Eastern students who do not have their own form of insurance do not need to worry, according to Angela Campbell.

Campbell, the medical insurance manager at Eastern, said the student insurance plan can be used both as a supplemental provider or as a primary provider in the case that a student does not have another form of insurance. 

The supplemental plan works with students’ private insurance provider to minimize out-of-pocket expenses for students and families. 

Because the fee is automatically assessed with other school year expenses, all students enrolled in nine or more on-campus hours have access to Eastern health insurance. 

The insurance plan also covers both international students who are enrolled in a minimum of three on-campus hours and graduate students.

Although they are not automatically enrolled, part-time students enrolled in five or more hours can purchase student health insurance each semester.

During the summer, students still have access to the insurance plan for $87.45. 

The plan contains a $100 deductible per injury or illness and pays up to 70 percent of eligible expenses and can be used both on and off campus. 

The student insurance is designed to pick up where a student’s primary insurance has left off anywhere in the world. 

Unlike most insurance plans, the student insurance plan has no network, meaning students can choose any health care provider they would like without being penalized or given a fee. 

The school-provided insurance plan covers an array of benefits like x-rays, laboratory tests, anesthetics, operations and hospital provided medications.

Along with this, the plan helps in cases of ambulance rides, dental expenses, maternity expenses, mental health expenses, substance abuse issues and physical therapy. 

Campbell emphasized the insurance plan gives students flexibility with where around the world they can use the plan.

Students can go home for winter break, schedule a surgery and use both their family-provided and Eastern-provided insurance to ensure two possible plans to use. 

The student insurance plan does not cover non-emergency visits to the emergency room or routine physical examinations, cosmetic surgery, speech therapy, hearing aids and immunizations.

In the event of injury or illness, students can contact the Student Insurance Office to verify coverage and complete the student insurance claim form. 

It is a student’s responsibility to provide medical providers with both their primary and secondary forms of insurance in order to be able to claim any injuries or illnesses sustained. 

Campbell said  that if the claim form is not completed within 52 weeks from the date of the first medical expense or at all, the claim will be denied.

Along with providing off-campus benefits, the student insurance plan provides pharmacy benefits on campus as well. 

On-campus pharmacy visits include no deductible and provide savings that vary with medication types. 

Eastern’s insurance program allows students to save money throughout the school year by coordinating benefits with the primary insurance providers. 

In the case of illness or injury costing $10,000, Campbell said students must use their primary insurance provider first, allowing them to cover what is laid out in their plan. 

After submitting their primary insurance information, the student can then submit their secondary insurance plan from Eastern, which will pay up to 70 percent of the remaining bill after the $100 deductible is met.

Campbell said students may still have to pay out-of-pocket expenses even after providing both insurance plans, but the out-of-pocket expenses are thousands of dollars less than they would be with just a primary insurance provider. 

Students can check their eligibility and print their insurance cards by logging into their PAWS account and clicking on the MyHealth tab. 

Emilie Bowman can be reached at 581-2812 or ejbowman@eiu.edu