Student Health Insurance

by Erin Murtha, Program Assistant

&

Donna Curtin, Student Health Insurance Office Manager

The University of Illinois provides two ways that your son or daughter can seek medical attention at an affordable cost. One way is by providing access to the McKinley Health Center and the other is by offering the Student Health Insurance. It is important to note these services are completely separate and one does not depend on the other. While the two services complement each other; there are two separate fees; one for the McKinley Health Center and Counseling Services, and one for the Student Health Insurance Plan. Both of these fees are automatically assessed in your student's tuition bill.

Each semester that your student is registered and assessed fees; they will be charged the two fees. At the University of Illinois there are three semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer. If your student is enrolled during all three semesters they are covered year-round, including semester breaks. If your student is not enrolled for a semester, then they will not be assessed the McKinley fee or the Student Health Insurance fee and will not have coverage. However, a one semester extension of coverage can be purchased for both or one service during a specific timeframe each semester. Please check the Student Health Insurance's website at www.si.uiuc.edu for more information on the Student Health Insurance Extensions.

Student Health Insurance Plan

The undergraduate fee for Student Health Insurance for the 2006-07 school year is $180 per semester and rates might likely increase for the 2007-08 school year.

The Student Health Insurance plan allows an insured to go to any doctor, any hospital, anywhere around the world. There are no networks to worry about; no pre-existing conditions, no pre-authorization restrictions, no age limit or emergency status requirements to go to the emergency room. This plan is contracted with Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS), which many times provides an excellent discount. The student can check on the Student Health Insurance's website to find a PHCS provider; however every claim is screened to make sure a discount can be given. If a PHCS provider is not used, the insured is not subject to a reduction in benefits; the benefits remain the same, just with no added enhancement of the discount. Also included in this plan is a prescription discount card that can be used nation wide. Students do not have to be a full-time student in order to have the insurance. This is extremely important for those students who become ill or injured. Many times students who are recovering from an illness or injury reduce their class load or withdraw from the university for a semester in order to maintain a good grade point average and remain in good standing with the university. This plan is designed for students, therefore if a student withdraws from classes; coverage will be continued to the end of the semester. The student can then extend coverage by applying for an Extension. Even if the student is only taking one class they can be covered by the plan. Most employer plans only cover students if they are registered in full time status; which is usually not the case when a student is under medical treatment.

It is important to know that there are exclusions and limitations in the Student Health Insurance policy. For example, the plan does not cover injuries sustained while a participant is intoxicated. It does however, cover expenses due to an alcohol related illness. Intoxication is defined and determined by the laws of the state where the loss or cause of the loss was incurred. A full explanation of exclusions and limitations can be found in the Student Injury & Sickness Insurance Plan brochure that is available on the Web site.

For a complete explanation of benefits, please see the Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan brochure, available on the Web site. If you have trouble viewing this information, your student may stop by the Student Health Insurance Office to pick up the brochure, or call the office and ask to have a booklet mailed to you.

Your student's insurance card is located inside the brochure; page three of the online version or inside the front cover of the printed version. This document is the official card that your student should bring with them when seeking medical attention. The pharmacy discount card will be mailed directly to the student's campus address.

The university recommends that all students remain enrolled under the Student Health Insurance plan. However, if you believe that your private medical plan is sufficient, you may apply for an exemption from the fee. This can only be done during the Enrollment/Change Period for the semester you are wishing to exempt. Check the Student Health Insurance homepage for dates. Before you decide to apply for an exemption be sure to ask your health insurance company the following questions:

• Is there a full-time student status requirement for coverage under your current health insurance?
• Is the Champaign-Urbana area included within your health insurance carrier's benefit coverage area?
• Does your other health insurance carrier provide out-of-area coverage only in case of emergency care? If so, how do they define an emergency?
• Do you have a deductible? How much is it? Is the deducible per injury or illness?
• To what age limit can students be covered under your current health insurance plan?
• Does your health insurance carrier require pre-authorization for services before benefits will be allowed?

Exemption from the Student Health Insurance is permanent. Reinstatement back into the plan is not guaranteed. There are only two ways in which your student can reinstate their plan:

• Change of Status Reinstatement

• Students who are in an exempt status from the Student Health Insurance Plan and want to be reinstate the Plan must apply by providing proof of loss of other insurance. This must be done within sixty-three (63) days of loss of other insurance. The student must be registered and able to be assessed the Student Health insurance fee.
  

• Open Enrollment Reinstatement

Students who are in an exempt status from the Student Health Insurance Plan, and have not lost their other insurance or if it has been more than sixty-three (63) days from loss of other health insurance, and want to be reinstated the Plan, must apply during the Enrollment/Change Period for the semester the reinstatement is requested. A one year pre-existing clause applies.

If you have further questions the following resources will be of help for any questions you might have:

Student Health Insurance Website
Phone Number: (217) 333-0165
Email: insure@illinois.edu

The office will be happy to answer any questions you have, however they CANNOT discuss any specific information about your student due to the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Your student will need to contact the office for any information that is specific to them or if they need to apply for an exemption or extension. Fortunately, the office is very experienced in working with students, especially those who have had little or no experience in dealing with insurance policies. The most important thing you can do as a parent is to communicate with your student and help them to understand the proper steps they need to take when working with the Student Health Insurance Office.