By Taylor Rey, Staff Writer
Students were charged $816 for health insurance coverage this fall, unless they petitioned to have the fee removed.
OCU began requiring all domestic undergraduate students taking 12 hours or more, and all graduate students taking nine hours or more have health insurance coverage when enrolling.
This new plan is in effect with the Affordable Care Act. OCU has a student health insurance plan (SHIP), which is administered by Academic Health Plans (AHP) and automatically registers all students.
The plan costs $1,722 annually, but students are only charged $861 per semester, said Alyson Dent, the office manager of Campus Health.
The plan offers $100,000 in coverage per plan year, according to the OCU Student Health website. Students on the plan have to pay a $500 deductible per year, then SHIP AHP will cover 80 percent of injury or illness bills. The deductible and co-payments are waived when receiving services from the Student Health Clinic.
It is not too late to register or to opt out of the health plan for the spring semester. Students can option out if they have their own insurance and they fill out a waiver online and submit a copy of their health insurance card.
If students didn’t complete the waiver, the $861 fee already has been added to their accounts for this semester.
Students said they found this process a little difficult.
“I agree with providing health insurance for the students through the school, but I already have my own, and it was startling when I got charged so much to my account,” said Elizabeth Wasson, vocal performance sophomore. “I wish they gave us more information.”
The second open enrollment period where students can apply for or change their coverage for this school year is Nov. 4 until Jan. 23.
There are two ways to register for the insurance, according to the website. Student can automatically enroll by not submitting a waiver or they can visit the AHP website to print out an enrollment form.
The waiver for opting out also is located online. There are detailed instructions on how to opt out on the Student Health website, www.okcu.edu/students/health/insurance.
The student health insurance plan is not available for international students. Officials recommend international students carry their own insurance plans.
Students using the plan may also apply to cover their dependents. These include spouses and unmarried biological children under 26.
“Faculty and staff don’t use this plan,” said Sue Lay, staff nurse. “They have to use their own insurance, though I’m sure they would prefer this one.”
More information on benefits, enrollment dates and cost is available online at www.AHPCare.com/okcu.
Students with questions about the billing of the insurance plan can contact Student Account Services at (405) 208-5146.
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