Student Health Insurance FAQ
Student Health Insurance FAQ provides general answers of frequently asked questions in international student health insurance. It should be noted that there are differences between plans and that they all do not function in the same way. Please refer to individual insurance policy brochures and/or policy/certificates of insurance for complete details about each insurance plan.
International Student Insurance FAQ
- What are the eligibility criteria for purchasing International Student Health Insurance?
- Are dependents of student’s eligible for coverage?
- May I purchase Student insurance if I am already studying outside my home country?
- Will proof of insurance be mailed to me?
- How soon will the coverage begin?
- My school requires an Insurance Compliance Form or a Waiver Form to be completed as proof of my insurance. Can you complete this form for me? What should I do?
- May I renew my policy if I extend my stay in my country of study?
- May I go to any doctor or hospital, or must I use my school’s Student Health Center or a preferred provider from Study USA-HealthCare’s network?
- Is a network provider located in my area?
- How will I receive care at In-Network level if there are no Network providers in my area?
- Will my Study USA-HealthCare policy cover me if I travel outside the U.S.?
- Does Study USA-HealthCare cover pre-existing conditions?
- Does Study USA-HealthCare cover pregnancy?
- What should I do if I want to change the policy effective date after I have submitted my Enrollment online?
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What are the eligibility criteria for purchasing International Student Health Insurance? |
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Foreign students studying in the U.S. under age 55 who have a valid visa status in the U.S. and are registered and engaged in academic activities at a US school, college or university.
U.S. registered students studying outside the U.S. under age 55 who are registered with a U.S. school, college or university and engaged in academic activities abroad (excluding home country). |
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Are dependents of student’s eligible for coverage? |
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Yes. Dependents (spouse and/or child under age 18) of enrolled students may apply for insurance with the student, or within 31 days of birth, legal adoption, marriage or arrival in country of study. If your dependents are not eligible for Student insurance, they may enroll in one of our other plans for people outside their home country. |
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May I purchase Student insurance if I am already studying outside my home country? |
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Yes. You may purchase Student insurance regardless of how long you have been studying outside your home country, as long as you fulfill the eligibility requirements described earlier. |
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Will proof of insurance be mailed to me? |
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Yes. After your enrollment is processed, your Certificate of Insurance will be mailed to the mailing address you specified while enrolling. |
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How soon will the coverage begin? |
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The coverage will come into effect as early as the following day after you complete your enrollment online, provided you correctly complete your Online Enrollment and correct payment is received. |
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My school requires an Insurance Compliance Form or a Waiver Form to be completed as proof of my insurance. Can you complete this form for me? What should I do? |
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You should first purchase the international student Insurance. After your purchase (enrollment) is complete, simply fax your school’s Compliance or Waiver Form to us. We will complete it and we’ll fax it back to your school for you. |
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May I renew my policy if I extend my stay in my country of study? |
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Yes, as long as you fulfill one of the eligibility requirements described above. Send the appropriate premium with another completed enrollment form within 30 days following the end of the first coverage period to avoid a lapse in coverage. Alternately, you may complete and return a renewal form that will be mailed to you one month prior to your current certificate expiration date. The Study USA-HealthCare is renewable up to a total of 48 months. |
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May I go to any doctor or hospital, or must I use my school’s Student Health Center or a preferred provider from Study USA-HealthCare’s network? |
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For Foreign Students Studying in the U.S.: You may choose any of these. If you choose choose to be seen at your Student Health Center when it is equipped to treat your condition, you will receive the in-network benefit and also your deductible for such incidents will be waived. For other incidents, if you use a doctor or hospital in Study USA-HealthCare’s large preferred provider network, MultiPlan, Inc., you will pay a lower deductible and reach your plan limits more slowly than if you go outside the network.
