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LewerMark partners with your international office to increase student wellbeing, retention, and success by offering international student health insurance plans that support healthy choices and a supportive campus climate.
What Factors Affect the Cost of International Student Health Insurance?
Factors impacting health insurance premiums include:
Eligibility
The categories and numbers of students eligible for a group plan can impact premium; greater participation results in lower premiums for students.
Enrollment
Where enrollment is voluntary, not mandatory, premiums trend higher as healthy students choose not to enroll. A sensible and equitable mandatory enrollment policy combined with a hard waiver process result in the best premium and benefits for all students.
Plan Benefits
The cost of an insurance program is a function of the benefits, e.g., the deductible, coinsurance, copay, pre-existing condition coverage, wellness benefits, etc. As you would expect, the richer the plan benefits, the more expensive the monthly premium, and the more a plan is utilized, the more renewal premiums increase.
Age and Size of Student Population
Student demographics also impact health insurance premiums. Demographics can include age, gender, location, country of origin and type and duration of educational program.
The Geographical Area of Coverage
Health insurance is more expensive in the United States compared to any other country. Further, certain U.S. states are more expensive than others, varying with legal and environmental differences that affect private-sector health care costs.
Exceeding Expectations of International Students and Parents
International families understand high quality healthcare is available in the U.S., but many worry about its cost. Parents look to the school for help navigating this unfamiliar environment. LewerMark is here to assist schools in providing international students and their families insurance options they can understand and utilize with confidence.
Exceeding Expectations of International Students and Parents
International families understand high quality healthcare is available in the U.S., but many worry about its cost. Parents look to the school for help navigating this unfamiliar environment. LewerMark is here to assist schools in providing international students and their families insurance options they can understand and utilize with confidence
Find a Doctor or Pharmacy Easily
LewerMark international student health insurance helps students easily find covered healthcare providers. Students can call or search on LewerMark's website to locate providers, and can even search by provider specialty.
Emergency Assistance
Medical emergencies happen. Your international student health insurance plan should provide support when they do. LewerMark's plans include coverage for medical evacuations, repatriation of mortal remains, and compassionate visits to the U.S. or a home country, among other services
24/7 Care Including Translation Services
LewerMark offers translation services at no additional cost, which allow students to access healthcare in their native language.
Zero Cost Healthcare Access
All LewerMark plans include access to Teladoc, My Student Support Program, and Togetherall, resources that enable students to obtain virtual physical and mental care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no cost to the student.
Understanding F1 Student Visa Requirements
Students on an F1 visa are not required by any federal regulation to have health insurance. As a result, each educational institution that hosts F1 visa holders must establish their own requirements. Generally, institutions adopt one of the following approaches:
Mandatory Group Health Insurance Plan
Requiring international students to enroll in a group health insurance plan reduces premiums for all students and allows the school peace of mind in knowing all students have adequate coverage. Under this model, students are only allowed to waive off of the school’s mandatory plan by proving they have alternative coverage that meets or exceeds the coverage provided by the school’s plan.
Voluntary Health Insurance Plan
Allowing students to choose their health insurance plan – or no plan at all – leaves students and schools vulnerable. International students often have difficulty understanding the convoluted U.S. health insurance industry, which can result in students purchasing inadequate coverage without realizing it, or forgoing coverage altogether. Students who encounter health emergencies or serious illness without adequate health insurance can be forced to abandon their education and return to their home country.
