Health Insurance Available
to International Students

Medical costs can be overwhelming and are rising continuously. Without health insurance, a student can go into debt with excessive medical bills that may hinder his or her academic career. Every year, thousands of international students in the United States and abroad need medical treatment and are not prepared for the high costs involved. International student health insurance provides illness and accident coverage, will assist students in locating medical providers, and can help pay for medical services.

For all non-United States students studying in the United States, international student health insurance is mandatory and students cannot register for classes without showing proof of health insurance. Many higher education institutions have a standard student health insurance plan that students must subscribe to. International students can also waive this coverage and purchase the health insurance policy from the open insurance market as long as it meets minimum requirements of the college or university.

We offer a comprehensive medical benefit plan designed to protect international students against unforeseen medical expenses while studying outside their home countries. For the 2005-06 academic year, our international student health plan is underwritten by Nationwide Life Insurance Company.

Health insurance is mandatory for all international students who have an I-20 form issued by any one of the Maricopa Community Colleges. All registered international students are automatically eligible for and are enrolled in the international student health insurance plan, designed for eligible students and their eligible dependents. Students who meet our waiver requirements can be waived from coverage. (Although we have tried to institute a "hard waiver" policy, there are a few situations where it makes sense to allow students to waive our international student health insurance. Please contact your College International Education Department for detailed information regarding waivers.)

An eligible student is an international student, visiting faculty, scholar, or person who: 1) is engaged full-time in international educational activities; 2) is temporarily outside the student's home country or United States; 3) has a current passport or student visa, if required; and 4) has not applied for permanent residency status in the United States. An eligible student also includes students enrolled in a study abroad program through the college.

An eligible dependent is a dependent of an eligible student who: 1) has a current passport or visa; 2) is temporarily outside the dependent's home country or country of regular domicile as a nonresident alien in the United States; 3) has not applied for permanent residency status in the United States; 4) is the eligible student's lawful spouse or unmarried child (under age 19 and dependent upon the eligible student or the student's spouse for the child's main support and care); 5) resides with the eligible student; and 6) is enrolled for coverage under the policy at the same time the eligible student enrolls.

Our international student health insurance coverage commences at 12:01 a.m. on the first day of the term in which the student is enrolled. Coverage terminates at 12:01 a.m. on the termination date of the applicable term for which premium is paid. Benefits include (but are not limited to) medical evacuation and repatriation, diagnosis and treatment by medical professionals, hospital treatment, outpatient medical supplies, emergency care treatment, prescription drugs, and ambulance. Please refer to the plan document for the complete list of covered expenses. The web site for this document is: www.renaissance-inc.com/Documents/05-06/IMCCCD_B_05-06.pdf. The schedule of benefits can be found at: www.renaissance-inc.com/Documents/05-06/IMCCCD_SCHEDBEN_05-06.pdf

For further questions regarding our international student health insurance plan, please contact the District Risk Manager or the International Education Departments at our colleges.

Published in the Summer 2005 Edition of In Brief