The Unwritten Rules of OB Medevac

If you’re preparing for an OB Medevac, you’ve likely already received your cable authorization and begun organizing your return to the United States to deliver your baby. However, beyond the paperwork and plane tickets lies a complex layer of practical logistics for which no official guidebook exists. Drawing on our experience supporting dozens of families through the OB Medevac process, we’ve compiled some key insights into the practical, emotional, and bureaucratic aspects to better prepare every expectant parent.

Many OB Medevac travelers receive lodging guidance that emphasizes government lodging programs, such as FedRooms or GSA Long-Term Lodging. These programs may be useful in certain circumstances, and travelers are often encouraged to consider them first. But that does not mean every listed option will be suitable for an expectant mother, newborn, accompanying family members, pets, medical needs, or a 90-day postpartum stay.

The Federal Travel Regulations state that when travelers are selecting a commercial 

lodging facility, first consideration should be given to Government lodging agreement programs such as FedRooms, NOT that it is mandatory to stay in these accommodations (FTR 41 301-11.6). “First consideration” does not mean no choice. GSA also describes FedRooms as FTR-compliant hotel lodging at or below per diem, while GSA Long-Term Lodging is a federal contract vehicle that gives agencies and travelers access to pre-vetted vendors for furnished apartments and condominiums of 30 nights or more.

The practical takeaway: you should understand the available government lodging options, but you are also allowed to evaluate whether those options are actually suitable for your OB Medevac needs. A place to sleep is not always the same thing as a place to recover, feed a newborn, care for a baby, support a partner or EFM, and live comfortably for weeks at a time. 

One of the most common misconceptions we hear: “I thought we had to stay in a GSA Long-Term Stay Property.” You do not! Your TDY orders allow for commercial lodging, and that includes rental homes—as long as they are federally compliant for reimbursement (which we ensure!). This means you can have the space you need to breathe: a full kitchen, the privacy every new parent deserves, even a personally tailored nursery setup. Many families discover this to be a vastly more comfortable, cost-effective, and livable alternative to spending 90 days confined to a single hotel room or sub-par corporate housing options.

OB Medevac housing is not ordinary TDY lodging. You are preparing for labor, delivery, recovery, pediatric appointments, feeding schedules, sleep deprivation, and possibly an extended stay if medical complications arise.

When reviewing available lodging, consider whether the property truly supports your needs. For example:

• Can you obtain a crib, bassinet, changing table, nursing chair, blackout curtains, or other infant-specific items?
• Are baby furnishings available? Will they be within per diem?
• Are the terms flexible if the baby arrives earlier than expected?
• Are there any properties offered for your TDY location (especially outside of DC), selected on your desire to be near family and an exceptional labor and delivery facility?
• Does it provide enough space for postpartum recovery and infant care?
• Is there a full kitchen?
• Is there laundry access?
• Is the location appropriate for your medical appointments?
• Are pets permitted, if your pet is traveling with you?
• Is the Long-Term Lodging vendor’s contract current with GSA?

This is where many families discover that a conventional long-term lodging program option may not be the best fit. TDY Rentals helps bridge that gap by offering compliant housing with brand-new, personally selected furnishings and baby-specific items tailored to your family’s needs, all within per diem.

If you’re working with TDY Rentals, a portion of your total per diem is allocated toward brand-new, personally-selected furnishings. Think: bassinets, nursing chairs, pregnancy pillows, blackout curtains…a king-sized bed at 38 weeks along! 

You don’t have to settle for used couches or stained pack ‘n plays. You select what you need—we’ll deliver and assemble it.

This is especially important because many traditional lodging options are not designed around newborn care. Even when a property is technically furnished, it may not include the baby items that make daily life manageable during an OB Medevac. TDY Rentals allows families to build a practical, comfortable, baby-ready space while remaining mindful of reimbursement requirements.

If you decide that standard long-term lodging options are not suitable for your OB Medevac, it is wise to keep simple records showing how you reached that decision.

This does not need to be complicated. Save screenshots or notes showing what was available for your TDY location and dates, whether baby furnishings were offered, whether the property terms were workable, whether pets were permitted, and whether the accommodations met your family’s medical and practical needs.

In the unlikely event your lodging choice is later reviewed, this documentation can help demonstrate that you made a thoughtful, good-faith effort to evaluate available options before selecting housing that better supported your OB Medevac.

This one catches families off guard. If you own or rent a home near your assigned medevac location, such as D.C., you are permitted to stay there and still claim reimbursement, but only if you allocate your authorized per diem toward rental furnishings.

This is because you cannot rent your own home…but you certainly can furnish it!

For some families, this can be the most comfortable option of all. You may already have the neighborhood, medical providers, support network, or layout you prefer. TDY Rentals can help you understand how rental furnishings may allow you to use your authorized benefit in a compliant, practical way.

We’ve seen too many families have their reimbursement denied over one wrong receipt—an itemized fee, a formatting issue, a non-compliant vendor. Do not risk it.

Working with a company like TDY Rentals ensures your documents are compliant, organized, and ready to submit. Newborns bring enough surprises on their own; let us eliminate the unexpected when it comes to reimbursement so you can focus on adjusting to this exciting new chapter of life.

This is especially important because certain costs may not be reimbursable depending on how they are listed or structured. Itemized receipts, daily lodging rates, taxes, vendor names, dates of stay, location, and proof of payment all matter. TDY Rentals helps families avoid preventable reimbursement issues before they happen.

You have a lot on your plate. Between prenatal check-ups, the logistics of international travel, and preparing for labor and delivery far outside the normal postpartum realm, you could use some help…especially from experts specializing in the OB Medevac field.

Whether it’s securing compliant housing, choosing baby-specific furnishings, documenting why traditional lodging options may not meet your needs, or making sure your receipts are airtight, TDY Rentals is uniquely qualified to support OB Medevac families like yours.

Our OB Medevac Program is designed specifically for expecting Foreign Service mothers and EFMs, with fully furnished, pet-friendly temporary housing, customizable baby furnishings, and support aligned with 16 FAM 300 per diem reimbursement guidelines.

Visit: https://tdyrentals.com/qualifying-programs/new-parent-program/