Health insurance

Taking care of your health is essential while you are a student. Because government-provided healthcare is not available to international students or scholars in the United States, the University makes affordable health insurance available to you and your visiting family members.

Automatic enrollment

If your Form I-20 or DS-2019 was issued by UM-Dearborn, you are automatically enrolled in the UM International Student and Scholar Health Plan (IHI).

F-1 and J-1 students: You are enrolled in the IHI for the duration of your program of study.
J-1 scholars: You will be enrolled for your entire term of appointment.
OPT students: You have the option of extending your coverage beyond graduation.

The health insurance benefit ensures that you have access to quality healthcare during your time at UM-Dearborn.

Please note: students who graduate from the University after April 2019 will no longer be automatically enrolled in IHI for your period of OPT. If you need coverage beyond graduation, contact the Office of International Affairs (OIA) for options. Any F-1 student with an active OPT waiver will not be eligible to rejoin IHI.

Once F1 students graduate, their International Student Health Insurance ends. If you wish to extend your student coverage, you are eligible for the 90-day International Student Health Insurance Continuation Plan, offered directly through BCN. Learn more about the plan, including enrollment information via email, [email protected].

Here is the Continuation Plan Enrollment Form.

What is covered? BCN Member Guide

Your IHI plan covers treatment when you are sick, injured, or pregnant, as well as routine and preventive care. Coverage includes:

Coverage Highlights

Routine/preventive care – including immunizations (BCN Member Guide, pg. 18)
90% coverage for prescription drugs (pg. 14 & 23)
Pregnancy and childbirth are covered (pg. 19)
Both inpatient and outpatient coverage (for example: hospital room and board, physician's fees, laboratory tests, x-rays, ambulance, etc.) (pgs. 19-21)
Mental health problems and Substance abuse (pgs. 13 & 20)
Routine eye exam in-network twice per policy year for $20 co-pay (pgs. 21-22)
Some dental coverage (pg. 22-23)
The BCN Member Guide will tell you whether the annual deductible, a co-pay, or co-insurance applies to these services.

Medical Evacuation, Repatriation, and Travel Assistance Coverage

All UM F-1 students (including OPT students) and all UM J-1 students and scholars are automatically covered by the GeoBlue Travel Assistance Plan. This coverage is free of charge and no enrollment forms are needed.
The plan is called the GeoBlue BCBSM International MERE Plan. MERE stands for Medical Evacuation and Repatriation, but the plan offers additional services too. For example:
If you are hospitalized, the plan can help cover costs for your parents to come to the United States to visit you.
In the event of the death, or a serious/life-threatening illness, of an immediate family member, the plan will help cover costs for you to return home.
For specific information about what the plan covers, see travel assistance coverage provided by GeoBlue.

If you need to use this coverage: Call 1-610-290-0345, explain that you are covered by the BCBSM International MERE Plan, and provide the U-M code GTB9999BCMI1. GeoBlue will then open a case for you and ask you for the information they will need to help you.

BCN member account and insurance ID card: Member Guide P.2

Shortly after your arrival on campus, you will receive an email with your “enrollee ID” which allows you to create your member account by following the instructions on the BCN website. Your member account will give you access to your electronic ID card. You will be able to check your coverage, claims, and more on your computer, smartphone or tablet.

Keep your insurance ID card or certificate with you at all times. You can download an image of your card to your phone, or you can print your card if you prefer. If you visit the doctor or the hospital, you will be asked to show your ID card before receiving services.

About the UM Health plan

The Member Guide (PDF) has more details about the what the plan covers and an explanation of key terms such as copay, coinsurance and deductible.
The Member Handbook (PDF) outlines your benefits and explains how your plan works.
Benefits-at-a-Glance (PDF) is an overview of your coverage in chart form.

Rates

Dearborn students and scholars will be assessed each term: Fall (September), Winter (January), and Summer(May) for coverage up to 4 months.

Charges cannot be pro-rated. This means that if you have this insurance for any part of the month, you will be charged for the entire month.

Insurance rates change every year on September 1. Rates usually increase; a decrease is rare. The current rates are listed below.

