Who is eligible to purchase the student insurance plan?
Matriculated undergraduate, graduate and theological students who are at least part-time, or who have completed coursework for the MA or PhD and are registered for maintaining matriculation status, are eligible to purchase this plan. Matriculated students who are not currently registered, or who have requested a leave of absence, are not eligible to enroll in this plan. (Matriculated means that a student has been accepted into a degree granting program at Drew).
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How do I enroll in the student plan?
Full Time Students: NJ law (18A:62-15 , L.1991, amended 1994) requires all full-time college students to carry medical insurance and full-time students will be billed automatically. Instructions for enrolling or waiving the insurance plan can be found at the “forms” menu of the Campus Web https://campusweb.drew.edu/. All full time students and all international students are required to either enroll in the student health plan or waive out of the plan if they have comparable insurance coverage by August 5.
Part-time students who are eligible to purchase the student insurance plan must enroll themselves The deadline for enrollment is August 5. (Online enrollment or waiver will be available mid-July to mid-August. Only NEW students can enroll in January.)
Students who bring their spouse or children to Drew and who live in campus housing are expected to enroll family members in either the Drew Dependent Plan or a similar plan. Students who wish to enroll themselves and their families are asked to do so Online at www.universityhealthplans.com.
New Graduates: Enrolled students who graduate in May will be allowed to extend this plan for an additional 3 months after August 5 but must re-enroll in the continuation option by August 5. Contact University Health Plans directly.
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How do I waive out of the student plan?
Domestic students with proof of comparable insurance who do not want to purchase the student plan may waive out of the plan Online at Online at https://campusweb.drew.edu/, select the “forms” menu. If students choose to waive out of the plan they will not be eligible to enroll again for one year. Only NEW students can enroll in January.
International Students: International Students are strongly encouraged to remain enrolled in the Drew Insurance Plan. However non-immigrant international students with comparable insurance may waive the student plan Online. Please note that the alternate plan must provide coverage everywhere in the US, and cannot exceed a $500 deductible per illness.
Non-immigrant International students are also required to carry Repatriation/Medical Evacuation insurance which may or may not be included in the alternate plan. When it is not included, students can purchase this insurance separately for themselves and family by printing out the form found Online at the waiver site. The complete form should be mailed to University Health Plans as directed. The cost for this benefit is $33 per person. Students who must wait until school begins to verify their alternate plan will not be charged a late registration fee. To read specific information for international students, click here.
Failure to complete the on-line enrollment or waiver form will result in delays checking into campus housing and resgistering.
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When will I get my student insurance ID?
Students who enroll online will receive their insurance ID within 2-3 weeks. IDs will be mailed to their Drew mailbox unless otherwise stated on the online enrollment form.
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What happens if I was admitted to Drew after the deadline for enrollment/waiver?
Students who are admitted to Drew after the deadline date will be given a two week grace period to purchase the student insurance plan. After September 1st or February 1st, extensions will be decided on a case by case basis.
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I am insured under my parents' health insurance at home. Do I need to purchase the Drew Student Health Insurance Plan?
Generally Drew recommends that all resident undergraduate students and intercollegiate athletes consider purchasing the plan since it gives students access to local care when they may need it the most. Be aware that many "home" insurance plans will not cover non-emergency services when students are away from home, even in New Jersey. Many HMOs may require that blood work, x-rays, physical therapy and specialist referrals only be done at "in-network" facilities. Students may find it difficult or inconvenient to return home for these types of services.
Before you decide to waive out of this plan, you should check with your home insurance to make sure you are covered not only for emergency care but also for any non-emergency, follow-up, specialist consultation or rehabilitative services in the Madison. Drew Health Service uses LabCorp for blood work. While this is a national laboratory, students should check whether LabCorp is covered by their family insurance company.
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Should Graduate or Theological Students purchase the student plan too?
Full time Graduate or Theological students will be automatically enrolled in the plan in order to comply with state law. Graduate students who live in or out of the area and are enrolled in another plan will probably not need to purchase the student plan and may choose to waive out of the plan. Be aware that students who have other coverage, and do not want to purchase the student insurance must waive out by the deadline either online or by contacting University Health Plans directly at 800-437-6448. Full-time students who do not waive out of the plan by the deadline will automatically be enrolled in the plan.
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Should I change my primary care provider to someone local while I am at Drew?
This is NOT recommended for undergraduate students. Virtually every insurance company will pay for true emergencies anywhere in the country. It may make more sense for Grad or Theo students to do this if they are living on campus 12 months per year.
Most health care needs can be met on campus at Drew's nationally accredited Health Service. Nurse practitioners are available during all office hours, and students are not charged for either physician or nurse practitioner visits. The Health Center is open 7 days per week during regular semesters and the emergency room is only 3 miles away if needed. Health Service staff are happy to cooperate/collaborate with outside primary care providers when students request us to do so.
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Can you tell me more about the student plan?
