International Student Health Insurance for University of North Florida
July 28th, 2017 by Jacqueline Schultz
University of North Florida Insurance
Founded in 1969, The University of North Florida (UNF) is settled in Jacksonville, FL on 1,300 acres of land. While campus is minutes away from the beach, students have over 200 campus clubs they may choose to join and includes amenities like group fitness classes, a rock climbing wall, fine arts events, and much more. In addition, students have the option to take courses in a wide array of topics from business to education to athletic training!
UNF Health Insurance Requirements
Before you register for classes, the University of North Florida requires international students purchase health insurance. UNF gives international students the option to waive their school’s health insurance by finding a comparable plan and submitting a waiver form found here. The university asks that you allow one week for the waiver to process once you have submitted this waiver form. To meet UNF’s requirements, please review the following summary of what they require.
- $200,000 minimum coverage
- 80/20 coinsurance in-network & $100 maximum deductible
- Inpatient & outpatient mental health coverage
- Maternity coverage
- Prescription medications
- Medical evacuation/repatriation of remains
- Provides continuous coverage with no lapse in the policy
Insurance Plan Options
Our Student Secure -UNF plan has been designed to meet and exceed the requirements for international students at the University of North Florida.
If you have any questions about which plan is best for you, please feel free to contact our office.
Updated July 29, 2020
School insurance plans or my own insurance – which is better?
July 14th, 2017 by Ross MasonWhen looking for insurance coverage as an international student in the USA, there are often a few options for you to consider. The three most common ones are outlined in our “School health insurance in the US” insurance explained article – but basically it boils down to a school mandated plan offered by your school, a school sponsored plan (also offered by your school), or the option to choose your own plan.
Check our school requirements page to find the plan your school accepts
With a school mandated plan, you have no choice but to take your school’s insurance plan. It is often included in the cost of your tuition, and you are automatically enrolled into it when you start classes.
With a school sponsored insurance plan, your school might allow you to purchase your own insurance coverage, but that plan will often need to meet certain benefit levels before it will be accepted. This is known as a waiver or compliance form.
With the third option, you have the freedom to choose any insurance plan, and sometimes that plan will need to meet certain levels of coverage.
When you do have the option to purchase your own coverage, you will need to ask yourself, What is the better option for me? and with this blog post we will outline some of your main considerations.
Benefit Differences
School insurance plans vary, but one thing is for sure, you have no control of the type of plan they offer and the plan benefits. You will also not be able to change, adjust or pick a better plan that is more suited to your needs.
In most cases, schools will always try to offer the best coverage possible, however, when you have high benefit plans (some that could be ACA compliant) this often leads to higher premiums, and sometimes higher out of pocket expenses. You also have to consider that there could be benefits and limitations within the policy that do not meet your needs. Again, you have no control over this.
With purchasing your own insurance plan, your school might define some benefits your plan will need to include, but aside from that, you should have the choice to find a solution that works for you.
Learn more about your school requirements here
There are a number of different options and providers that can offer a range of benefits and lower or no deductibles to suit your needs. In short you will have choice and control to find a plan that works for you, and includes the benefits you want.
Plan Pricing
The cost of your school insurance versus your own insurance plan will probably be a leading factor in whether you opt for one option or another. The cost of school insurance plans keeps going up, especially if you school plan is an ACA compliant plan. While the benefits might be more comprehensive, that has also meant that prices need to rise accordingly to compensate for these plans with better benefits. Some school plans are now costing up to $2,500 per school year or more.
If you purchase a plan on your own, you have the control to find a plan that fits inside your budget. Individual insurance plans that you purchase on your own can be as low as $300 or $400 per school year for the more basic levels of coverage, and then move up from there. This allows you to find a plan that works for your budget and benefit requirements. It may require a little bit of research to make sure the plan is going to work for you, and you are aware of all the benefits and limitations – but it can be a great way to save money!
