Health Insurance and Your Off Campus Program

FOR Fall 2012

Due to recent changes in federal healthcare requirements and the changes Willamette will be making in its student health insurance offerings, we are in the process of implementing a new policy for study abroad health insurance. These changes were communicated to students during their mandatory Health and Safety meeting just prior to spring break 2012. You can see an explanation of the new policy here. The Health Insurance Information sheet that students will complete is located on our "Accepted to Study Abroad" webpage here in the Predeparture Forms section.

Insurance Requirements

Required coverage for off-campus programs

As a student participating in a Willamette Sponsored program you are required to have health insurance that covers you for the duration of your program. This health insurance must be valid in your country (or state) of study as well as all of the countries that you will be visiting while outside of the United States during your program. Under the new study abroad health insurance policy, programs that fall into category "A" or "B" will still require that program's specific insurance. Students in category C will be automatically enrolled in the Study Abroad Health Insurance through the Office of international Education. Additionally, students in all three categories have the option to enroll in the Study Abroad Health Insurance that is available through the Office of International Education as a second insurance. All students who will study abroad on a Willamette Sponsored Study Abroad Program will complete a Health Insurance Information sheet during the pre-departure process. That form will tell our office how each student will meet the health insurance requirements and what coverage they will have while abroad.

Each Willamette Sponsored Program treats insurance differently. Consult the Willamette Sponsored Programs Cost Matrix on your Program page for insurance information. Your program will fall into one of these categories:

A) include health insurance automatically at no extra cost;

B) require the purchase of specific health insurance- billed and paid as per the program provider (not Willamette University) or host university's instructions;

C) require health insurance, but not require you purchase a specific program insurance. In this case the Office of International Education will automatically enroll you in a health insurance plan designed specifically for study abroad students. You will be billed for the cost via your Willamette Student Account.

Students will have health insurance coverage in at least one of the three ways listed above. Students are also required to have Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation coverage.

Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation

Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation coverage is required of all study abroad participants. This coverage is IN ADDITION to health insurance coverage, however, Willamette University students on Sponsored Programs automatically receive Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation coverage as long as the student has health insurance that includes these items above below:

outpatient care
diagnostic services
hospital/emergency care

The evacuation piece covers you in the event that you are medically ill to the point of needing to return to the United States, possibly with special care en route. The repatriation piece covers the cost of transporting your remains (if you should die while abroad) back to your home country. A claim information card as well as brochure of the emergency evacuation and repatriation health insurance will be given to you during the pre-departure process.

Pre-existing conditions

A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION is a term used by insurance companies to describe a medical condition for which you may have already been seen or otherwise given advice by a healthcare professional. However, each insurance company sets its own parameters on how long something is considered pre-existing. Many insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions or have explicit waiting period and other coverage conditions for pre-existing conditions.

The study abroad health insurance through the Office of International Education (the automatic enrollment plan) has a small provision for pre-existing conditions. Please read and understand this coverage BEFORE dropping any other insurance that you already have. If you have a pre-existing condition, you may wish to retain all current insurance policies that you have used for ongoing/recent conditions in addition to any new coverage you acquire.

Health Insurance Enrollment

Automatic Enrollment in Study Abroad Health Insurance

If your program requires health insurance but does not require you to obtain a specific insurance (category C), you will be automatically enrolled by the Office of International Education in a study abroad health insurance policy.

Willamette University Student Health Insurance Plan

At this time, we do not know how the student health insurance program provided via Bishop Wellness Center for Willamette University students will accommodate students while they are abroad. Therefore, we cannot support enrollment in this insurance as the sole insurance.

Non-Willamette University Health Insurance

For students in category C described above, if the student can show positive proof that his/her other insurance meets minimum requirements via a waiver procedure, he/she can opt out of the automatic enrollment in study abroad health insurance. To receive instructions on this, students must meet with their Willamette study abroad advisor. NOTE: We do not recommend that students waive out of the automatic study abroad health insurance. For students in category A or B as described above, there is no way to opt out of health insurance that is mandated by the program, either by the host university or the host country.