For US Registered Students Studying Abroad: Outside the U.S., Study USA-HealthCare does not have a Preferred Provider Network. You may choose to be seen at the Student Health Center or at another doctor or hospital and receive the in-network benefit. If you go to the Student Health center when it is equipped to treat your condition, your deductible for such incidents will be waived. You may also use any doctor or hospital of your choice. The Emergency Assistance Company can help you locate a doctor or hospital in the country where you are studying. |
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Is a network provider located in my area? |
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Most likely. For a complete listing of MultiPlan Network participants please contact MultiPlan, Inc. at 800-557-6794 or visit www.multiplan.com. |
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How will I receive care at In-Network level if there are no Network providers in my area? |
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If there is no MultiPlan provider qualified to provide the care needed within a 50 mile radius of your residence, you may choose to be treated outside the Network by a non-MultiPlan provider. In this situation, benefits will be paid at in-network level. |
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Will my Study USA-HealthCare policy cover me if I travel outside the U.S.? |
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Yes. Study USA-HealthCare covers the Insured worldwide, except in your country of permanent residence, as long as you fulfill one of the eligibility requirements described above. |
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Does Study USA-HealthCare cover pre-existing conditions? |
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Sometimes. Pre-existing conditions are defined by the policy as “an injury, illness or condition which was contracted or which first manifested itself, or for which a licensed physician was consulted; or for which treatment or medication was prescribed, within 12 months prior to the effective date of the Covered Person’s coverage under this Program.
Pre-existing conditions shall be excluded from coverage for a period of 12 months following the effective date of coverage under this program unless stipulated by State or Federal regulation. A Covered Person must be continuously insured. The maximum amount payable for a Pre-existing condition is $10,000.” See Study USA-HealthCare’s complete list of exclusions. |
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Does Study USA-HealthCare cover pregnancy? |
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Yes, it covers the pregnancy of an Insured student or enrolled Spouse if the pregnancy begins during the coverage period. It does not cover the pregnancy of a dependent child. |
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What should I do if I want to change the policy effective date after I have submitted my Enrollment online? |
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Please send any corrections to us in writing by email, fax or mail and we will confirm the changes. When sending correspondence, please include a daytime phone number and reference your Online Order Transaction number. |
U.S. Student Studing Abroad Insurance FAQ
- How does the Student Select medical Insurance satisfy the needs of college students?
- If I apply for an insurance plan from your site, am I obligated to buy?
- As a parent, should I purchase a Student insurance plan for my child, or cover them through my standard medical plan?
- Who can purchase the Student select health insurance?
- Can I purchase student insurance for family members (spouse and dependents)?
- Are there any network coverage limitations?
- Do I need authorization for availing healthcare services?
- Does the student insurance provide coverage throughout the year, or just during the school term?
- Will I be covered when I go out of state?
- What happens if I transfer schools?
- Will I lose coverage when I graduate or if I leave school?
- When should I apply for student insurance?
- When does my coverage begin?
- How many times can the insurance plan be renewed?
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How does the Student Select medical Insurance satisfy the needs of college students? |
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The Student select medical insurance plan works for students in all of the following circumstances
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If I apply for an insurance plan from your site, am I obligated to buy? |
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No. You are under no obligation to buy a health insurance plan when getting a quote from this web site. After submitting your application you may cancel it at any time. |
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As a parent, should I purchase a Student insurance plan for my child, or cover them through my standard medical plan? |
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The answer depends on your specific circumstances. The following are some factors that might influence you to buy separate student insurance:
Your child is nearing the age at which he or she can no longer be covered under your plan. This is usually around the age of 24 years however do check with your insurance company to find out the specific age limits for your current policy. The cost savings of removing your child from your insurance plan is greater than the cost of the separate Student insurance plan. To determine if this is the case, get a quote on this website for a Student plan for your child, and then compare that to the cost savings of removing your child from your standard medical plan (you may need to contact your insurance company to determine this amount). The HMO or PPO network for your insurance plan does not have physician or hospital coverage in the area around your child’s college. You might not want a separate Student plan if your child has a pre-existing medical ailment. In most cases, expenses relating to pre-existing conditions will not be covered by the Student plan until the policy has been in effect for 12 months. |
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Who can purchase the Student select health insurance? |
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Students till the age of 30 are eligible to purchase the Student select health insurance plan.
The student eligibility requirements are as follows. An eligible undergraduate student is defined as a person carrying at least nine credit hours. If your university follows the quarterly system, please state it in your application along with showing your satisfying the requirements for full-time student status. An eligible graduate student must meet the graduate student guidelines of the college or university for full-time student status. |
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Can I purchase student insurance for family members (spouse and dependents)? |
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The Student Select insurance plan is designed for individual United States students only and does not cover spouses and/or dependents. Student plans do, however, comply with any state requirements for the coverage of newborns.
