Health Insurance Coverage

Health insurance is REQUIRED for international students (excluding Canadians) and athletes taking at least 12 hours of credit.

All other students are strongly encouraged to carry health insurance (per federal regulations) but will not be required to provide proof of health insurance. Those not carrying health insurance will bear the cost of any accident or illness personally. The University is not responsible for covering these costs.

Instructions for 2023-2024 Academic Year

This year, the deadline for providing proof of insurance is August 1st. If you are a student that falls into the category of requiring proof of insurance and do not have insurance by that time, you will not be able to attend classes.

All Students

Ensure that you have a copy of your current insurance card with you on campus and bring it to any on or off-campus medical appointments.

Intercollegiate Athletes

Submit a copy of your insurance card to Deanna Hand through your Sportsware portal, used for all athletic compliance forms. You will not be able to participate, in practice or in competition, until this requirement is fulfilled.

International Students
(excluding Canadians)

Submit a copy of your insurance card, and if possible, a copy of the plan benefits summary (in English) to Kim Cockle, kim.cockle@houghton.edu. Your I-20 will not be approved unless this requirement is fulfilled. For those with US citizenship, but live overseas, you could qualify for the Patriot Plan.

Resources for Health Insurance for Houghton Students

For those that need to obtain health insurance for the time they are at college, Houghton University has identified several companies that offer insurance coverage with the minimum required benefits.  The University does not endorse any specific plan, and students are not required to use any of these options, being free to purchase insurance from any underwriter they choose, as long as they purchase a plan that meets minimum criteria for coverage. Students should purchase plans that meet their specific needs.

Options for Domestic Students

When choosing a plan, please keep in the mind the following considerations:

  • A typical deductible (the out-of-pocket expense before insurance kicks in to cover a certain percentage) is $500 for a single person.  You can choose no deductible, but you would pay higher premiums.
  • Confirm that whatever plan you choose includes prescription drug coverage.  You may not have any regular prescriptions, but may need an antibiotic or some other prescription while you are a student.
  • Confirm that physicians and hospitals in the Houghton area are considered to be “In-Network” providers.  Check providers near Wellsville, NY 14895 (Jones Memorial Hospital – U of R Health); Warsaw, NY 14569 (Wyoming County Community Hospital); Olean, NY 14760 (Olean General Hospital).  Buffalo and Rochester are other cities that are about 1 ½ hours away from campus, so it’s a little further to have to have to go to a provider there.

Companies that offer plans for New York State residents:

Companies that offer plans for Out of State residents:

Cigna
NOTE: The federal health care insurance marketplace,  HEALTHCARE.GOV, maintains a toll-free call center (1-800-318-2596) to help those looking for insurance, with availability 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Options for International Students

Ensure that any insurance plan has the following minimally required benefits:

  • Medical benefits of at least $100,000 USD per accident or illness (this means that if you get sick or have an accident, your insurance provider could pay at least $100,000 USD for your care)
  • A deductible not to exceed $500 USD per accident or illness (the deductible if the amount of money that you, as the patient, must pay to the provider before the insurance company will pay any expenses.
  • Medical evacuation coverage at a minimum of $50,000 USD (if you suffer a medical emergency and require transportation back to your home country, your insurance provider would need to cover medically-necessary transportation up to $50,000 USD
  • Repatriation of remains at a minimum of $25,000 USD (hopefully, this would not be necessary, but should you die while in the U.S., your insurance provider would pay up to $25,000 USD for the expenses to return your remains to your home country)
  • Must have a US based office for claims communications/processing

Other considerations:

  • Please ensure you have coverage for the entire time you will be in the United States (including over the summer, if you will be staying)

Companies that offer plans that meet minimal benefit requirements: