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International:
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Becoming a Patient
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The following five steps have been designed to best coordinate your child's care and your family's visit to Children's and Boston. Please review each step and should you require additional information or assistance, please contact the International Center.
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Step #1 | Step #2 | Step #3 | Step #4 | Step #5
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Every appointment request begins with a complete review of your child's current medical status. To begin the medical review process, you will need to fill out the International Patient Registration Form. This form must be returned with your child's current medical history summary (no more than 30 days old), and copies of all pathology, laboratory, surgery or diagnostic imaging reports. We ask that all information be provided in English. If this is not possible, please be aware that having these documents translated at Children's will lengthen the time needed to evaluate your child's appointment request.
If this is an oncology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, or other medical service review which requires a Children's Hospital Physician to evaluate pathology slides or imaging films from another hospital or clinic, there are both hospital and physician costs associated with this review. The International Center will advise you in advance of the estimated costs associated with these services.
Once the required information has been received by the International Center, we will forward all materials to the appropriate consulting physician. Consulting physicians are experienced Children's attending physicians who hold faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School. The review process generally takes 5 to 7 working days, but can take longer. Once the review has been completed the International Center will contact you or your physician at home with the opinion and if appropriate, a tentative plan of care recommended by our specialists. Please note that a confirmed treatment plan can only be provided at the time your child is examined in Boston by a Children's Hospital specialist.
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Based on this initial treatment recommendation, the International Center staff will prepare a Medical Services Cost Estimate which details the estimated charges for both hospital resources and the physicians involved in your child's tentative plan of care. When possible, we will provide information regarding any potential additional costs such as medical equipment and supplies, pharmacy items, or outpatient therapy. If requested, staff also can advise you on availability and costs associated with hotel or temporary housing in Boston, as well as transportation in and around the city.
Please note:
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- The Medical Services Cost Estimate is NOT a packaged price arrangement, nor does it represent the actual costs of diagnostic evaluation and subsequent treatment.
- The proposed plan of care can change once your child has been examined at Children's, and, can change even during the actual treatment process. The Medical Services Cost Estimate will be revised according to the Physician's treatment recommendations and any changes which apply.
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It is essential to understand that Children's Hospital Physicians and staff work as a team to provide you and your family with the most accurate medical and financial information possible. However, in most cases, it is impossible to identify all the factors that can impact your child's diagnosis and subsequent treatment recommendations, or to understand the complexity of the disease or condition, until the your child is examined by a Children's Hospital Physician.
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Once you have received the recommended plan of care and associated Medical Services Cost Estimate, the International Center will work closely with you to:
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- Review the costs identified with the proposed treatment plan;
- Verify your insurance coverage and identify any restrictions, limitations, or co-payments required, or;
- Obtain the appropriate Letter of Guarantee from your sponsor.
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The Letter of Guarantee or proof of insurance coverage must be provided to the International Center at least 5 days in advance of your child's first visit.
If you do not have insurance coverage or sponsorship that can be verified, you will be required to pay the Medical Services Cost Estimate in advance of your child's first appointment. The full estimate is required 5 days in advance of your child's first visit. If you are not prepared to pay the full estimate amount 5 days in advance of your child's first visit, any scheduled appointments may be postponed or cancelled.
If you are receiving services in the Cardiovascular Program, the full estimate is required 10 days in advance of your child's first visit. Scheduled appointments may be postponed or cancelled if you do not pay the full estimate 10 days in advance.
To further facilitate the financial process, Children's accepts United States bank checks, wire transfers, cash, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express). If you have questions regarding payment instructions, please contact the International Center at 617-355-5209.
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Once the financial screening requirements have been met, the International Center staff will confirm all scheduled appointments. Your first appointment will always be with the International Center. When possible, it is best to schedule this appointment the day before your first clinical visit. This allows the International Center staff to provide you with an updated schedule of all appointments, an orientation to the hospital and the International Center, information regarding the services we provide while you are in Boston, and to identify any special needs not previously known.
To assist us in preparing for your visit, please complete and return our Medical Release Form. You must submit this written permission before we can release your health information.
The International Center will remain your primary contact throughout your stay in Boston. At the time of your first visit, an international patient representative will be assigned to you and your family. Your patient representative will provide an orientation to the hospital, complete your child's registration process, inform you of special services, and answer any questions you may have. You also will be introduced to a financial counselor who will serve as your contact for all financial issues for both Hospital and all Physician providers.
As your child progresses through the evaluation and treatment process, all additional Physician appointments, outpatient visits or hospital admissions will be coordinated through your representatives in the International Center.
The International Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. On weekends and after normal business hours, there is a dedicated voice mail system. This line is always checked the following business day.
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To help you prepare for your visit, the International Center provides many support services to make your visit to the United States and Children's as simple and easy as possible. These services include: VISA preparation, air travel arrangements, housing accommodations, and airport assistance.
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