Archive 2024-2025

Academic HealthPlans, Inc. (AHP), a Risk Strategies Company is an independent company providing program management and administrative services for student health plans offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Online Enrollment

As an international student on an F or J visa, if you do not want the Student Health Insurance Plan, you must request to opt-out of coverage by submitting a waiver.

Fall: 08/01/2024 - 09/04/2024

Spring/Summer - 12/16/2024 - 01/15/2025

Summer - 05/01/2025 - 06/03/2025

Health Care Coverage and Evacuation/Repatriation Coverage Requirements for International Students.

Health Care Coverage for International Students must be provided through a plan that meets the following criteria.

1. Such a plan must provide coverage that, at a minimum:
   • Is currently active;
   • Provides the Essential Minimum Benefits required by the PPACA with no annual limits;
   • Imposes no provisions for co-insurance that exceed 20% of the covered benefits per accident or illness;
   • Provides in-network access to care in the greater Huntsville area.
2. Plans that do not meet the Health Care Coverage requirements of this policy include:
   • Short Term Limited Duration Plans; and
   • Ministry cost sharing plans
   • Financial Assistance plans
   • Limited Benefit/Indemnity plans
3. Evacuation/Repatriation Coverage for International Students must provide coverage for:
   • Repatriation expenses in the amount of no less than $25,000; and
   • Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the insured to the insured’s home country of no less than $50,000.

Individual plans provided through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace (or “Exchange”) or a state Health Insurance Marketplace (or “Exchange”) provide coverage that meets the Health Care Coverage requirements of this policy.

A waiver shall be granted to an International Student for any semester of enrollment in which the student is:  

• Eligible for, and as, a participant in the University of Alabama in Huntsville Health Plan coverage.  
• Able to establish that the student has coverage that is backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the exchange visitor's home country.
• Sponsored by the US Government or another sponsoring entity that has guaranteed payment of all health expenses and repatriation and evacuation expenses in writing.
• Able to establish that the student is enrolled in health care coverage through another source that meets the requirement of #1 and/or # 2 above.

Definitions

Evacuation and Repatriation Coverage Specific additional coverage provided to pay the expenses associated with the cost of medical evacuation of an insured and the return of the remains of a deceased insured to the home country of the insured.

International Student A student who is enrolled at a University of Alabama System institution who holds a non-immigrant visa that is tracked by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), other than a category F3 visa.  A student enrolled at a University of Alabama System and who holds an F1, F2, J1, or J2 non-immigrant visa is an “International Student”.

Short Term Limited Duration Plans or other health plans created expressly for the purpose of providing coverage to international students and/or non-immigrant visa holders do not meet the requirements for Health Care Coverage described in Section 3.1(a) of this policy.

Enrollment in the University of Alabama in Huntsville Student Health Plan as Default Requirement 

International students shall be automatically enrolled and assessed a fee sufficient to cover the cost of enrollment in UAH. This enrollment will be inclusive of the Health Care Coverage and Evacuation/Repatriation coverage offered through UAH unless the institution has granted the International Student a waiver, pursuant to the requirements.