The prescription for physical therapy must be on file at International Medical Group. Your AmeriCorps Healthcare Benefit coverage ends on your last day of service so if you require continued coverage for an injury after service (and the injury happened while carrying out duties as an ACTIVE AmeriCorps Member), you must go through the Department of Labor’s Office of Worker’s Compensation for support. Please see section below on how to file a worker’s compensation claim.

No, they are considered two different types of facilities.  Emergency room should only be used for true medical emergencies.

No, it is considered routine.

No, they are specifically excluded under the plan.

You should call them directly; you do not need a prescription.

For all questions related to allergies, please refer to the Member Healthcare Guide. Any services for the treatment, including tests, surveys, injection medication and treatment are not covered. This exclusion does not include emergency treatment due to an allergic reaction, which is covered.

Yes, your benefits cover you during your extension.  Please note – you are not covered during times you are not considered an active AmeriCorps member.

To access your EOB, simply log into your account via MyIMGVISTA, the website designed to allow you secure access to your health benefit plan and claim information.

A medical bill is a statement sent to a member from a provider or hospital. A medical claim is a standard form submitted by a provider or hospital directly to an insurance company or benefits manager for processing. This standard format is commonly known as a CMS 1500 form- the approved form by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) which all providers in the United States must use.  International Medical Group cannot pay a provider by using a member statement or bill; providers must submit all claims in the standard CMS 1500 format either on paper or electronically to International Medical Group for consideration.

If you receive service for an approved benefit, your claim will go to International Medical Group, Inc., the contractor administering the health benefits plan. International Medical Group pays those claims that are for approved benefits. When a claim is submitted by your doctor, International Medical Group pays the claim according to the guidelines established by CNCS in the Member Healthcare Guide.  International Medical Group is responsible for:

• Determination if the claim is for an approved benefit;
• Payment of the claim or denial of the claim;
• Appeals and;
• Customer service. 

Call International Medical Group, the health benefits administrator toll free at 855.851.2974.

You are responsible for your health care and for making sure that the treatment you are seeking is a covered benefit; you are also responsible for ensuring that all the information required to pay your bills has been forwarded to the proper place. You should not assume that information will automatically be sent to International Medical Group by your provider and you should not assume that your bill will be paid automatically. If you are having problems getting a bill paid, it is your responsibility to work with the provider and International Medical Group to make sure that all required information has been sent to International Medical Group. 

You should call the provider for further information. The most common reasons for this are:

• No claim was ever sent in - verify that the provider sent a claim to International Medical Group;
• The doctor or hospital is billing you instead of sending the bill to International Medical Group - verify that a claim has been submitted to International Medical Group;
• The claims administrator, International Medical Group, has asked the provider for more information concerning your claim before it can be paid - verify that the provider has sent the information requested.  To find out more, you may also ask the provider to read you the Explanation of Benefits they received from International Medical Group;
• International Medical Group may be waiting on information from you like an injury form, Coordination of Benefits form, or a prior treating physician list;
• You were treated for a pre-existing condition - the health benefits plan specifically excludes pre-existing conditions, you are responsible for paying the entire claim;
• You received care that is not a covered benefit - check the Member Health Care Guide. 

• Examine the reason given for the denial carefully by reading the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) available in your MyIMG VISTA account. 
• Check if a form is required from you; you can find this information by reading the remark code on the bottom of the EOB. 
• Ask the doctor or office manager why the claim was denied.
• Review the Member Health Care Guide; if you believe the claim should be paid according to the Member Health Care Guide, you can appeal the decision.
• Call International Medical Group for Assistance.

You are responsible for paying the claim. 

Yes.  Please let International Medical Group know immediately. 

No, you are not eligible for COBRA. COBRA applies to group health care plans in the private sector. The AmeriCorps VISTA Health Benefit Plan is not a group health care plan as defined in the COBRA law and AmeriCorps is not a private sector organization.  For more information on possible healthcare options to you upon completion of service, please see www.healthcare.gov .