Personal Situation
While benefits and pricing are a good reason to look at other insurance options, you also have to look at your own personal situation. For example, if you have an existing medical condition, many of the options that you can purchase on your own will not include coverage immediately for that medical condition – they will often have a waiting period before they will cover those benefits.
The Student Secure plan offers coverage for pre-existing conditions after a waiting period on the Budget, Select or Elite levels.
If your school insurance plan is an ACA compliant plan, then these benefits will be covered immediately with no waiting period. So although you might save money with another option, your school’s insurance plan will provide you with the coverage you need.
Another good example is if you are bringing over any family members with you, such as your wife/husband and children (otherwise known as your dependents). Some school plans will not allow you to insure your dependents on their plan, others will. If your school does not allow dependents, then you will need to search out options just for them, which sometimes can be hard to find if you (the primary student) is not insured on the same plan. You will either all need to look for a plan together, or just insure your wife and children on a separate dependent plan.
As you can see, your personal situation might actually drive you towards one plan option or another, and might not actually give you a huge amount of flexibility, even if you did want to choose one option over the other based on benefits or price!
What option is best?
At the end of the day, you will need to weigh your personal situation with the benefits and pricing of school or individual insurance plans to find the right balance. If you are looking to save money, purchasing your own insurance plan is often the best way forward as you have the ability to shop around for the plan that fits in with your needs and budget. However, as outlined above, there could be factors stopping you from doing that such as an existing medical condition or if you are bringing family members with you.
The choice is a personal one, but hopefully this has provided you with some direction and advice on how to proceed. If you do have any questions, please let us know or post comments below.
How to Schedule a Doctor’s Appointment in the US
June 15th, 2017 by Bryanna Davis
You woke up with a sore throat, you can’t seem to pull yourself out of bed and your head is pounding. Although you have a busy day of classes ahead of you, it’s starting to happen: you’re getting sick. Luckily, you purchased health insurance coverage before you even arrived in the US, which means you can visit the doctor and feel better in no time. However, visiting the doctor in a new country is easier said than done. If you’re not sure how to schedule a doctor’s appointment in the US, or how to even find a doctor, following these steps can help simplify the process:
If your plan uses a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) then you will have a list of “in-network” providers to choose from. This list will include hospitals, urgent care clinics, specialists and family doctors, and can typically be found by visiting the insurance company’s website or your insurance agent’s website directly. Before you can find a doctor and make an appointment, you must first know what type of provider is appropriate for your situation. Inside the United States minor illnesses and injuries are taken care of by scheduling a doctor’s appointment or by visiting a walk-in clinic. The emergency room is only utilized in instances of a true emergency, and will often include an additional fee. HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans require that you have one primary care physician that you visit. Unless it’s an emergency, this physician will need to issue you a referral if additional treatment is needed.
Learn more about Insurance Provider Networks here
The next step is to call the doctor directly and schedule your appointment. If your plan uses a PPO, when calling the provider, it’s important to let them know what network your plan is a part of. For example, if you have the Student Health plan you will want to tell the office that your plan is a part of the First Health Provider Network. The name of the network your plan uses can be found within your plan documents or on your insurance ID card.
Make sure you print and bring your insurance ID card with you to your doctor’s appointment. When you arrive at the provider’s office show them your insurance ID card when checking in.
Depending on your plan, you may need to pre-authorize treatment with the insurance company in certain instances, like surgery. This can be done at the time of verifying your coverage, or you can ask your provider to pre-authorize coverage prior to the procedure during your visit.
The claim process can vary from one health insurance plan to the next. However, you can find a good guide to help you through the process of submitting an insurance claim here.
If you still don’t have a plan, you can purchase any of our plans available to you:
| Student Secure | Student Health | Atlas Travel | Patriot Travel |
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| Learn more | Learn more | Learn more | Learn more |
If you have questions about how to choose an insurance plan that best suits your needs or would like to know more about your plan with us, feel free to contact us!
