Why Health Plan
Understanding Student Health Insurance
- Where can I review Policy details before I enroll?
- If I don’t enroll in the student insurance plan during the open enrollment period, can I enroll later?
- What is an Open Enrollment Period?
- What does Hard-Waiver mean?
- If I have the student health insurance, but drop out of school, am I still covered? If not, will I get a refund?
- Is a refund available if I enroll in a Medicaid or other plan after I have enrolled in the student plan?
Enrollment Questions
- How do I enroll?
- What if I do not meet the Hard-Waiver Student Eligibility?
- What is Automatic Enrollment?
- I am automatically enrolled but I am being told I do not have coverage.
- Does my coverage expire upon graduation?
- Can I enroll my family members in the student insurance plan?
- What’s my coverage period or effective date?
- What will I receive to prove I have coverage?
- Can I sign up for monthly payments?
- Is a refund available if I enroll in a Medicaid or other plan after I have enrolled in the student plan?
- Qualifying Life Event
- I had a baby/I got married/I aged out of my parent’s health insurance/etc. and need to enroll.
Waiver Questions
- How do I complete the waiver?
- When can I waive?
- I submitted a waiver that was approved but the charge is still showing on my student account.
- I cannot find my approval email regarding my submitted waiver.
- I missed the Waiver deadline but I still need to waive.
Using your Student Health Insurance
- If I am ill or have an accident, what should I do?
- What should I do if the SHC is closed or I’m away from school?
- What if I need to be admitted to a hospital?
- How do I know if something’s covered?
- How can I find a preferred provider?
- What’s the advantage of seeing a preferred provider?
- Are preferred providers just located in the area around my college campus?
- Which pharmacy can I use to fill my prescription?
- When scheduling an appointment, should I tell the provider’s office that I have insurance from UnitedHealthcare StudentResources?
- Am I covered for health care while studying or traveling abroad?
Claims
- Do I have to submit a claim form?
- If I am in an accident or I have an injury, is there a special form to complete?
- I want to make sure I provide all necessary information so my claim can be processed as quickly as possible. What do I need to do?
- If I’m covered under my parent’s insurance as well as the student health insurance plan, which company should I submit a claim to first?
- How can I check the status of a claim?
- Where do I send claims?
- What if I need someone else to call in about my claims?
Customer Service
- If I have questions about enrollment, qualifying life events, or waivers who should I contact?
- If I have question regarding benefits, claims, change of address, ID cards, My Account, or any other general questions where should I contact?
- What services are provided online?
Parents
Why Health Insurance
- Why do I need Student Health Insurance?
- You may think now isn’t the time to care about health insurance. After all, you may have tuition, books, and rent to worry about. But since an unplanned illness or accident may happen any time, now’s the perfect time to consider health insurance. Your school-sponsored plan meets the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Most of the plans offered by UnitedHealthcare Student Resources International are Gold or Platinum-level plans, but at lower-than-average premiums. According to comparison data from the 2013 Employer Health Benefits Survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, there’s a good chance your student plan is more affordable than being added as a dependent on your parent’s plan or purchasing individual insurance through a Health Insurance Marketplace (also called an Exchange).
- Who is required to purchase health insurance?
- Each school establishes a statement of eligibility that outlines who must enroll in the Student Health Insurance, or otherwise show proof of comparable coverage. Visit your school page by selecting it from the drop-down menu on the upper right side of this page and select Enroll Now to view eligibility requirements. Statements of eligibility can be found in full in your student brochure.
Understanding Student Health Insurance
- Where can I review Policy details before I enroll?
- Policy brochures for schools can be found by simply clicking the selecting your school from the drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner of the site. This will take you to your school’s landing page. On the left side of the page is where you’ll find links to review your school’s brochure and flyers. The documents are stored as Adobe Acrobat .pdf files for easy reading and/or printing.
- If I don’t enroll in the student insurance plan during the open enrollment period, can I enroll later?
- You can only enroll in the plan during the designated open enrollment period. The exception to this is if you have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). To enroll due to a Qualifying Life event, please Contact Us.
