student health insurance FAQ
This page includes frequently asked questions for students enrolled in the university's Student Health Insurance plan. For a general overview of health insurance in the United States, please refer to the Health Insurance Overview page.
The information below has been provided by the Office of Student Health Insurance. All questions about the Student Health Insurance plan should be directed to this office. ISSS staff do not advise on insurance-related questions.
Health care costs can be very high in the U.S. The Student Health Insurance is a plan offered by the university is designed to help pay for the costs of health care.
The University Of Illinois Board of Trustees requires that all students have some form of health insurance in order to offset the possible costs of care.
Most students that are registered for a non-zero amount of credit and are also not registered in absentia are eligible for the Student Health Insurance. If you have questions about whether or not your registration is of the above type, contact the Office of the Registrar at 217-333-0210.
The Student Health Insurance fee is assessed as part of each student’s tuition bill following their registration. Fee amounts are available on the Student Health Insurance Website.
During the enrollment change period at the beginning of each semester, all students wishing to early enroll in the student insurance should visit the Student Health Insurance website and complete the “enrollment form.” Students who do not fill this form out will be automatically enrolled in the student insurance following the enrollment change period unless they opt out.
Yes. As long as it directly follows a semester in which you were registered as a student and enrolled in the insurance, you may do an extension of coverage during any semester in which you are not registered for classes. This normally occurs during the summer semester, but may also be used during other terms that meet the above conditions.
The Student Health Insurance is a comprehensive indemnity plan and so pays for a wide variety of health care services. For a detailed breakdown students may visit the Student Health Insurance website, scroll to bottom of page, and download the appropriate policy brochure for undergraduates or graduates. Services of note that are NOT covered by the plan include basic vision and dental care.
When you receive care from a hospital, clinic or private provider they will ask to see your insurance card. They will then use the information on your card to bill the cost of the services to your insurance. Once the insurance has paid, the hospital or provider will send you a bill for the remainder (the “patient responsibility”).
When you receive services like those mentioned above from the McKinley Student Health Center, or an outside clinic, the nurse/pharmacist will provide you with an itemized receipt. In order to receive a reimbursement for the charges, you must send a copy of this receipt with the SR ID Number from your insurance card written on the top, by mail to:
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
PO BOX 809025
Dallas, Texas
75380-9025
To print off your insurance card, you first must make sure that you are enrolled in the coverage for that semester. This can be done during the enrollment change period by going to the Student Health Insurance website and clicking on the link entitled “enrollment form.” Once this is completed, you can login to your UnitedHealthcare MyAccount and print off your insurance card.
After you have enrolled for the semester, you may access your UnitedHealthcare MyAccount and find the tab for adding dependents as well as making payment for that semester’s coverage. This process must be completed during the enrollment change period at the beginning of each semester. If you acquire a dependent outside of the enrollment change period dates, you must call United Healthcare Customer Service at 1-888-224-4883 within 31 days to establish that status and make payment for their coverage.
Yes. In order to opt out of the student insurance you must fill out the “waiver form” found on the Student Health Insurance website prior to the end of the enrollment change period at the start of the semester. The waiver form will ask a few questions to establish the nature and extent of your other insurance. International students will be required to provide documentation of their insurance in person at the Office of Student Health Insurance. This documentation must be in English, with amounts given in U.S. dollars, and should show both the dates of coverage as well as the total monetary amount of coverage per illness/injury.
As mentioned above, the waiver form must be completed prior to the end of the enrollment change period at the beginning of the semester in which you are seeking to waive coverage. This period normally runs for approximately four weeks at the start of each semester, at the start of each semester and once the waiver is completed it is good for the remainder of the academic year.
Yes. Reinstatements can be done in person at the Office of Student Health Insurance, and can happen one of two ways:
- If for any reason you lose the other insurance in favor of which you opted out of the student coverage, you have 63 days from the last day of coverage to reinstate. This can be done at any time during the year, provided you are registered for classes during the semester in which you are seeking reinstatement. You will need to bring in a letter of termination.
- If it has been more than 63 days since loss/termination of other insurance, reinstatement must be done in person during the enrollment change period of a semester in which you are registered for classes.
Yes. Student Health Insurance meets all responsibilities under the ACA and those students have the coverage will not be penalized.
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