The US Healthcare Video now available in Spanish
June 1st, 2017 by Juncal CaballeroAt International Student Insurance, we are interested in informing and getting you ready before your trip; therefore, we are always coming up with new resources to make the adjustment and understanding process of the new culture easier for you.
For us, it is important to extend these resources and provide them in your native language. That is why we are happy to announce that the US Healthcare Video is now available in Spanish. It includes an overview of how the health system works in the United States and some tips to help you plan your trip better.
The Healthcare System in the United States may seem confusing, but in just 7 minutes you will get a quick overview of how it works and get you ready to start your experience in the United States.
If you would like to show this short 7 minute video to your incoming international students at their orientation, or you would like to include the video on your website – please contact us as we would be happy to provide you with the embedding code.
The Pros and Cons of Buying a Travel Medical Insurance from your Home Country
May 15th, 2017 by Sutherland Beever
While planning a trip abroad there are a wide variety of things to consider: what hotels align best with your budget, how many shoes you can fit in your carry on – and of course, selecting a health insurance plan to help cover any unexpected medical bills you incur while traveling. Wait, that wasn’t on your to-do list?
Don’t worry, we understand that choosing a health insurance policy for your travels is nowhere remotely as interesting as Googling pictures of your travel destination, but it could end up saving you a great deal of time, hassle, and perhaps most importantly, money.
Here are your options:
Option One: Buy a plan from your home country
Option Two: Buy a plan from the country that you’ll be visiting
Odds are, there are countless travel insurance policies offered in your home country and even more offered in the country you’re visiting, so weighing the pros and cons will help you make the best possible decision.
The Pros of Purchasing a Plan from your Home Country
For most of us, this seems like the most comfortable and convenient option for a few different reasons. Firstly, the plan is from your home country, so the policy wording (which is a fancy way of saying the fine print), benefits and assist services will be more familiar to you. Secondly, the assist services will likely be in your native language, so you won’t have to worry about requesting an interpreter when you have questions about claims or seeking treatment, which can be a plus.
The Cons:
Even though a policy purchased from your home country will likely be more familiar to you, it will not be familiar to healthcare providers in the country where you will actually need to use the insurance. This means that it’s unlikely that hospitals or doctor’s offices will accept your coverage and you will need to pay out of pocket and seek reimbursement for any medical bills that you may incur.
This isn’t the end of the world, of course, but it can be a pain point, especially if you had intended on using your cash for more enjoyable activities (remember that long list of fun activities you have planned?). Given that your policy is foreign, it will likely be hard to find in-network providers, meaning hospitals, urgent care centers and doctor’s offices that will accept your plan without forcing you to pay out of pocket.
If you choose to visit an urgent care center or walk-in clinic in the United States either without health insurance altogether or outside of the provider network that your plan works with, not only will you end up paying a much higher cost for the same medical treatment as someone who has insurance or is in-network, but you will also likely have to pay upfront.
To Wrap Things Up:
Whether you are traveling for leisure or work, the last thing that you want to be hassling with on your trip is your health insurance policy, right? Regardless of the company that you choose to purchase the plan from, save yourself some headache and start researching your options early! At the end of the day, the decision is yours but take it from the experts and purchase a travel medical plan from your destination versus your home country.
You’ll thank us later.
I’m Scared to Talk About My Mental Health Issues, What Can I Do?
April 17th, 2017 by Yessica Prato
Imagine waking up one day and not knowing why you feel tired even after a good night sleep. Suddenly, simple tasks like showering, getting ready for classes, or leaving your room seem to require an incredible amount of strength. This could be signs of a mental health condition. As an international student, many factors can affect your mental health. Not only are you exposed to a completely different culture and you are far away from home, but you also have to be mindful of your studies.
In the United States, mental health conditions have become an important health issue for society. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 5 adults in the US experiences mental health illnesses. Unfortunately, in many other countries, mental health is very much tabooed and professional help may be limited. In some countries, seeking mental health assistance means embarrassing your family or even breaking up your personal relationships.