- What is an Open Enrollment Period?
- The open enrollment period is the period of time you can enroll yourself, and if applicable, your dependents, into your School’s Student Health Insurance Policy. For open enrollment dates and deadlines, select your school from the drop-down menu on the upper right side of the page. From there, select “Enroll Now – Health Insurance” on the left-hand side. You can find enrollment information, instructions, and deadline here.
- What does Hard-Waiver mean?
- Hard waiver eligibility is defined by each school. Be sure to reference your school’s brochure to be sure you meet these requirements. Hard-Waiver students must enroll in their school’s policy or Waive out of their school’s policy by providing proof of comparable coverage.
- If I have the student health insurance, but drop out of school, am I still covered? If not, will I get a refund?
- Insured students who withdraw from school after the first 31 days of the policy period remain enrolled in the plan for the full period for which the premium was paid. R refunds are only made in the case of an insured student entering the U.S. Armed Forces, or if eligibility requirements are not met.
- Is a refund available if I enroll in a Medicaid or other plan after I have enrolled in the student plan?
- No, coverage under the policy may not be cancelled. Refunds are only made in the case of an insured student entering the U.S. Armed Forces, or if eligibility requirements are not met.
Enrollment Questions
- How do I enroll?
- Select your school from the drop-down menu. Once at your school’s landing page select “Enroll Now – Student Health Insurance”. Verify that you meet the eligibility requirements for Hard-Waiver Students. Proceed to the enrollment Instructions below. Click the “Enroll Now” button on the page and follow the on-screen instructions.
- What if I do not meet the Hard-Waiver Student Eligibility?
- If you do not meet the eligibility requirements of your school, you will not be able to enroll through the Hard-Waiver portal. Check your school’s enrollment page for Voluntary enrollment information. Not all schools offer voluntary enrollment.
- What is Automatic Enrollment?
- For students who meet the Hard-Waiver Student eligibility and do not waive out of coverage, or do not meet coverage standards are automatically enrolled into the Policy. Automatic Enrollment does NOT occur until after the Enrollment/Waiver deadline. Students will be back dated to the start date of their school’s coverage. Students who wish to begin using their insurance immediately should follow the enrollment instructions.
- I am automatically enrolled but I am being told I do not have coverage.
- Automatic enrollment does not happen until AFTER the Enroll/Waiver deadline. In order to activate your insurance and begin using it you must enroll yourself in coverage online.
- Does my coverage expire upon graduation?
- Your coverage continues to the end of the coverage period for which you have paid the required premium. So, if you graduate early, your coverage continues to the expiration date of the paid-for policy period.
- Can I enroll my family members in the student insurance plan?
- You may be able to enroll dependents. Refer to the plan brochure on this website to determine if this is an option at your school. If it is, the enrollment form will show you how dependents may be added as well as the costs associated for adding dependents.
- What’s my coverage period or effective date?
- Upon submission of your online enrollment, you’ll receive an email with the subject line of “Insurance Enrollment Completed”. The effective dates of coverage are included in that email. If you didn’t receive that email, or misplaced it, simply login to your My Account From there, click on the link “Current Coverage Information” in the View My Information box. The link will display all necessary coverage information. Please note that for most policies coverage is effective the date enrollment and premium is received by the company or its representative or the effective date of the coverage period purchased, whichever is later.
- What will I receive to prove I have coverage?
- You will receive an email with a link to download your electronic insurance ID card. You can then access your card from your computer, or with our free UHCSR app, from your mobile device. If you need to access covered services prior to that, have your health care provider call our Customer Service number (found in your plan brochure) to verify coverage. Please note that an ID Card is not a guarantee of coverage. All claims must be evaluated for benefits.
- Can I sign up for monthly payments?
- No, there are no options for monthly payments.
- Is a refund available if I enroll in a Medicaid or other plan after I have enrolled in the student plan?
- No, coverage under the policy may not be cancelled. Refunds are only made in the case of an insured student entering the U.S. Armed Forces, or if eligibility requirements are not met.
