Home > FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions:Anybody
who is not covered by their family insurance, or
whose family insurance will not pay for care in New
York City, should definitely buy
the supplemental insurance! The Basic Benefit
(maximum $5,000) is simply not adequate. An
unexpected injury or hospitalization can quickly
exceed this amount. If your family insurance
requires you to be seen at home, you may also want
the supplemental coverage. This could allow you to
be treated while at school should a more serious
condition develop. Deadlines for enrollment are
listed
here.
MY FAMILY INSURANCE HAS A HIGH
DEDUCTIBLE. SHOULD I PURCHASE THE OPTIONAL
SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLAN?
Yes. If your family
insurance does not pay anything until after you have
met a large deductible (a specified amount for which
the patient or policyholder is fully responsible)
you should purchase the Optional Supplemental
Benefit Plan. The Mandatory Basic Benefit will cover
the first $5,000, then the Optional Supplemental
Benefit will pay up to an additional $45,000 at 80%.
Payment will be made in accordance with the
guidelines and limitations of the policy (see
insurance policy for details). You will still have
to send your bills to your family insurance first
and obtain an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from
them. The portion denied by your family insurance
will be covered by the Barnard policy to the limits
of the coverage.
WHEN DO I USE THE STUDENT INSURANCE?
Whenever you seek
or are referred for medical care outside of
Barnard Health Services, you will need to
provide insurance information to the clinician or
facility you use, or you will have to pay cash for
services. If you have family insurance, you will
have to use it first, before sending any bills to
the student insurance company. Be sure to have your
family insurance information (company, name of
policyholder, insurance policy number) and a
claim form with you.
DOES THE STUDENT
INSURANCE COVER PRESCRIPTIONS?A prescription drug benefit has been added with
a $20 copay per prescription. Coverage is for
prescriptions written by a Barnard Health Service
clinician or a consultant when referred by a Barnard
Health Service clinician. The maximum benefit is
$1,000 per policy year.
WILL THE STUDENT INSURANCE COVER ME IF I
GET INJURED WHILE PLAYING A TEAM SPORT?
Intercollegiate
athletes are covered by athletic insurance through
Columbia University. The Barnard plan is secondary
to any other insurance including the athletic
insurance for varsity athletes and is limited to a
maximum benefit of $5,000 per accident. Student
organized Club Sports are not covered by athletic
insurance, but in the absence of primary health
insurance, will be covered by Barnard student
accident and sickness plan if proper authorizations
were obtained and treatment was medically necessary.
The maximum benefit per accident is $5,000.
WILL THE STUDENT INSURANCE COVER ME
OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY?
Yes, as long as you
are registered at Barnard you are covered by the
Mandatory Basic Benefit anywhere in the world (e.g.:
Reid Hall, Paris). You should realize, however, that
healthcare and payment for healthcare in other
countries is very different. You will probably have
to pay your bills up front and then submit them to
your (first family) insurance for reimbursement.
Please note that in the summer, you are not
automatically enrolled in the Barnard insurance
plan. You must enroll yourself by the deadlines the
insurance company has set. If you purchase
the summer Basic or the Supplemental Benefit, you
are covered anywhere up to the limitations of each
plan. To purchase the Optional Supplemental Benefit
Plan for the summer, you must also have purchased it
during the Spring.
CAN I USE MY FAMILY INSURANCE OR THE
STUDENT INSURANCE TO PAY MY BILLS AT BARNARD HEALTH
SERVICES?
No, we do not bill
insurance at Health Services. However, at
Health Services we do not charge for office visits!
You only have to pay for medications (at a
discounted rate) and routine non-diagnostic testing
and shots. Payment by cash or check is expected at
the time of the visit. You can submit your receipts
from Health Services to your family insurance for
reimbursement.
WILL THE BARNARD INSURANCE AUTOMATICALLY
COVER ME IN THE SUMMER?
No. You have to
purchase the summer insurance extension by filling
out an enrollment form and send it with a check or
money order to the student insurance company.
IS IT OK IF I DON'T HAVE INSURANCE IN
THE SUMMER?
No. You should
never go without insurance if you don’t have to. The
cost to extend your insurance through the summer is
very reasonable: $75 to extend your Basic Benefit.
Please note that in order to purchase the summer
extension you have to have been registered for
classes in the previous spring semester. In
addition, the summer extension of the Supplemental
Optional Benefit Plan requires spring enrollment in
that plan.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Student Insurance
-
- Can it be waived if I already have insurance?
- What does it cover?
- Will it cover dental care?