If you are scared to talk about your mental health issues, it is important to know that you are not alone in this journey. Mental health conditions are real ailments. There are many resources out there to assists you and treat any mental health illnesses. With this article we have 4 tips to help you prepare for the mental health conversation and what will come next.
Do some research
Ask yourself, “how am I feeling today?”. It may sound silly, but this question can give you an overview on your mental health. If you notice changes in your everyday routine like lack of sleep, loss of appetite, or loss of interest on things you loved to do before, it is time to have an honest conversation about your mental health. Read about mental health and familiarize yourself with terms like depression, anxiety, and cultural shock. Don’t try to self-diagnose, instead do try to educate yourself about mental health. This will make the next step easier.
Find a person you trust
Mental illness can be a hard subject to approach for anyone. Nevertheless, sharing how you feel is a great step in the right direction. This will help you feel like some of the weight is lifted off your shoulders. Choose a family member, friend, or counselor and tell them how you feel privately. Remember, school counseling services are safe places, and anything you tell a counselor is private and protected by privacy laws in the United States.
Check your campus resources
Many schools in the US offer counselling services for their students, and they are often free or offered at a low-cost. This is a great place to start if you don’t know where to go or who to contact. You can also go to your student health center and talk to a primary care physician about how you are feeling. They can recommend places off campus like psychologists or psychiatrists offices that could aid you during this time.
You are not alone!
As lonely as you may be feeling, it’s important to remember that a lot of students struggle during college. With the stress of classes and being away from home, it is okay not to feel well. Therefore, you will have to advocate for yourself because only you know how you feel. There are many resources like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can contact them at 1.800.2738255 and you can remain anonymous and talk to someone completely for free. In addition, you can join support groups on campus to help you with the difficulties of being in a different country.
The key here is to not give up on yourself. There are many people willing to help you and resources that you can use privately. Regardless of whether you have a mental health or substance use condition, you can overcome these issues and be successful in school. If you’d like to learn more about mental health, please visit our insurance explained section on mental health.
Travel Medical Insurance Plan Updated for 2017
April 3rd, 2017 by Ross Mason
Good news! Our Travel Medical Insurance plan has been updated and upgraded for 2017. The enhancements to the product include:
- New $2,000,000 policy maximum option
- Addition of chiropractor care to physical therapy benefit – $50/day
- Waive $50 Urgent Care Facility co-pay for those purchasing a $0 deductible plan
- Vantage America drug discount card for policies with U.S. as a destination
- No changes in rates!
The new plan changes went live on April 1st, and you can purchase and quote online to see the new options.
About the Travel Medical Insurance Plan
Available from 5 days up to 364 days for those traveling to the USA and for US Citizens, and for up to 365 days (with renewability up to 3 years) for those non-US Citizens who are not traveling to the USA. It covers a range of benefits including hospitalisation, doctors visits, prescription medications, emergency evacuation, repatriation, emergency reunion and more. You can find a full list of benefits available on our website.
The plan is ideal for students, and non-students who are looking for short to medium term travel medical insurance coverage covering a range of benefits. It is also an excellent plan for families, or dependents, and when both parents are insured on the plan you can include 2 children 9 and under for free!
If you have any questions the plan, or would like to receive a free quote – please do not hesitate to contact our team.
Medical Checklist Before You Travel to the USA
March 2nd, 2017 by Leah Hammond
Studying in the United States can be a once in a lifetime experience, but preparing for your time abroad can also be a stressful and overwhelming process. Between getting your visa processed, booking your plane ticket, preparing to start classes and setting up your living arrangements, there are many things to remember when planning for your time in the United States.
Taking care of your health before you leave your home country is one of the most important things to remember, but with so many things to do, it’s not always a priority. There are some simple things you can do before arriving in the US to make your life much easier, and with some advanced planning, you can prevent having to pay out of pocket for medical expenses that are not covered under your international student insurance plan.
Watch our US Healthcare System overview video
To help you get started, follow this medical checklist before you travel to the USA to ensure a stress free time abroad!
