Additional Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) FAQ’s

Enrollment is automatic, and there is no cost to you, but you must maintain at least a 25% appointment. Your effective date is the first day of the month in which you begin work, and your end date is the last day of the month in which you work. You may purchase insurance for any part of the year during which your department won’t cover the cost.

All international students are automatically charged for the insurance, and charges are added to your MyUTK account; to remove this charge since your department pays for the insurance, you must complete a waiver form available through Student Health.

Because we enroll more than 2000 students, it can take several weeks for Student Health to get you active in the system.

You may have to pay for your prescription or doctor’s visit, wait for insurance confirmation, and then send your receipt along with a claim form to the insurance company for reimbursement.

Degree-seeking students enrolled in a minimum of six undergraduate hours or three graduate hours and students participating in a co-op program or practice teaching program.

All international students are automatically enrolled.

Students who have previously been enrolled in the student health insurance plan may be eligible to enroll in a continuation plan. Contact the insurance company directly to advise them of your graduation (or ineligibility) date to see what plan is available.

Each Fall (August 1), the insurance plan renews with a new policy contract.

Since your enrollment as a GA/GRA/GTA is automatic, you don’t necessarily need to verify enrollment, but you might want to contact Student Health to see if there will be any changes for the next policy year. Premiums, benefits, claims addresses, ID numbers, and contact information may change with each renewal.

You will not receive these cards in the mail.

After you are activated in the insurance system you will need to visit www.uhcsr.com and create an online account using your SR ID number,  UT Student ID number  or  UT email address.  If your address changes, please make sure you correct it in the UT payroll system – your department secretary can handle that for you.

For the best benefits, all UT Knoxville students should first use the Student Health Center (SHS) resources, where treatment will be administered, or a referral issued. A referral issued by the SHS must accompany the claim when submitted.

Expenses incurred for medical treatment rendered outside of the Student Health Center for which no prior approval or referral is obtained will be covered at the non-preferred level of coinsurance, so while a referral to an outside provider is not required, obtaining one through the Student Health Center will help to reduce your out-of-pocket expense. To obtain your initial referral, you must first schedule an appointment at the Student Health Center. All referrals to consultants or other outside providers expire on July 31 each year and MUST be renewed after August 1.

If you are updating an existing referral initially made by a Student Health Center provider, then an office visit may not be required. Contact your provider’s Nurse by phone to update an existing referral. An updated referral must be (1) initiated by the same Student Health provider, (2) scheduled with the same consultant or another outside provider, and (3) made for the same reason as the initial referral. If any of these three criteria do not apply, it is otherwise considered a new, initial referral, and a Health Center visit must be scheduled if you wish to reduce your out-of-pocket expense.

Once your enrollment is processed, and your coverage is active in the insurance system, you should be able to create an online profile in that system to do the following:

• Review claim status, correspondence, and Explanations of Benefits (EOBs)
• Print your ID card or request a replacement ID card
• Locate a network provider
• Enter accident details
• Enter additional insurance information

Once you are active in the insurance system, you should be able to use your insurance immediately.

If you need to use your insurance before processing is complete, keep your medical bills or prescription receipts. Once you are in the system, these can be reprocessed and submitted to the insurance company along with a claim form.

No.

Yes. You may enroll dependents during the open enrollment periods.

Students and dependents must be enrolled for the same coverage dates. If your coverage is terminated for any reason, the dependent’s coverage will end simultaneously.

International students must enroll dependents within 30 days of the dependents’ arrival in the U.S.

Dental coverage can be purchased annually during the fall open enrollment period. Coverage can be purchased along with the student health insurance or separately. The coverage is available to dependents as long as the student is enrolled in the dental plan.

After receiving a claim, the insurance company will often request information from you, such as accident details, inquiries into other insurance that you or a family member may have or had previously, or proof of your status as a student.

Claims can be delayed or initially denied if the requested information is not received.

You will need to contact the insurance company to see what action is required.

If you are insured through a spouse or parent, you will need to contact both insurance carriers to determine which will pay primary and which will pay secondary. Commonly referred to as “Coordination of Benefits,” this can vary from company to company  Please contact your insurance providers for clarification.

International students are required by the University of Tennessee to carry health insurance for the period in which they are enrolled in school.

International students who are employed as graduate assistants will have their insurance coverage paid by UT for the period of their employment only.

Charges for this insurance are automatically added to your MyUTK account, and you must come by Student Health Services to fill out a fee waiver form to have the health insurance charges removed from your account while you are employed as a GA/GTA/GRA.

Dependent coverage must be purchased by September 20 for the Annual and Fall terms and by January 31 for the Spring/Summer term OR within 30 days of dependent arrival in the U.S.

Students whose assistantships are ending before they graduate should contact Student Health Services since they will automatically be re-enrolled as international students and will be responsible for the charges associated with that insurance.