Gallaudet University

STUDENT ACCIDENT & SICKNESS INSURANCE PROGRAM
2010-2011 Academic Year

We anticipate another great year at Gallaudet University, and we are pleased that you will be joining us. As you prepare for school, please do not forget health insurance. By law, international students must show proof of health insurance at registration, and comprehensive coverage is mandated for all full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Private insurance allows you to waive purchase of the University’s health insurance plan, if it meets the requirements outlined in this letter. If you lack coverage, or if your policy does not meet our requirements, you must purchase the University’s health insurance plan. You can find a Summary of Benefits at www.universityhealthplans.com.

You must decide whether to waive or purchase Gallaudet’s health insurance plan by August 31, 2010. If you miss the waiver deadline, you will be allowed to waive through September 13, 2010, however you will be charged a $100.00 penalty. The waiver requires you to submit proof of your insurance, and it is your responsibility to ensure that Student Health Services (SHS) receives it. Failure to provide this information by the deadline will result in an automatic charge to your student account for the health premium due under the University’s insurance plan.

Comprehensive coverage that permits waiver of the University’s health insurance must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Remains in effect throughout the academic year.
• Applies to the Metropolitan DC area – it is either:
  1. Private health insurance that provides coverage beyond your home state and medical provider options in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. If your private insurance is an HMO or Preferred Provider Plan, it is necessary to identify a point of service where you can obtain healthcare services in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. OR
  2. A local government program. Medicaid in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. provides comprehensive coverage for waiver purposes. If you have Medicaid from any other state or jurisdiction, it will not be accepted. Medicare is accepted, but only if it is the primary insurance.
• Provides at least a minimum of $25,000 in coverage per illness or injury (Gallaudet’s plan provides $50,000).
• Covers routine care, emergency care, follow-up care and in-patient psychiatric care.

Once again, if you do not demonstrate to SHS that you have purchased comprehensive coverage, you will be automatically enrolled in the campus health plan and billed for the premium amount due.

To update your insurance information you will need to access your Bison account. Bison Self Service is an on-line Service to let you know what you need to do to comply with the various departments within Gallaudet University. The website to access Bison Self Service is http://bison.gallaudet.edu/. Listed below are instructions on how to gain access to your Bison account:

Logon to bison with your UserID and Password
Select self service
Select student center
Under the heading personal information select either Insurance Waiver Form or Insurance Purchase

You must either waive the purchase of, or purchase, Gallaudet’s health insurance plan no later than August 31, 2010. If you miss the waiver deadline, you will be allowed to waive through September 13, 2010, however you will be charged a $100.00 penalty. If the SHS does not receive your form by the deadline, or if you failed to purchase comprehensive coverage, your student account will be automatically billed for the premium due. However, to make sure that your insurance information has been received and approved please review your Bison account. If you have additional questions or concerns about your insurance, please feel free to contact us directly at (Voice/TTY) 202-651-5090 or email us at SHS@gallaudet.edu.

Voluntary enrollment is available to all part-time students. If you are a part-time student and would like to enroll in the Gallaudet Student Health Plan, please access your bison account and complete the online insurance purchase form.