- Will the insurance pay for eye glasses or eye exams?
- Will all my bills be covered in full?
- What is the difference between the Basic and the Optional Supplemental Benefit?
- Who should get the Optional Supplemental Benefit Plan?
- My family insurance has a high deductible. Should I purchase the Optional Supplemental Benefit Plan?
- When do I use the student insurance?
- Does the student insurance cover prescriptions?
- Will the student insurance cover me if I get injured while playing a team sport?
- Will the student insurance cover me outside of New York City?
- Can I use my family insurance or the student insurance to pay my bills at Barnard Health Services?
- Will the Barnard insurance automatically cover me in the summer?
- Is it OK if I don't have insurance in the summer?
- WHAT IS STUDENT INSURANCE?
- Every Barnard student is automatically enrolled for Basic Benefits in the Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan (this plan is underwritten by UnitedHealthcare StudentResources). Students also can elect to enroll in the Optional Supplemental Benefit Plan by filling out an enrollment form and mailing it to the student insurance company.
- CAN IT BE WAIVED IF I ALREADY HAVE INSURANCE?
- No. The Basic
Benefit is mandatory and automatic. It is part of
your comprehensive fees in your tuition bill. It
cannot be waived even if you are covered by other
insurance.
WHAT DOES IT COVER?
The Mandatory Basic
Benefit, which has an overall maximum benefit of
$5,000 per accident or illness covers such expenses
as emergency care, specialist consultation, x-rays,
diagnostic (non-elective) testing, surgical fees
incurred outside of Barnard College Student
Health Services (BCSHS). Those charges considered
reasonable and customary will be covered up to the
limitations specified by the policy, as long as the
proper authorizations/referrals were obtained,
usually before services were rendered.
The outpatient mental health benefit is now also
covered under the Basic plan.
- WILL THE INSURANCE COVER DENTAL CARE?
- The Mandatory Basic Benefit does not provide coverage for routine dentistry--only injury to sound teeth. The Optional Supplemental Benefit does cover extraction of impacted wisdom teeth at $150 per tooth. Please click here for more information about dental care options for Barnard students.
- WILL THE INSURANCE PAY FOR EYE GLASSES OR EYE EXAMS?
- No, there is no optometric coverage.
WILL ALL MY BILLS BE COVERED IN FULL?
The best answer is
maybe. The student insurance plan is not major
medical insurance. It is designed to supplement
other insurance, usually through family. It can only
be used after you have sent your
bills to your family insurance. BCSHS has an
agreement with a panel of specialists in NYC. These
physicians will accept the combination of family and
student insurance for services, but will bill the
family insurance first. If there is no family
insurance, these physicians will also accept the
student insurance as full payment. Any other
clinicians consulted will be paid up to $75 for the
initial visit only and 100% of diagnostic testing
prescribed by him/her up to $1,500 total.
- Surgical Fees are paid at 90% of the 80th percentile of reasonable and customary charges. See insurance policy page.
- Hospital charges: Anesthesia and other miscellaneous hospital charges are limited to an overall maximum of $2,000. See insurance policy .
- Diagnostic testing such as x-rays are covered in full up to $2,000 under the miscellaneous hospital expenses. See insurance policy.
- Follow-up or repeat visits to "outside" physicians, including our own consultants, are generally not covered except under the Optional Supplemental Benefit.
- On-going Care by an outside specialist is usually not covered, except for certain mental health situations.
- A referral for any procedures, diagnostic testing or consultations is required during the academic year for payment by the student insurance. Because of the $5,000 limit you still may owe a considerable balance after the student insurance has paid for an accident or illness that requires inpatient hospital care. Charges resulting from surgeries (outpatient or inpatient) may also exceed the limitations of the student insurance plan. Certain procedures, such as cosmetic surgery, are not covered at all. Payment of any charges not covered by the Student Insurance and/or any available family insurance will be your responsibility.
- WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BASIC AND OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT?
- The main difference is the total maximum benefit: $5,000 under the Basic and an additional $45,000 under the Optional Supplemental. The Optional Supplemental Benefit pays at a rate of 80% of the reasonable and customary charges up to a maximum of an additional $45,000 in excess of your $5,000 Basic Benefit. Under the Optional Supplemental Benefit, you also get partial coverage of outpatient benefits, such as return visits to a specialist, wisdom tooth extraction (up to $150 per tooth) and visits to a physical therapist (50% of expense up to $40 per visit starting with the second visit for up to four visits).
- WHO SHOULD GET THE OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT?
To find out more please visit:
https://www.uhcsr.com/barnard