- Qualifying Life Event
- If you have lost coverage, through no fault of your own, you may be eligible to enroll in your school’s policy. See below:
- Qualifying Life Events include:
- Acquiring a new family member
- Marriage/Civil Union
- Divorce
- Loss or change of Job
- Expiration of Benefits
If you and/or your dependents meet the requirements for a Qualifying Life Event, you will need to provide the following:
- Proof of qualifying life event/proof of involuntary loss of coverage
- The exact date of loss of coverage
- Enrollment Form
- Payment
All documents and payment must be received within 30 days of the qualifying life event. After 30 days, the student or dependents will no longer be eligible to enroll in the plan, until fall of the following school year.
Contact us immediately to begin enrollment under a Qualifying Life Event. Please include the exact date of your loss of coverage.
- I had a baby/I got married/I aged out of my parent’s health insurance/etc. and need to enroll.
- Please see above for Qualifying Life Event Information.
Waiver Questions
- How do I complete the waiver?
- Select your school from the drop-down menu. From your school’s landing page click the Waive Your School’s Insurance link in the left bar navigation. Once on the waiver page, verify that you are a hard-waiver student. Students who do not meet hard-waiver eligibility are not automatically enrolled in the policy and do not need to waive out. Hard-Waiver students should have a copy of their current insurance card and other relevant coverage material to answer the waiver questions. Click on the “Waive Now” button and follow the on-screen instructions.
- When can I waive?
- Students must waive their school’s coverage during the open enrollment period. Waiver deadlines can be found under each school on the waiver page. If you do not submit and approved waiver by the waiver deadline you will be automatically enrolled and charged for the coverage.
- I submitted a waiver that was approved but the charge is still showing on my student account.
- First Student does not handle charges to the student account. You must contact your school directly regarding these charges.
- I cannot find my approval email regarding my submitted waiver.
- Approval and Denial emails are generated only once. First Student strongly encourages all students to print this email and save it in a secure place as they cannot be re-sent.
- I missed the Waiver deadline, but I still need to waive.
- If you have missed the waiver deadline you will be automatically enrolled in the student health plan. The student health plan cannot be canceled or refunded once enrollment takes place. The only exception is upon entry to the armed forces.
Using your Student Health Insurance
- If I am ill or have an accident, what should I do?
- If this is an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If that’s not the case, and your school has a Student Health Center (SHC), you should go to the SHC. That’s your most cost-effective solution. To seek care from another preferred provider, your school may require you to get a referral from the SHC first. Check your plan brochure to see if that applies to you. Of course, if your school does not have a SHC and it’s not an emergency, your best option is to search for a preferred provider in the area. We make this easy with either the search options within your My Account or on your school’s page on this website.
- What should I do if the SHC is closed or I’m away from school?
- Our plans include a national network of health care providers. You can use the provider search features on your school’s page on this website to locate preferred providers in your area. Almost all of our plans also include Global Emergency Services when you’re traveling out of the country. Please refer to your plan brochure for details.
- What if I need to be admitted to a hospital?
- Some of our plans do have a pre-admission notification requirement. Please refer to your plan brochure to see if this applies to you. Of course, in an emergency, this doesn’t apply.
- How do I know if something’s covered?
- Please refer to the Schedule of Benefits in your plan brochure to see what services are covered by your plan. You should also review the Exclusions and Definitions sections for additional information. If you still have questions, call 1-800-505-4160.
- How can I find a preferred provider?
- A provider can be found by using the links on your school’s page on this website (in the section entitled “Find a Doctor, Hospital, or Lab”) or from within your My Account.
- What’s the advantage of seeing a preferred provider?
- UnitedHealthcare Student Resources International has negotiated special rates with our preferred providers, thus saving you money. You don’t have to see a preferred provider, but going out of the network will cost you more.
- Are preferred providers just located in the area around my college campus?
- Most of our plans come with a national network of health care providers. So whether you’re at school, at home, or even enjoying spring break, odds are you’ll find preferred providers in the area.
- Which pharmacy can I use to fill my prescription?
- You can search for a network pharmacy on your school’s page on this website under “Prescription Drug Information” or from within your My Account.
