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Other Insurance

Annual verification of insurance

Calvin University uses a "hard" waiver system, meaning all undergraduate students who are enrolled in 6 or more credit hours must provide proof of comparable existing insurance and submit a signed waiver on an annual basis. If you choose to waive out of the plan, you must be prepared to answer questions about your current health insurance coverage. Failure to submit a signed waiver on an annual basis may result in a registration hold and automatic enrollment in the university-sponsored plan.

Please note, while students may waive out of the United HealthCare Student Plan with Medicaid, Medicare or Tricare, we do not direct bill those insurances in our office.

United HealthCare Student Plan Waiver Form

Requirements to opt out of the United HealthCare Student Plan

In order to be eligible to waive the student insurance plan, the student’s existing insurance plan must meet the following 6 requirements.

  1. Coverage includes effective dates spanning the entire period for which the waiver is requested.
    • Summer - 05/15 through 08/15
    • Fall - 08/15 through 12/31
    • Spring - 01/01 through 05/15
    • Note: The plan must provide coverage any time the student has potential for participation on campus (academic or cocurricular or athletics).
  2. Plan must cover Repatriation and Medical Evacuation, or coverage should be purchased separately to supplement the Health Plan used to waive out of the student health plan.
  3. The plan must be approved as a health insurance plan by the State Insurance Department (Travel Policies, Disability policies, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Only Policies, and other limited benefit polices are not acceptable).
  4. Plan must be ACA compliant, meaning that the plan is an individual or group insurance plan meeting the requirements of ACA: a). Unlimited Maximum Benefit for covered medical expenses. b). Coverage for essential benefits (with no dollar limits), as defined under the ACA. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Pharmacy
    • Mental health services on parity with medical services
    • Maternity benefits
    • Preventive care with no cost-sharing for Preferred Providers
    • Coverage for pre-existing condition with no waiting period
    • Pediatric dental and vision coverage through age 18
  5. Maximum preferred provider total out-of-pocket expenses cannot exceed $8,700 per member ($17,400 per family). This amount will be adjusted annually to reflect the then current allowable maximum out-of-pocket.
  6. For students with J Visas, waiver eligible coverage must meet the State Department’s J Visa Insurance Standards including, but not limited to, the requirement that the plan have a deductible not to exceed $500 in network or $1000 out-of-network.

Notice regarding other waiver exceptions:

I.  Coverage provided under an employer-sponsored group plan that is ACA compliant as described above may be acceptable. In this case, it is necessary that the insured also verify they have a supplement in the employer’s clause regarding Repatriation and Medical Evacuation coverage.

II. A plan provided to sponsored students (for example: Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission, Kuwait, etc.) that is backed by the full faith and credit of the student’s home country may be acceptable.  Apply for a waiver at least 2 weeks prior to the start of classes. Waivers requested by the appropriate deadline will be reviewed, and a determination made regarding comparability to the USG Plan, and if determined to be comparable or better, will be accepted.

III. A plan provided by a pre-approved United States Cultural Exchange Program, e.g., Fulbright Programs, etc. may be acceptable. Apply for a waiver at least 2 weeks prior to the start of classes. Waivers requested by the appropriate deadline will be reviewed, and a determination made regarding comparability to the USG Plan, and if determined to be comparable or better, will be accepted.

Health insurance for international students

Unlike health care costs in many countries, health care in the United States is very expensive. To provide affordable and easy access to medical care while you are studying in the United States, Calvin University requires all international students to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (United HealthCare Student Plan).

The most common problems with other insurance you may purchase includes paying out of pocket first and then being reimbursed for charges later; paying a high deductible every time you go off campus for medical care; exclusion of mental health benefits; etc.

This is why all international students are required to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan in order to meet the university’s minimum insurance standard. Do not purchase other travel insurance or other emergency-only plans. They are not considered comparable, and do not meet Calvin University’s minimum insurance guidelines.

There are international students who may have plans that meet PPACA requirements. If that is the case, those international students ARE REQUIRED to send a request to waive out of the student health plan and turn in a detailed summary of their plan information to Health Services by midnight on August 14th. All requests to waive the student health plan will be denied if there is not a waiver request on file in Health Services and a copy of the detailed alternative plan presented prior to this date.

Please DO NOT purchase any alternative plans until they have been approved, unless you are seeking a supplemental plan to an otherwise authorized plan.   

Calvin University does not accept the following insurance plans: PSI, ISO, LIG, AIG, Hanwha, Samsung Fire, KB, or Dongbu.

Insurance requirements for Canadian students

While we recognize that Canadian students have provincially-subsidized health care administered by their own government, the university feels strongly that the Canadian provincial plans offer only limited coverage for health care received in the United States. We therefore require Canadian students to carry supplemental insurance in order to waive out of enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan (United HealthCare Student Plan).

Canadian Students are required to purchase the United HealthCare Student Plan if they cannot provide proof of supplemental coverage that meets the university’s minimum insurance requirement. Travel insurance and other emergency-only plans are not considered comparable and do not meet the university’s minimum insurance guidelines.

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