Before traveling to the United States, it is important to go to your doctor for a general check up to make sure that you are in good health and that your immunizations are up to date. Most schools in the US require specific immunizations before you can enroll in classes, and it is usually more cost effective to take care of these before you have departed your home country. The most common vaccinations that most colleges and universities require international students to have include the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella), as well as a Tuberculosis Screening.
Get a quote for the Student Secure Elite which offers coverage for vaccinations
Remember that each school is different, so you will want to check with your school to ensure that you are meeting the necessary requirements!
Routine dental care in the United States can be very expensive, and is typically not covered under your international health insurance plan. Before coming to the US, take the time to go to your dentist for an annual cleaning.
Some international health insurance plans, like the Student Secure plan, will offer limited coverage for dental treatment due to accident or to alleviate pain, but standard routine cleanings and procedures are normally excluded from coverage and would be an out of pocket expense for you in the US.
Eye examinations are also typically not covered under international health insurance plans, so we would suggest getting your vision checked before your arrival in the United States. This is especially important if you have prescription glasses or if you wear contacts. You will want to make sure that you have at least one pair of your prescription glasses with you (a back-up pair is always a good idea!), and at least a full year’s supply of contacts.
If you are planning to stay abroad for at least a year and would like to explore the pricing of a plan that could cover a vision exam and some money to get a replacement pair of glasses check our Global Medical plan which gives you the option to purchase additional coverage for Vision and Dental.
Most international health insurance plans do not cover pre-existing conditions right away (if at all). This means that any medications that you are prescribed before the start date of your insurance plan will likely not be covered! Before leaving for the United States, you should ask your doctor to prescribe a longer supply of your medication to take with you while you are in the US.
As mentioned, most international health insurance plans do not include coverage for pre-existing conditions. Just like with prescription medication, if you know of any big procedures, like a surgery, that you need to have prior to the start date of your insurance plan, it would more than likely fall under the category of a pre-existing condition and would not be covered. Any major procedures should be taken care of before you leave your home country, as major medical treatment can be very expensive in the United States.
Learn more about coverage for pre-existing conditions here
Following these steps will make your time in the United States much less stressful, as you won’t have to worry about potentially paying for uncovered medical expenses. We know that health insurance in the United States can seem complicated, which is why we’ve created a short video overview to help you navigate the US Healthcare system as an international student.
Top Questions International Students Have About the ACA
January 10th, 2017 by Jennifer Frankel
Even if you now know what the ACA stands for (Affordable Care Act), you still might be filled with questions about what it means for you as an international student. In today’s blog, we are going to explore the top questions international students have about the ACA.
1. What is the Affordable Care Act?
The Affordable Care Act is legislation that essentially overhauled the US health insurance and health care systems. It required US carriers to offer plans to US citizens/permanent residents that have “essential health benefits”. These benefits are often costly causing insurance under the ACA to soar as high as 25%. With the goal to insure every US citizen and permanent residents, the IRS institutes a tax penalty for those who do not have a plan that is ACA compliant.
2. How does the ACA impact international students?
If you are an international student in the US, chances are it won’t affect you at all. If you are an international student on a F1 or J1 visa and have been in the US for less than 5 calendar years, then you are exempt from the ACA and can choose any plan you’d like (as determined by you and your school). If you have been in the US for longer than 5 calendar years, then you’ll have to look at your taxes. If you are a non-resident alien for tax purposes, then you are exempt from the Affordable Care Act and it’s up to both you and your school to determine what insurance plan you will have. If you are a resident alien for tax purposes, you will be required to purchase an ACA compliant plan, otherwise you’ll be subject to the tax penalty.