- When scheduling an appointment, should I tell the provider’s office that I have insurance from UnitedHealthcare Student Resources International?
- Yes, when you schedule an appointment, let the office know who your coverage is with, as well as your policy number and group name (found on your ID card). With the UHCSR mobile app, you can also email or fax a copy of your ID card to the provider.
- Am I covered for health care while studying or traveling abroad?
- Most of our school plans include Global Emergency Services from UnitedHealthcare Global (previously named FrontierMedex) that includes medical assistance services, medical evacuation and repatriation services, as well as travel assistance service. Please refer to your plan brochure to determine whether it includes this coverage.
Claims
- Do I have to submit a claim form?
- Not with most policies, but please refer to the Claims Procedures in the policy for specific information regarding your plan. If your policy does require a claim form, you’ll find one on the Forms page on this website.
- If I am in an accident or I have an injury, is there a special form to complete?
- Yes, log into your My Account page and click on “Accident Details Forms” in the navigation menu. Complete the online form and submit it.
- I want to make sure I provide all necessary information so my claim can be processed as quickly as possible. What do I need to do?
- Log into your My Account page and make sure UHCSR has all your correct information. That would include answering the questions about “Other Insurance.” Even if the student plan is your only plan, you’ll need to use the “Add Other Insurance” link and certify you don’t have another plan. Also, go into the “My Personal Information” screen and Email Preferences” and verify we have your correct email, mailing address, date of birth, etc. All of this information is critical in case we need to contact you in order to process your claim quickly.
- If I’m covered under my parent’s insurance as well as the student health insurance plan, which company should I submit a claim to first?
- This varies depending on how your school’s plan is structured. In general, you should submit claims first to your parent’s plan, and submit any outstanding balances to the student health insurance plan. Be sure to submit the claim along with the Explanation of Benefits from your parent’s plan to UnitedHealthcare Student Resources; P.O. Box 809025; Dallas, Texas 75380-9025.
- How can I check the status of a claim?
- Log into your My Account page and select “View My Claims” in the navigation menu. From there you can see both completed claims and claims in progress. You can also use the mobile app to view the status of claims processed within the past 60 days.
- Where do I send claims?
- Log into your My Account page and you’ll see a section headed Policy Information. Under that is a link called “View Claims Address”. Clicking that will display the correct address for processing claims (including a fax number if you prefer to submit your claim that way).
- What if I need someone else to call in about my claims?
- Only the insured member can access secure health care information contained within the My Account. If you need someone else to call in on your behalf, you can simply login to My Account and select the Personal Representative Form (PRA), then complete it for the caller prior to them calling our Customer Service. A PRA form is also available on our website. Please allow 48 hours if we’re receiving the PRA form via mail, fax, or email.
Customer Service
- If I have questions about enrollment, qualifying life events, or waivers who should I contact?
- Please email customerservice@firstriskadvisors.com or contact us.
- If I have question regarding benefits, claims, change of address, ID cards, My Account, or any other general questions where should I contact?
- Please call 1-800-505-4160.
- What services are provided online?
- We understand you live in a digital world, so we’ve made several handy self-help features available both online and via our free UHCSR mobile app. With the mobile app, you can view, fax, or email your electronic ID card, check the status of recent claims, search for a preferred provider, and set up your My Account page. Via your My Account page, you can do all that and more. For instance, you can review your plan coverage (including effective and expiration dates), update your personal information, view Personal Representative Forms, submit an Accident Details Form, see your coverage history, and get information about any value-added benefits available on your plan. In your My Account Message Center, you can see any documents we’ve sent to you.
Parents
- Why do I have to fill out a Personal Representative Authorization Form (PRA) to speak to a representative about my child’s health insurance?
- HIPAA law requires authorization in order to discuss any personal health information with anyone other than the insured. This includes waiver and enrollment information
- My child is covered under my health insurance, please waive them.
- Only the student may way coverage through the waiver site. We cannot process any waivers outside of the system. Nor can we disclose your student’s credentials for you to complete the process on their behalf.