More than One Health Insurance Plan

Some students and/or their parents may have personal, financial, or health reasons to retain current coverage and/or seek coverage in more than one plan. This is an individual decision. Students are encouraged to carefully evaluate any existing health insurance they have and determine the risks and advantages to being enrolled in more than one health plan.

EXCLUSIONS:

As with any health insurance plan, there are limitations of which students and parents/guardians need to be aware. Although the study abroad health insurance through the Office of International Education is a very good plan, it does have Exclusions as all health plans do. Find this information in the policy brochure (given to students at their Health and Safety Meeting) and in the policy for any existing plan you have.

DOUBLE COVERAGE: We recommend that students carefully consider the advantages of retaining any current health insurance in which they are enrolled in addition to any mandatory coverage. This is especially true if the student has any pre-existing conditions (see definition below) or foresees need for coverage for any of the excluded conditions. (See information above about pre-existing conditions.) Finally, students should investigate how a disruption in continuity of the usual health insurance would affect their coverage upon return from the program.

There are many other reasons you may want to have coverage in more than one health insurance. You may just want peace of mind and knowledge that the study abroad health insurance is designed specifically for being abroad. Again, this is an individual choice and this decision is up to the student and family. Every student will be covered by at least one plan.

For various reasons, students may be covered by more than one health insurance while abroad. This is a personal decision based on the enrollment and cancellation policy of each insurance; pre-existing conditions; services that are covered or not covered (exclusions); deductibles; personal preference for coverage levels; etc. Consult with your personal insurance company to determine how the two policies will work together. Willamette University Study Abroad Program participants received information about the study abroad health insurance plan at the mandatory Health and Safety meeting prior to spring break. Please review that information to evaluate the benefits of having coverage in more than one plan.

Pre-existing conditions

PRE-EXISTING CONDITION is a term used by insurance companies to describe a medical condition for which you may have already been seen or otherwise given advice by a healthcare professional. However, each insurance company sets its own parameters on how long something is considered pre-existing. Many insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions or have explicit waiting period and other coverage conditions for pre-existing conditions.

Using U.S. Health Insurance Outside of the U.S. - Major Differences

MANY medical plans or overseas health providers require that expenses be paid up front. You often must submit a claim for reimbursement of this payment after the service has been rendered. Check with all of your health insurance plans to learn how you will handle medical expense claims while abroad or in a different state. Be prepared with access to extra cash for medical situations where you must pay at the time of service. Most medical facilities take credit cards. The study abroad health insurance through the Office of International Education offers international contact representatives to help you find a qualified healthcare professional and provides advice regarding getting the most appropriate care for you if you become ill or injured abroad. The plan also covers some travel costs of having a family member come to you abroad if you become ill enough to need the support.

Recommendation: Bring blank claim forms for your health insurance provider with you. This makes it easy for you to collect the information you need to file a claim later. Your insurance company will want information such as diagnosis, treating physician/facility, treatment plan, etc. The physician, clinic, or hospital will probably be willing to complete some of this information on the form at the visit.

For more information about health topics and well-being abroad please refer to the "Staying Healthy Abroad" chapter of your study abroad handbook.

Questions for your health insurance provider

If you will retain any existing health insurance in addition to the health insurance plan associated with your program (all categories of students), here are some questions that will guide your conversation with your health insurance provider:

Does your health insurance plan cover me while studying outside of my home country? If so, does it cover me in the countries where I will be studying AND traveling (before and after the official program dates)?
Do I need prior authorization from you (the insurance company) before any medical services can be rendered abroad?
Is there an international phone number to use for help with medical concerns while I am abroad?
What is the claim process for reimbursement- for example if the doctor or hospital will not bill your health insurance company directly (which is most often the case when abroad)? How do I file a claim for medical costs abroad?
What are the maximum benefits for sickness and injury while I am abroad?
Are pre-existing conditions covered? How are pre-existing conditions determined?
How long after I am on the insurance is a condition considered pre-existing? Who makes that determination?
Are there some pre-existing conditions that are INCLUDED?

Further Health Resources

For a list of online resources about health and safety abroad please visit our Tips and Resources page as well as the Health and Safety chapters in your study abroad handbook.