Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯

Operating Policy and Procedure

HSC OP: 77.03, Requirements of Health, Evacuation, and Repatriation Insurance for F-1 Non-immigrant Students

PURPOSE: This Health Sciences Center Operating Policy/Procedure (HSC OP) sets forth requirements and guidelines for health, evacuation, and repatriation insurance for non-immigrant F-1 students. The United States Government has certain requirements for all persons applying for a non-immigrant visa (e.g., student visas) to enter the United States. These include certain financial qualifications such as being able to meet all personal financial liabilities while in the United States and not becoming a β€œpublic charge” while in the United States. Also, as an F-1 Program Sponsor certified by the Department of Homeland Security, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯), through Texas Tech University, has an obligation to make sure that F-1 students account for all actual and potential costs related to their stay. This includes potential medical costs should a student become ill during their enrollment at Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯.

Consequently, for the above reasons, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ requires that all non-immigrant F-1 students have health insurance coverage as a condition of enrollment. This guarantees that both Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ and the non-immigrant students are in compliance with United States federal regulations and guidelines.

REVIEW: This HSC OP will be reviewed by January of every 2 years (E2Y) by the Associate Provost for Student Affairs in consultation with the Executive Student Affairs Workgroup (ESAW), Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee, and Academics Council.

POLICY/PROCEDURE:

1. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯) will require non-immigrant F-1 students to maintain the health, evacuation, and repatriation insurance offered through the university. Any change in the minimum insurance requirements of the U.S. Department of State will be incorporated into Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯’s minimum health insurance requirements for F-1 students at the next student insurance contract renewal.

2. This policy applies to all Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ F-1 students enrolled in one credit hour or more at Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ who have had an immigration document issued by a Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ employee and have been granted non-immigrant status in the United States by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

3. F-1 students must either pay for the Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ sponsored student health insurance plan that includes evacuation and repatriation charged to their student account or submit a qualified health insurance for a waiver.

4. Dependents of Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ F-1 (F-2 visa holders) that are enrolled in one credit hour or more at TTU or Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ will also be required to follow the institutions health insurance requirements.

5. Students who do not want to pay for the Student Health Insurance Plan and have qualified health insurance must submit a waiver each academic semester to ensure the insurance is active and to pay for additional coverage for evacuation and repatriation if their insurance does not include it. The waiver must be submitted online by the designated deadline. For a waiver to be approved, the level of benefits provided to the student through a health insurance plan must be fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Cost sharing, short term, and travel plans do not meet the health insurance coverage requirement. Coverage is considered comparable if it provides students with access to local providers and a range of services in the state of Texas.

Insurance must meet a Minimum Value of coverage of at least 60 percent of the total allowed cost of benefits that are expected to be incurred under the plan. It also must include Essential Health Benefits of hospitalization, ambulatory services, emergency services, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, prescription drugs, lab tests, preventative services, pediatric services, and rehabilitative and β€œhabilitative” services.

6. This requirement does not apply to other students attending Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ in any other non-immigrant visa categories.

7. Students who believe an initial denial of a waiver was incorrect can submit a final appeal, in writing, to the Associate Provost for Student Affairs within ten business days of the initial denial. Such an appeal must clearly explain the basis for the requested waiver and why the student disputes the initial decision. The Associate Provost for Student Affairs will make final decisions in consultation with appropriate administrators.

8. This Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ requirement applies only to enrolled students.