Health Insurance
International students should note that in addition to tuition, fees, room
and board, and living expenses, they will have to pay for health
insurance. US law requires universities to verify that international
students on a J-1 visa (and their J-2 dependents) have health insurance
before allowing them to enroll.
The federal government does not require students on an F-1 visa to
have health insurance, but the school may set its own requirements.
Many schools require all international students to have health
insurance, regardless of the type of visa.
If health insurance is required, it must meet certain minimum
standards set by the United States Information Agency (USIA). These
standards include:
- Maximum deductible of $500 per accident or illness.
- Medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness.
- Repatriation benefits of at least $7,500.
- Medical evacuation benefits of at least $10,000.
- Co-insurance not to exceed 25% of the covered
medical expenses.
Your school will probably offer a group health insurance program to
students who do not have their own health insurance. Typically the
insurance will cover hospital care and doctor fees with a deductible
and 20% co-payment. A $250 deductible means that you pay the first
$250 in medical expenses. A 20% co-payment means that the insurance pays
80% of the expenses above the deductible, and you pay
20%. Prescription drugs might not be included, and there may be a
small fee for doctor visits. Details, of course, vary from school to
school. Contact the school for information about their health
insurance programs and requirements.
There are a variety of student health insurance programs that are available to
international students:
- Academic Risk Management
offers the International Student Health Insurance Plan. Their plans
meet the F-1 and J-1 regulations and are affordable. For more
information, call 888-308-7320, fax 817-421-9432, or send email to
marketing@academicrisk.com.
- Student Insurance Division (SID)
offers a variety of student health insurance programs, including
several that are open to international students. For example, they
offer a health
insurance program for graduate and professional school students
that is endorsed by the NAGPS. For more information, call 1-800-237-0903
or send email to info@sid.com.
- Rust
and Associates Premier International Health Insurance Plan. For
more information, call 1-800-336-0747, fax 1-515-292-7684, or
send email to rust.assocs@ames.net.
- Insurance for Students, Inc..
For more information, call 1-800-356-1235 or send email to
ifs@insuranceforstudents.com.
- Time Insurance Student Select.
For more information, call 1-800-296-6565.
- Champion Insurance.
Champion Insurance provides short and long-term health insurance for
full-time students at US colleges and universities, including
international students and their dependents, temporary health
insurance for recent US graduates, and health insurance for US
students for study or travel abroad.
For more information, call 1-410-879-4577, fax 1-410-836-7441, write
to Champion Insurance, PO Box 1050, Bel Air, Maryland 21014-7050,
or send
email to info@champion-ins.com.
- CNA Cultural and Educational Exchange International Student Insurance Program
Although it is possible to purchase dental insurance coverage, most
schools do not include dental coverage as part of the school's health
insurance program. So you will probably have to pay for any dentist
bills yourself. If your school is located near a dental school, the
school may offer a low cost dental clinic where dental students treat
patients under close supervision of dental professors. If you want to
know the locations of nearby dentists, call 1-800-DENTIST (1-800-336-8478).
Finding a Doctor
If you need help finding a doctor, call the campus health center. You
should receive a list of local doctors that participate in your health
insurance program when you enrolled. But the health center can help
you narrow the list. For example, ask them if they know which doctors
speak foreign languages. You can also ask friends and fellow students
for recommendations.
Culture Shock
One consequence of traveling to another country is culture shock. The
stress of a new situation, confusion due to language difficulties, and
a myriad of small cultural differences add up to culture shock. You
might feel depressed, be homesick for your country and family, have
difficulty sleeping or concentrating, and avoid contact with
others.
If you experience these symptoms, try talking to someone. Talk to the
international student advisor, a friend, the staff at the campus
counseling center, or your neighbor. It also helps to participate in
activities you enjoy. Write a letter to your family back home. Take a
walk in the park. Read a book. Watch a movie. Eat a good meal at a
fancy restaurant. Visit the museum or an art gallery. Play a game with
some friends.