The University has helped design a low-cost plan for students that will complement the services that are available on campus and will work 24 hours per day anywhere in the US. There are no restrictions on providers, no deductibles, and pre-authorization is not required. While the insurance plan only covers sickness or accidents up to $50,000, it will meet the needs of most students. If the student basic insurance plan is your ONLY insurance, it is recommended that you consider purchasing the Enhanced Supplemental Benefit Plan for an additional $300 which will increase your coverage to $250,000 per illness per year. Plan brochures will be mailed to full-time students with the tuition bill, or can be viewed on-line at www.universityhealthplans.com. Copies are also available at the Health Center and Business Office.
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Can I be seen at the Health Center if I do not purchase the student insurance?
YES.
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How does the student plan work?
Students who are enrolled in the student plan will not be billed for on-campus services that are covered by the plan (i.e. all lab work, on-campus prescriptions, allergy shots, etc) If specialist consultation, x-ray, rehab or hospital care is required off campus, the Drew Health Center will refer students to local providers or to Morristown Memorial Hospital. Some local providers request payment at the time of service and others will bill the student or insurance plan directly. The cost of off-campus care will be paid or partially paid by the student plan. It is helpful to take an insurance form with you when possible since students are responsible for submitting the claim to the insurance company in a timely way. Remember, you will be responsible for submitting claims for care received off-campus. Insurance forms are online or available at the Health Service.
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If I am at home or traveling away from Drew am I still covered?
Yes, the Drew plan provides coverage 24 hours a day anywhere in the US and abroad for as long as you are insured. The only exception is that international students enrolled in the plan will not be covered while residing in their homeland.
Claim forms should be sent to:
Consolidated Health Plans
195 Stafford Street
Springfield, MA 01104-3503
(800) 633-7867
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What are the Vision Benefits?
The Vision One discount program provides discounted eye care products and services through many optical centers nationwide, such as Sears, JC Penney, Target, most Pearle Vision Centers and selected independent optometrists and ophthalmologists. The discounts vary based on the type of service or product. Please refer tot he brochure for further details. Contact Cole Managed Vision at (800) 424-1155 or www.cmvc.com to find the nearest Vision One location.
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Are prescriptions covered?
The Drew Plan does not provide coverage for prescriptions that are purchased off-campus. It does cover prescription medications that are obtained on campus (except birth control pills and travel vaccines). Non-prescription medications (i.e. Advil, Sudafed etc) are not covered by any insurance plan but may be purchased on-campus at a discount.
When students need medications that are not available on campus they can arrange delivery to Drew Health Service through local pharmacy.
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Does the student plan cover intercollegiate sports accidents?
Intercollegiate sports accidents are covered as any other injury up to $1,000. However, if a intercollegiate athlete is also covered under a parent's plan, the parent plans pays first, and the student plan pays second. When costs exceed $1,000, the Drew Athletic Policy will pay excess to $75,000 after the first $1,000. In extreme cases, the NCAA catastrophic insurance will cover major injuries that exceed $75,000. Club and Intramural accidents are covered as any other injury up to the policy maximum of $50,000. For more information on insurance for athletes, click here.
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Will the Drew Health Center submit information to my family insurance company?
NO. Students who are not enrolled in the student insurance program will have to pay for billable services such as on-campus lab work, allergy shots, Pap smears, vaccines etc. and students are responsible for submitting claims to their family insurance company. However students can request an insurance coded receipt for all billable services at the Health Service. The form will include all of the necessary information to send to your insurance company. Be aware that your private insurance may or may not pay for our services since we do not belong to any HMOs.
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How much does the student insurance cost?
A copy of the insurance brochure with the annual fee is available at www.universityhealthplans.com.
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Is dental covered?
Only accidental injuries to sound, natural teeth are covered. Typical dental treatment such as fillings and teeth cleaning are not.
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Can you purchase the Student Health Insurance for half of the year?
Only NEW students can purchase the insurance in January for the second semester. Students who enroll in the summer will be covered for 12 months. Be aware that if students waive out of the plan in the summer, they will not be able to enroll again for one year.
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What insurance is considered primary if I have Student Insurance as well as another insurance plan?
The Drew Student Insurance Plan is primary. However, it will co-pay with other insurance plans if a student has more than one plan.
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Do I need the Student Insurance to seek care at the Drew Health Center?
NO.
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What else should I know if I have Family Insurance or a HMO style plan?
It is important to bring a copy of your Identification Card, Plan Booklet, and contact information with you to campus. It is the student's responsibility to obtain pre-authorizations if off-campus or hospital care is needed.
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Do you need referrals from "primary care providers" to see specialists?
NO. Students who are enrolled in the Student Plan are not required to get a referral from the Health Service for off-campus care. However, the Health Service maintains a list of local providers by specialty, and a referral from the Health Service often leads to earlier appointments and better continuity of care.
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Still have a question? Call University Health Plans at (800) 437-6448 or Drew Health Service at 973-408-3414.
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