Mandatory Medical Health Insurance | LSU International Services

Mandatory Student Medical Health Insurance 

All non-immigrant international students in F and J student visa status are required to purchase and maintain adequate medical health insurance and repatriation/medical evacuation coverage while they are enrolled at LSU, whether enrolled part-time or full-time. There are no exceptions to these requirements, and the medical health insurance policy and repatriation/medical evacuation coverage must meet LSU’s medical health insurance guidelines.

Health Insurance Charges and Waivers

F and J international students will be automatically charged for and enrolled in the LSU Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) provided by Gallagher Student Health/United Healthcare each semester that they are enrolled. LSU SHIP covers medical health insurance as well as repatriation of remains and medical evacuation to the home country. Students may choose an alternate plan and request to be considered for a waiver of LSU SHIP; however, the alternate plan must meet LSU's medical health insurance requirements, and the waiver request must be submitted by the semester deadline date. 

When proof of other approved medical health insurance is submitted by the waiver deadline, the charges for the LSU policy will be credited. It is estimated that it will take approximately 10 business days for the credit to appear on the student account. F and J students who wish to request to waive LSU SHIP will need to submit their online insurance waiver requests via the UHC/Gallagher website. To request the waiver, follow the steps listed below.

  1. Go to www.gallagherstudent.com/lsu-batonrouge.
  2. Follow the login instructions.
  3. Click Waive under Plan Summary.
  4. Gather your health insurance information.
  5. Follow the instructions to complete the form.

Once you have successfully submitted your waiver request, you will receive a reference number via email. Please note that the final determination may take 24-48 hours.

Important Notes 

  • You must submit an online waiver request at the UHC/Gallagher website at the beginning of every semester of registration, regardless of the coverage end date stated on previously submitted waiver requests.
  • All F and J students who wish to waive coverage should request an online insurance waiver by the deadline, regardless of whether the LSU student medical health insurance charge appears on your fee bill every semester you are enrolled in courses at LSU.
  • For Spring 2024, your alternate coverage must be effective from January 6, 2024 through May 31, 2024. Partial coverage is not accepted. The deadline to submit the online insurance waiver via the Gallagher website for this semester was Friday, February 2, 2024. 

Reminders for Full-time Graduate Assistants

  • As of Fall 2023, LSU Graduate School covers 75% of the student health insurance premium costs for all graduate students who hold full-time graduate assistantship (20 hours per week/appointed as a Graduate Assistant in Workday at 50% effort). You can find more information on the Graduate School support site.
  • If you will be a full-time assistant, we recommend waiting until your hiring appointment is complete in Workday before submitting a waiver request (if you wish to waive).
  • Gallagher Student Health reviews the waiver requests for all students enrolled in the Graduate Assistant Plan and will make the final decisions.
  • Health insurance waivers for full-time (20 hour) graduate assistants will not be approved if the private plan does not meet LSU SHIP requirements.
  • International students must have medical evacuation and repatriation of remains coverage that meets the LSU SHIP requirements.

Repatriation of Remains and Medical Evacuation Coverage

All non-immigrant international students in F and J student visa status are required to maintain these coverages while they are enrolled at LSU. These benefits are included in the LSU Student Plan (SHIP). If you are waiving LSU SHIP, please see important information below on what coverage you will need to purchase. 

  • Repatriation of Remains means transporting the remains of an insured person back to their home country in case of death. Without this coverage, the person's family members would pay to have the person's remains transported back to their home country; the cost is thousands of dollars. The required minimum amount of coverage for repatriation of remains to home country is $25,000. Pre-existing condition-related deaths must be covered; coverage must remain in force during entire stay in the U.S.
  • Medical Evacuation means transferring an insured person to the nearest hospital or to their home country in case of an emergency injury or sickness. Without this coverage, the person's family members would have to pay all costs related to the medical evacuation; the costs are thousands of dollars. The required minimum amount of coverage for medical evacuation to home country is $50,000. Pre-existing condition-related illnesses must be covered; coverage must remain in force during entire stay in the U.S.

If you are an F visa status holder, and your private medical health insurance policy does not include these required benefits, you must purchase these benefits separately. One option is to purchase the Emergency Travel Assistance plan through Gallagher by following the instructions below. The policy is effective for one full year. 

  1. Go to Emergency Travel Assistance Plan website.
  2. Create an account.
  3. Select Return Home on the left-hand toolbar.
  4. Scroll down and click on Enroll Now.
  5. Complete the form with your information and payment.

Insurance for J visa status holders is monitored by International Services. Our office will notify you by email if your private plan does not include these benefits.

Fee Bill Reminders

If you are a student in F or J status, please do not remove or select the LSU plan via MyLSU or online. Taking this step will cause errors on the fee bill. You are automatically billed for insurance on your fee bill every semester you are enrolled in courses at LSU.

Please note that the LSU SHIP insurance premiums have recently changed. Students with F visa status and J visa status will be automatically charged $1741 for the Spring/Summer 2024 plan. This charge provides students with medical health insurance and repatriation/medical evacuation coverage from January 6, 2024 through August 13, 2024. There is no spring-only plan.

The following students are not automatically charged on their fee bill for LSU SHIP. These students should contact Gallagher Student Health/United Healthcare directly at 1-844-288-4920 or visit Gallagher Student Health/United Healthcare to purchase or continue their LSU medical health insurance coverage:

  • Non-immigrant international students with a visa status other than F and J
  • Students who are registered as Degree Only (D.O.) for Spring 2024
  • Students on F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) or J-1 Academic Training who are not enrolled for credit hours

Notice to LSU-Sponsored J Student Visa Holders

LSU-sponsored J student visa holders and their J-2 dependents (if applicable) are required to have adequate medical health insurance and repatriation/medical evacuation coverage for the entire duration of their J program, including all dates between semesters. When it is time for the insurance provider to submit proof of insurance to International Services, ISO will contact those LSU-sponsored J visa holders who have submitted an online waiver request. After receiving proof of insurance, International Services will verify whether the medical health insurance plans meet U.S. Department of State and University requirements and have the appropriate coverage dates. This review is in addition to the online insurance waiver portal submission; therefore, this process could take time. Fee bill credits to J student accounts will not appear until verification is complete.

 

More Medical Health Insurance Information

 

Medical Health Insurance Card

It is important that all students print their student medical health insurance card (ID Card) and always keep it with them, regardless of insurance provider. LSU SHIP ID cards are usually available 5-7 business days after eligibility is confirmed. To access your LSU SHIP ID card, you can take the following steps: 

  1.   Go to www.uhcsr.com/MyAccount.
  2.   If you have created a UHCSR Account in the past, log in.
  3.   If you have not created a UHCSR Account, click Create Account.
  4.   Complete the registration form using your name, date of birth, and LSU student ID number.
  5.   Once logged in, you will have access to print ID cards and see claim information, explanation of coverage benefits, and other plan-related information. 

All questions concerning waivers, enrollment of dependents, benefits, claims, or billing problems of LSU insurance should be directed to Gallagher Student Health/United Healthcare at 1-844-288-4920 or by visiting Gallagher Student Health/United Healthcare.

Important Note: If you have LSU SHIP and need to see a doctor, you are required to first report to LSU’s Student Health Center (SHC), or your insurance claims will not be covered or paid; however, this requirement does not apply in the case of a medical emergency or if the center is closed.