While you are studying in the United States, it is important to maintain good health. Health insurance can cover the high costs of medicine, doctor's visits, treatment and unexpected illnesses or injuries. Medical care in the U.S. is very expensive. Having health insurance protects you and saves you money.

California State Universities require all international students to have health insurance. This means that all F-1 and J-1 students must have health insurance to enroll in classes at any CSU campus.

FAQs

What kind of health insurance must I have in the U.S.?

Your health insurance policy must meet the following ten requirements. It must:

1. offer a minimum of $100,000 in total benefits per illness, including medical coverage for illnesses or accidents, medical evacuation coverage, and repatriation coverage.
   • have a minimum amount for medical evacuation coverage of $10,000. "Medical evacuation coverage" means that in case you are severely ill and require special travel arrangements back to your home country, the insurance company will pay for the travel expenses to your country.
   • have a minimum amount for repatriation coverage of $7,500. "Repatriation coverage" means that in case of death, the insurance company will pay to transport your remains back to your home country.
2. offer a deductible not greater than $100. A "deductible" is the amount a participant must pay before the insurance company will begin to pay.
3. have a policy and an identification document which is written in English.
4. not discriminate according to gender by denying maternity benefits or some other gender-specific expenditure. This means pregnancy expenses must be covered.
5. cover costs for pre-existing conditions six months after your insurance begins. "Pre-existing conditions" are illnesses or problems you had before you purchased health insurance.
6. clearly show the starting and ending date of your coverage.
7. clearly state the maximum dollar coverage per illness.
8. provide an outline of all covered services.
9. provide an outline of all excluded services.
10. provide information on how to reach the insurance company in case of emergency (address and telephone number)

For what time period must I have insurance?

For F-1 students you must have insurance for every day you are enrolled as a student.  For J-1 students you must have insurance for every day that you are in the U.S.

Should I buy health insurance in my country before I arrive in the U.S.?

The ALP does NOT recommend it. There are many disadvantages:

Overseas travel insurance policies frequently meet most of the criteria listed above, except #4. If you have insurance without the proper coverage, it will not be accepted by the ALP and you will have to purchase new health insurance when you register. Students without proper health insurance are not permitted to attend ALP classes. In addition, overseas insurance policies and identification documents are often written in a foreign language, not in English. In an emergency situation, you may encounter difficulty obtaining medical care if your insurance policy and identification are not written in English.

The ALP strongly recommends that you do NOT buy health insurance in your home country. If you would like, you may buy traveler's insurance in your home country for your stay in the U.S. before your classes begin. However, please be aware that you will be required to buy insurance in the ALP office if your insurance policy does not clearly meet the ten requirements listed above.

Very few insurance companies, which are not specifically designed for international students, will meet the strict requirements of the California State University.

If I come to the U.S. without insurance, what insurance should I buy when I arrive?

The ALP will allow you to use any health insurance company which meets the ten requirements listed above. The ALP uses the CSU Health Link insurance plan.

If you purchase insurance in the ALP office, the cost will be as follows:

For insurance between August 1, 2007 and August 1, 2008, see the chart below:

Students must purchase an entire semester's worth of insurance; for example, a student would pay $368 (4 months) for the fall semester.

What benefits are included with this insurance?

The following benefits will be provided:

1. full reimbursement for services at the CSUF Health Center for illness or injury
2. $15 office visit fee for in-network doctor visits
3. $30 office visit fee for out-of-network doctor visits
4. 100% coverage (after $100 yearly deductible) of usual (or customary) expenses at participating medical clinics or hospitals. Please see list of participating doctors/hospitals here
5. coverage is effective in all countries, excluding student's home country
6. medical evacuation benefit
7. repatriation benefit
8. policy meets all immigration, USIA (U.S. Information Agency), and CSU (California State University) requirements
9. 100% reimbursement for prescribed medicines purchased at the CSUF Health Center.  50% reimbursement for prescribed medicines purchased from other locations.

Can I petition to use an alternate health insurance?

If you wish to use a health insurance policy other than the one offered by the American Language Program, you should fill out this PDF form, and bring it with you when you register for classes.

Click here to download the Petition form. (PDF 57KB)

How do I find a doctor nearby who speaks my language?

Preferred Provider:
Blue Cross PPO Prudent Buyer Plan
http://www.bluecrossca.com
Tel: 1-800-888-2108
To search for a doctor who speaks your language, click here.

For more information about health insurance, please contact us at:
American Language Program
California State University, Fullerton
800 N. State College Blvd
Fullerton, CA 92831
USA
Telephone: (714) 278-2909
Fax: (714) 278-7114
E-mail: alp@fullerton.edu

Claims administered by:
BC Life & Health Insurance Company (BC Life)
Blue Cross PPO Prudent Buyer Plan
21555 Oxnard Street; AC 4G
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Attn: Student Health Customer Service Manager
Tel: 1 800 888-2108
Download health insurance claim form (PDF 41KB)

Servicing Agent:
Wells Fargo of California
Insurance Services, Inc.
Student Insurance Division
CA License No. 0352275
11017 Cobblerock Dr., Suite #100
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Tel: 1-800-853-5899
http://www.csuhealthlink.com

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