Important FAQ's about Health Insurance
Old Dominion University recommends that all students have adequate health insurance coverage to cover hospitalization and other medical expenses that can occur unexpectedly. International students are required to have health insurance. It is also important for students to carry a copy of their health insurance card with them since this information is needed if a student is referred to a source of health care off campus.
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQ's) regarding health insurance:
1. Does Student Health Services accept or bill health insurance? No, Student Health Services does not accept or bill health insurance. We are funded primarily by a semester health fee, charged to all full-time students taking at least one credit on the Norfolk campus. Students seeing a health care provider are not charged a per visit fee each time they are seen at Student Health. Fees are assessed for lab work sent off campus, routine physicals, injections, immunizations and other special procedures. Laboratory tests on in the Student health laboratory are done at no charge for those students who have been assessed the semester health fee. Student Health clinicians can also advise students regarding options for having certain costly services billed to insurance. Our fees are generally lower than community standard and are posted in all exam rooms and on our web site at: studentaffairs.odu.edu/healthservices/fees
2. What is an example of how the Student Health model works? For example, if an eligible student is seen for a sore throat and fever, and a rapid strep test is done, the student will not have any additional charges. If a throat culture is sent ti the reference laboratory offcampus. The studnet will be charged for the throat culture. We do not accept insurance reimbursement for this fee. There is no limit on the number of visits per semester covered by the health fee.
3. How can I submit my fees at Student Health Services to my insurance company? Students are given a statement coded for insurance purposes at the front desk when they check out. This can be submitted by the student or parent, along with a claim form to your insurance company for reimbursement. Student Health Services is usually considered an out-of-network provider for most health insurance plans. If you have out-of-network coverage, and your annual deductible has been met, you may be reimbursed for covered services on your plan. If these fees are not covered by your health insurance plan, you may be able to submit them to your flexible spending account (FSA) for reimbursement. The health fee is usually not considered reimbursable under most insurance plans.
4. What if I need x-rays? Students are referred to off campus outpatient facilities for x-rays, or an emergency room in some cases. If the facility accepts your insurance or is a participating provider for your insurance network, the facility will bill your insurance.
5. What if my health insurance is an out of area HMO plan? Some out of area HMO plans may only cover emergency care in the Norfolk area. Please call your insurance company if you have questions about coverage for care while at school. You may want to consider adding out-of- network coverage if this option is available.
6. How can I get a claim form to submit charges from Student Health to my insurance company? Most insurance companies have claim forms on their web site. Some web sites for health insurance companies commonly found in Virginia are:
www.anthem.com
www.aetna.com
www.carefirst.com
www.cigna.com
www.optimahealth.com
International Student Claim Forms
7. Does ODU offer a group student health insurance plan for students? ODU does not offer a group plan for domestic students, but information regarding individual plans is available on our web site. The offic eof International Student Scholar Services has helath insurance information for International students at http://studentaffairs.odu.edu/isss/resources/health_req.shtml.
