Drake International Student Health Insurance

Like many U.S. universities, Drake requires that all students be covered by a health insurance plan. This requirement helps ensure access to medical care for our students and protects the financial resources they need to finance their Drake education. Drake's insurance plan is offered by Student Assurance Services (SAS) and is underwritten by Columbian Life Insurance Company. The Drake International Student Health Insurance policy meets or exceeds the standards set by the Department of State.  At International Orientation, you will receive a detailed description of the policy and information on an optional dental/vision policy, available at an additional cost.

Must I Buy This?
• YES! All Drake international students and scholars (F, J, M) and their dependents are required to purchase the Drake International Student Health Insurance.  International students may not waive or remove the charge from their bill, except in limited circumstances as described below.
• Insurance purchased by the student, the student's family, or through an employer cannot be substituted for the Drake International Student Health Insurance.  Students and scholars who have insurance coverage in addition to Drake's mandatory policy (for example through a private family policy or an employer) are allowed to retain that coverage, but must still purchase the policy through Drake.
• Coverage is effective August 1 - July 31 each academic year.  You are covered upon your arrival and will receive an insurance card a few weeks after the semester begins.

Cost and Billing:
• The amount charged will cover the premium for the entire year, beginning on August 1 and expiring on July 31 (please see the "highlights brochure" on the SAS website for specific cost information for the current policy year).  If you prefer to pay the charge in two payments, you may pay the Fall premium in August and ask Student Accounts to carry the remaining balance on your account for payment with your spring bill. Students that will only study at Drake during the fall semester should only pay the fall portion of the premium; reimbursements will not be made.  Students that will begin their studies at Drake during the spring semester will only be charged the spring/summer portion of the premium in January.
• Dependents must also purchase Drake International Student Health Insurance and provide proof of comparable coverage. To purchase the Drake plan for your spouse and/or dependents, you will need to go into the SAS website to enroll and activate their benefits.  You will need to pay for the dependent and/or spouse coverage at the time of enrollment. The enrollment deadline is approximately two weeks after the start of the term. If your family situation changes after the third week in the term (your spouse/dependent moves to the US, you get married, you have a child), you have 30 days from the date of the change to enroll your spouse/dependent(s) in the plan.   

Enrolling in the Insurance Plan:
To expedite the receipt of insurance cards, international students will be enrolled by the International Center and do not need to complete the online enrollment process below. 

Students who are enrolling dependents may visit the website of the insurance provider (SAS) directly to enroll (be sure you enroll in the plan designed for Drake University).
• Choose College Student
• Choose School Lookup, Iowa, Drake University International Students
• Open the 2009-2010 Enrollment form. Complete the form and mail it to SAS. If your spouse or dependent does not have a social security number, leave that blank. In the address section, please use International Programs Office, Drake University, 2507 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311 unless you know where you will be living upon your arrival.  The insurance company will not mail cards overseas. Your insurance card will be mailed to the International Center and given to you at International Orientation. 
• If you have difficulty enrolling in the insurance plan, please notify Carlyn Marron at carlyn.marron@drake.edu.

Major Medical Benefits (subject to annual changes): 
• The policy as arranged by Drake covers accidents and illnesses; it does not cover preventative care such as vision exams or dental check-ups.  Please see the SAS website for specific information regarding policy benefits and costs.  You may also call Dale Gordon at SAS at (515) 245-3183.
• More information, including a hard copy of the insurance brochure, will be provided at New International Student Orientation.  An SAS representative will be present at orientation to give a basic explanation of the policy and to answer any questions you might have.

Medical and personal assistance anywhere in the world

- Emergency medical evacuations
- Medically supervised repatriations
- Medical referrals to English-speaking, Western-trained physicians
- Hospital admission guarantee
- Critical care monitoring
- Transport to join patient (inpatient for more than 7 days)
- Care and/or transport of unattended minor children
- Prescription assistance
- Return of mortal remains
- Legal and Interpreter referrals

- Worldwide network of over 600,000 pre-qualified medical providers.

- Medical personnel available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

- Only pays for only services it provides. No claims for reimbursement will be accepted.

Alarm Center Contact/Verification Procedure

Medical emergencies occuring within the U.S., call 1-800-872-1414

Emergencies occuring outside the U.S., call 1-609-986-1234


Waivers of the Drake International Student Health

Insurance Conditions:
Insurance purchased by one’s family or provided through an employer does NOT qualify for a waiver of the Drake International Student Health Insurance.

Waivers will be granted under two conditions:

A. International students or scholars who have comparable, non-cancelable insurance through a sponsoring organization such as A.I.D., AMIDEAST, Fulbright, ISEP, or the Malaysian Students Department are exempt from the Drake International Student Health Insurance. 

B. If you have a preexisting condition (a health condition which was diagnosed prior to enrollment at Drake) you may apply for a waiver of the Drake International Student Health Insurance.  Your application must include a doctor’s verification of the condition.  You must also prove that you have insurance, which is comparable to the Drake International Student Health Insurance.

How to Apply:

To be considered for a waiver, you must contact the International Center during the first two weeks of the term. If a waiver is not granted before the deadline, you will be required to pay for Drake's insurance plan.

Applications based on Condition A. must include:
• A letter or other documentation from your sponsoring agency, which verifies your insurance coverage.    
• A complete description of coverage which shows in U.S. dollar amounts, that it is comparable to that listed above, including at least $10,000 for Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of remains.

Applications for a waiver based on Condition B. must include:
• A letter of request which outlines your situation
• A doctor's documentation of your pre-existing medical condition
• A complete description of coverage which shows, in U.S. dollar amounts, that it is comparable to that listed above, including at least $10,000 for Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of remains.

Requests for a waiver should be sent to:
Insurance Waivers Committee
c/o Gretchen Olson Director, International Programs & Services
Drake University
2507 University Ave.
Des Moines, IA, 50311

Last Modified: 06/29/2009 17:09:55 by content editor