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 Student Health Insurance 2012-2013 Dear Students, I am writing you to inform you of important changes to the NJCU student health insurance plan. You should be aware that New Jersey law (18A:62-15) requires all full-time students who attend state colleges and universities have health insurance. In addition, this law requires all public and private institutions of higher education in this state to offer health insurance coverage on a group or individual basis for purchase by students who are required to maintain the coverage pursuant to state law.
For the 2012-13 academic year student health insurance cost will be increasing from $715 to $855 annually for undergraduate students and from $1033 to $1,242 for graduate students. This premium increase is not unique to NJCU and is affecting all state colleges and universities. In fact, the NJ State Colleges and Universities have come together to develop a group plan in an effort to keep costs as low as possible, while offering comprehensive student insurance package. The increases indicated are caused by the Public Health Service Act and the Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama in 2010. A provision of that act that is now in effect requires that College and University Student Health Plans meet certain minimum coverage requirements. As a result of the rules and regulations published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services on March 26, 2012 all Collegiate Student Health Plans must provide minimal limits of $100,000 per year and eliminate any sub limits for prescription drugs and wellness benefits. As a result the New Jersey State Colleges and Universities Student Plan’s benefit levels will be increasing to meet these mandates. The new federal healthcare laws also require parents’ health care policies to provide coverage for dependent up to age 26, so we encourage our students to investigate that possibility as an alternative to the student health insurance. Students should also explore their eligibility for public health benefits before deciding whether or not to waive out of the student insurance program. The charge for the insurance is automatically applied to the tuition accounts of all full-time students. Students already covered by another health insurance plan will not need to purchase this additional insurance but must waive out of the student health insurance plan in order to have the charge removed from the tuition bill . In order to waive-out of the insurance students will be required to verify coverage by providing information usually found on their health insurance identification card. Students will be able to provide this information through the insurance verification form that will be available on the Gothic Net portal or directly on the health insurance website at www.firststudent.com. The deadline to waive out of the insurance for this year is September 26th, 2012 for the Fall 2012 semester and February 15, 2013 for the Spring 2013 semester. Additional information on how to access the insurance verification form will be included in the term bill students will receive in late July. Private, employer-based, governmental, Medicaid and Medicare health insurance policies will all be accepted as proof of insurance. If you have any questions regarding this process please contact the Bursar’s Office at (201) 200-3045. Part-time students are not required to have health insurance, but have the option to enroll in the NJCU student health insurance plan directly from the insurance company at a higher cost. Students may also add eligible dependants for an additional fee. In addition to the State mandates, the United States Department of Health and Human Services has issued proposed that would establish rules for student health insurance coverage under the Public Health Service Act and the Affordable Care Act. In view of the new federal health care legislation which mandates the phasing in of substantial improvement to the standard college student health insurance policy, the Colleges collectively decided to proactively address the problem and we are proud to present our students with a greatly improved student health insurance plan. Some of the major coverage changes are as follows:
As health insurance requirements evolve over the coming years, NJCU will continue to seek affordable health insurance options that meet federal and state mandates. Specific questions regarding a covered service will need to be directed to the insurance carrier. It is also important to note, that NJCU students will continue to have FREE access to our Health and Wellness Center, a service that is not affiliated with the student health insurance and is supported by existing general service fees. Sincerely, John Melendez, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs |
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