Student Health Insurance Under Independence Blue Cross (updated July 2007)

ALL FULL-TIME STUDENTS and their dependents are required to have health care coverage. (Please refer to Westminster’s catalogue, pg 20.) Westminster sponsors a plan under Independence Blue Cross with open enrollment generally from the end of August to the beginning of September and again in the beginning of February with an insurance start date of September 1 or February 1. A dependent can also be added to a student's existing plan after open enrollment within 30 days of a qualifying event (birth of a child, marriage, etc.).

We have made some changes to our Westminster-sponsored plan for 2007-2008. Please refer to our Student Health Insurance Changes Letter and 2007-2008 Student Insurance Program Summary Announcement, which were emailed to students in July, 2007.

EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2007:
1. Forms to submit: Students must fill out the waiver form if they choose not to use the Westminster-sponsored plan. Students who do choose to use the Westminster-sponsored plan must fill out a sign-up form. Return the completed form, along with proof of insurance, to the Student Affairs office.

2. Primary Health Insurance Contact: Westminster-sponsored insurance will no longer be processed through Rose Torian of the Human Resources department. Instead, all students who participate in the Westminster-sponsored plan will deal directly with our insurance broker, Health Benefits, Inc. The primary point of contact (for premiums, billing and coverage questions, enrollment changes, and so forth) will be Steve Sayers of Health Benefits, Inc. Mr. Sayers can be reached at (215) 957-1700, ext. 12.

3. Premium Payment due date: Payments will no longer be due in the month of coverage. Instead, the deadline for premium payments will be the 20th of the month preceding the month of coverage. For example, the October premium will be due on September 20. For students who sign up for coverage beginning September, 2007, payment is due when the enrollment form is submitted. For these students, two payments will be due in September: one for September coverage and one for October coverage. For students who have continued their 2006-2007 Westminster-sponsored coverage into the months of July and August, 2007, and who plan to continue coverage in the 2007-2008 year, two payments will need to be made in August: one payment with the 2006-2007 premium for the month of August, which will be sent to Rose Torian in Human Resources, and the second payment with the 2007-2008 premium for the month of September made payable to and sent to Health Benefits, Inc.

4. Premium Payments: For coverage beginning September 1, 2007, premium payments (made payable to Health Benefits, Inc.) should be mailed to:

Health Benefits, Inc.
Post Office Box 1040
Willow Grove, PA 19090

5. Health Insurance Contact at Westminster: Robin Seah, in the Student Affairs office, will answer general questions or refer you to Health Benefits, Inc. She will also have available student insurance packets and other general information. She can be reached at (215) 572-3837. All insurance waiver and sign-up forms (mentioned above) will be submitted to Robin.

6. International Students on a J-1 or F-1 visa are required to have health insurance. In addition to the medical benefits described below for all students, international students are ALSO required to have Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains (MERR) coverage. Westminster sponsors a plan under The Harbour Group to handle this additional requirement. Rates are subject to change, but the cost is approximately $60 per person per year (student, spouse, each child). You may obtain forms from the Student Affairs office or go directly to www.hginsurance.com for current information and forms. J-1 or F-1 students need to fill out Section 2 of either the waiver form or sign-up form and submit the form, along with proof of coverage, to the Student Affairs office.

7. FOR TEXAS CAMPUS STUDENTS ONLY: please consult Steven Vanderhill, Dean of Texas Campus, regarding insurance options at the Texas campus. He can be reached at 214-373-7688.

8. Applying for coverage: Please see a broker representative, who will be on campus on August 29 (during new student orientation) or September 6, 2007, (the first day of classes) or call Steve Sayers at Health Benefits, Inc. (215-957-1700 ext. 12).

9. Alternative Health Insurance Programs. Good Neighbor Insurance has made available several different insurance programs for both U.S. and international students at Westminster. For more information or to sign-up, visit their website at www.gnihealth.com. Once on the main page, follow the links on the right for both U.S. and international Westminster students.

Important! Please keep in mind that you will need to have insurance (or document on the waiver form that you have insurance coverage) and, if applicable, proof of MERR coverage, in order to be enrolled as a full-time Westminster student. For students enrolled in Westminster-sponsored health insurance, failure to remit your premium on a timely basis will result in the implementation of a procedure for re-classifying your status to part-time. After you receive a warning for non-compliance, you will be dropped from classes over and above the 11 credit mark. Your account will be put on hold and you will not be allowed to register as a full-time student for the following semester.

Westminster-Sponsored insurance premiums for 2007-2008: Below is a rate sheet showing MONTHLY costs for coverage for Southeastern Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Bucks, and Montgomery counties). Please refer to the Doctor and Hospital Directory provided in the insurance packet. For all questions regarding the type and nature of coverage and for all matters other than the actual application for coverage, please call the number on the back of your insurance ID card. If you would like more information about the plan, please contact the Student Affairs office or Steve Sayers at Health Benefits, Inc. for an Independence Blue Cross insurance information packet.
PREMIUMS LISTED BELOW ARE FOR THE 2007-2008 ACADEMIC YEAR. AFTER THIS TIME PERIOD, THESE RATES ARE FOR ESTIMATING ONLY AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE:

You may also refer to Keystone’s summary of HMO benefits, POS benefits, Select Drug (Rx) Program and Vision Plan.