3. What’s the difference between a non-ACA and ACA plan?
ACA plans are required to have “essential health benefits” which provides coverage for:
- Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital)
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
- Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
- 100% Birth control coverage
- Breastfeeding coverage
In addition to these benefits, plan must offer unlimited coverage and cover pre-existing conditions from day 1. Because these plans on the exchanges are extremely comprehensive they tend to have high deductibles oftentimes starting at $1,000, and they also have a high price tag as well. Most international student plans are not ACA compliant so they will often have a maximum coverage (often ranging from $100,000 to $500,000), have a waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered, and are designed to cover new accidents and illnesses that occur on the plan. They typically have low deductibles often ranging from $25 to $250, and also are low in cost (often less than $1,000).
4. Which plan is right for me?
For most international students, the need is quite simple: an affordable plan that covers accidents and illnesses that could happen while studying in the US. If you aren’t sure which option is better for you, you’ll want to consider:
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- How much are you looking to spend on your insurance plan (premium)?
- How much can you afford to pay out of pocket when seeking care (deductible/coinsurance/copay)?
- Do you have a pre-existing condition that will require continuous care beyond the medications you bring from home?
Just looking at these questions will help narrow down your options as to whether an ACA or non-ACA compliant plan would be best suited for you.
5. Where can I get more information on the ACA?
If you have more questions on the ACA, please be sure to check out our article on the Impact of the ACA on international students as well as this article which talks more specifically on international students and the ACA. You can also go directly to the source and learn about how it affects you at Healthcare. gov.
If you are trying to decide on your options, it can be quite complicated. Be sure to contact our Customer Service Representatives with any questions you have, as we are always happy to help guide you so that you can make the best decision regarding your health insurance needs. You may also want to keep in mind that this could all change with the new Trump administration. As changes are made, we will of course keep you updated.
Two Insurance Plans: A Good or Bad Idea?
December 15th, 2016 by Bryanna Davis
More is always better, right? When it comes to the number of insurance plans you have, that’s not always the case. If you’re considering buying two (or more) health insurance plans here are a few things that you need to keep in mind.
Why consider buying two insurance plans?
A few common scenarios as to why international students and scholars feel the need to buy more than one plan include the following:
1. A plan was already purchased but will not meet all federal or school requirements.
2. You don’t think the plan options available to you have enough coverage.
3. The plan that you have doesn’t cover a condition that just developed.
Let’s dive into each of these situations in greater detail.
- A plan was already purchased but will not meet all federal or school requirements.
First and foremost, check the cancellation policy of the plan you already have if it doesn’t meet your needs. Some plans will allow you to even cancel for a full refund if you do so before the start date, so check the cancellation policy and check it as soon as possible. If cancelling your plan isn’t an option, then exploring other plans that specifically cover the benefit you need is. However, it’s important that you do not buy two primary plans, or two secondary plans (plans that are run after the primary) that have the same coverage- this could cause problems down the road if you need to file a claim. For example, perhaps you’re trying to meet the federal J visa insurance requirements and your current plan does not have emergency medical evacuation or repatriation of remains coverage. Since your current plan will cover your other medical needs (like hospitalization) you’ll want to find a supplemental, stand-alone plan to cover the evacuation and repatriation. - You don’t think the plan options available to you have enough coverage.
If you find a plan that you like and are wondering if you can buy two of them so you can double the coverage- unfortunately not. The same is true if you find two different primary or two different secondary plans that you like and want to buy. If you do find two plans that you like it’s fine to purchase them if one plan is a primary plan (meaning it’s the plan that the provider will run first), and the other plan is a secondary plan (meaning it’s the plan that the provider will run if there are any remaining expenses). - The plan that you have doesn’t cover a condition that just developed.
If you already have a condition, whether officially diagnosed or just symptoms of, it’s a pre-existing condition. This means if you buy a plan specifically to cover a pre-existing condition you need to make sure it covers pre-existing without a waiting period. Keep in mind that it will be difficult to find a plan that covers pre-existing conditions without a waiting period and plans that do will be very expensive. It’s best to buy a plan that can cover potential items (like a sports injury or a pregnancy) before they happen.
If needed, having two insurance plans is an available option if one plan is a primary and the other a secondary. However, it’s best to find one solid plan that has the potential to cover what you need.