If you have a spouse who is also a full-time United States student, a separate application can be submitted for that person. |
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Are there any network coverage limitations? |
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You can visit any doctor or hospital you like as the Student Select plan offered by Fortis Health is not an HMO or PPO plan. No referral is needed and no penalty is incurred for out-of-network service. |
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Do I need authorization for availing healthcare services? |
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Yes. The Assurant (formerly Fortis) insurance company uses an authorization service. This ensures that you receive the relevant and cost effective care available. Trained personnel with work with you and the doctors to review the course of treatment and advise you of your eligibility for benefits. The identification card you receive with your student select policy provides a toll-free number for easy access to this service. |
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Does the student insurance provide coverage throughout the year, or just during the school term? |
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The student insurance provides coverage throughout the year, not just when the school is in session. If you leave school, your coverage continues for the remainder of the policy year. This insurance can also be renewed. |
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Will I be covered when I go out of state? |
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The student insurance plan can move with you anywhere in the United States and Canada. |
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What happens if I transfer schools? |
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The student coverage is not tied to any one school and will move with you if you transfer schools. |
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Will I lose coverage when I graduate or if I leave school? |
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No you will not lose coverage as long as you attended school full-time for 31 days after the policy effective date. The Student policy stays with you as long as you need it. |
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When should I apply for student insurance? |
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You can apply as soon as you are enrolled as an eligible student. The policy will be sent out as soon as it is issued. We would prefer that the application not be completed more than 60 days prior to the requested effective date. |
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When does my coverage begin? |
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If you purchase online, using a credit card the earliest your coverage can begin is the day following transmission.
You also have the option of selecting a coverage start date up to 60 days in the future. But please note that the coverage cannot start on the 29th, 30th, or 31st of a month. |
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How many times can the insurance plan be renewed? |
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The student health insurance can be renewed as long as you need it. While most college plans only cover you until you graduate or very shortly thereafter, the Fortis Student select plan site can be renewed as long as needed. |
International Student Insurance FAQ
- What are the insurance requirements specified by the department of state to maintain the J1 or J2 visa status?
- What will happen if I do not comply with the insurance requirement?
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What are the insurance requirements specified by the department of state to maintain the J1 or J2 visa status? |
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The Department of State has established the following requirements for the type and amounts of coverage required to maintain J-1 or J-2 status:
J1 Scholar (Exchange Visitor Visa) Health Insurance policy must provide “medical benefits of at least $50,000 for each accident or illness.” It means that an acceptable policy couldn’t set a maximum lower than $50,000 in benefits for each accident or illness. If a J visa holder dies in the U.S., then the policy must provide at least $7,500 in repatriation benefits to send the remains to the home country for burial. The deductible should not exceed $500 per accident or illness. The co-payment of medical expenses (the portion not covered by insurance that the insured pays him or herself) should be of no more than 25%. If, because of a serious illness or injury, you must be sent home on the advice of a doctor, the policy must pay up to $10,000 for the expenses of your travel. J1 Scholar (Exchange Visitor Visa) Health Insurance policy may establish a waiting period before it covers pre-existing conditions (that is, health problems you had before you bought the insurance), as long as the waiting period is reasonable by current standards in the insurance business. If you elect to satisfy the insurance requirement through a policy issued in your home country, the policy must be backed by the full faith and credit of your government. Otherwise, the company providing the insurance must meet minimum rating requirements established by Department of State (an A.M. Best rating of “A-” or better, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of “A-1” or better, a Standard & Poor’s Claims-Paying Ability rating of “A-” or better, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of “B+” or better). These requirements apply to both J-1 students and scholars and to their J-2 dependent spouses and children. |
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What will happen if I do not comply with the insurance requirement? |
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To underscore the seriousness with which the Department of State views health insurance, the new regulations require your J program sponsor to terminate your status in the U.S. if you willfully fail to comply with the insurance requirement. |
Student Health Insurance FAQ Disclaimer:
Please note that we have tried to answer the questions to the best of our knowledge. We make no guarantee of the accuracy of these answers, as actual answers may change from time to time as insurance companies change their policies or because of any other reason. We will not be liable in any case, for any problem arising out of reading these questions and answers. Please use this information at your own risk. If there is discrpency between the information here and in the actual insurance policy/certificate of insurance, policy /certificate of insurance will override.