Rates of 2024/2025:

Single Student/Scholar: $995.56
Student/Scholar with 1 Dependent: $1,969.12
Student/Scholar with 2 or more Dependents: $2,942.68

Rates of 2023/2024:

Single Student/Scholar: $836.68
Student/Scholar with 1 Dependent: $1,651.36
Student/Scholar with 2 or more Dependents: $2,466.04

Do you already have insurance?

Health insurance waivers must be submitted within 30 days of your I-20 or DS-2019 program start date. You may be eligible to request a waiver of the health insurance requirement under very specific conditions. Please, review the U-M International Student/Scholar Health Insurance Standards, below.

You may be eligible for a waiver if you:

Have alternate health insurance that meets U-M International Student/Scholar Health Insurance Standards (listed, below). The OIA will help you determine this.
Are eligible for health insurance benefits administered by the U-M Benefits Office. You may be eligible for health insurance provided as a U-M benefit if you are a:
- Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)
  - Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA)
- J-1 exchange scholar with a UM-Dearborn appointment

Temporary Health Insurance Suspension Request

Health Insurance - Part 1 Health Insurance - Part 2

International Student/Scholar Health Insurance Plan

Medically necessary testing and treatment for COVID -19 are covered.
Tests will only be covered if ordered by a physician
- International students and scholars may be able to obtain a physician referral for testing over the phone
No deductible or other cost-sharing through Dec. 31, 2020
You may review plan coverage details at the UM International Student and Scholar Health Insurance page
Insurance company services related to COVID-19

In order to be eligible for a health insurance waiver, you must be able to demonstrate that you have an alternate health insurance plan that meets the U-M International Student/Scholar Health Insurance Plan basic requirements, listed below.

Basic Requirements

Your insurance policy MUST offer the following benefits:

The insurance plan must have a deductible of no more than $100 per policy year, or $200 per policy year for families.
The insurance plan must cover at least 80% of usual and customary charges in the Dearborn, Michigan area for hospital room, board, miscellaneous hospital expenses, physician expenses in and out of the hospital, ambulance service, outpatient labs, x-rays, and diagnostic tests. The plan may not contain specific limitations for the treatment of medical conditions relative to standard hospital or outpatient care. For example, an insurance plan that has limited coverage of hospital room and board to $500 or limited coverage of ambulance costs to $350 would not be acceptable.
The insurance plan must cover at least 90% of usual and customary charges for prescription drugs.
Preventive care must be covered at 100%.
Oral contraceptives must be covered at 100%.
Pregnancy must be treated as any other medical condition. Insurance plans that exclude pregnancy coverage or severely limit it will not be accepted.
The insurance plan must cover both inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment and must cover treatment for substance abuse (both alcohol and drug abuse). This coverage must be comparable to the coverage provided by the International Student/Scholar Health Insurance Plan which covers 100% of in-network charges for inpatient mental health treatment after a $150 co-pay per admission, and covers outpatient mental health treatment with a co-pay of $20 per visit (in network) or 80% of the recognized charge (not in network).
The insurance plan must cover treatment for self-inflicted injuries and services related to suicide.
The insurance plan must not contain major differences in coverage between the primary insured and dependents.
The plan must have a “medical evacuation to home country” benefit of at least $50,000 and a “repatriation of remains” benefit of at least $25,000.

Please note that the following kinds of insurance plans are never considered to be comparable to the U-M International Student/Scholar Plan and therefore are not acceptable.

Insurance that covers emergencies only, or that pays for a patient's condition to be "stabilized" but then requires the patient to be returned to the home country for treatment.
Travel Insurance: in most cases, insurance plans that are called "travel insurance" are designed for short-term international travel and will not meet University health insurance standards.

Questions?

Health insurance coverage is coordinated through the OIA. For further information contact 313-583-6600 or [email protected].

BCN Student Inquiries, Membership, Enrollment, Billing: TEL, 1.855.669.8041, Email, [email protected]

Confirming benefits, Claims, Searching for a doctor/specialist/medical facility: TEL, 1.800.287.4103 (# on back of insurance card)

Forms

2106 - James C. Renick University Center
4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn, MI 48128
View on Map

Phone: 313-583-6600

Fax: 313-583-6725

[email protected]

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