Student Health Insurance from Pearce & Pearce

• Spring semester waiver period is over

All graduate students and international students are required to have health insurance. Under this University requirement, graduate students enrolled in nine or more hours, all graduate assistants, and international students must either:

  • Purchase the student health insurance plan offered by Pearce & Pearce
    OR
  • Waive out by providing documentation of enrollment of a comparable health insurance plan.

HOW DO I WAIVE OUT?
To "waive out" or to "complete the waiver process" simply means to turn down the Pearce & Pearce student health insurance plan offered by the University. If you are a graduate or international student and have comparable health insurance coverage and wish to turn down the Pearce & Pearce student health insurance plan, you MUST complete the waiver process online by Febrary 5, 2012 to have the health insurance fee removed from your tuition.

  • You must waive out each semester (excluding Maymester and summer sessions) or you will be automatically enrolled into the student health insurance plan and billed by the Bursar's Office.

REQUIREMENTS TO WAIVE OUT
For a comparable health insurance plan to meet the waiver criteria, your health insurance plan must feature all of the following:

  • Coverage must begin on or before January 6, 2012.
  • Coverage that allows the insured student to receive outpatient, emergency, specialist and inpatient care, diagnostic testing and procedures, and mental health inpatient and outpatient care, including alcohol and substance abuse treatment, in South Carolina.
  • Coverage dates must include the semester academic dates, including breaks and holidays.
  • A benefit amount per accident/illness/injury of $50,000 USD or greater per policy year.
  • The policy coverage amount of $250,000 USD or greater.
  • The pre-existing condition limitation can not exceed twelve months.
  • If coverage applies to international students: repatriation of remains of $10,000 USD and medical evacuation of $10,000 USD.
  • Please be aware the University-sponsored student health insurance plan meets, and in most cases significantly exceeds, the required coverage minimums.

PROVIDING A MORE AFFORDABLE OPTION
The University of South Carolina participates in a student health insurance consortium with other public universities in the state to provide suitable health coverage at a reasonable price. The Graduate School has announced that graduate assistants will receive a subsidy for $275 during the 2011-12 academic year to help them pay for the Pearce & Pearce student health insurance. As a result of this subsidy, graduate assistants will pay only the reduced portion of the semester premium. 

COST OF PREMIUM
for an individual
WITHOUT
the graduate assistant subsidy
With
graduate assistant subsidy
 Subsidy
Fall 2011 semester
$569
$444
$125
Spring/Summer 2012 semesters
$831
$681   
$150
Annual (TOTAL)
$1,400
$1,125
$275

UNINTERRUPTED PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE: To allow uninterrupted prescription coverage during breaks throughout the year (winter break, summer breakm, etc.), students with the Pearce & Pearce student health insurance plan can click here to renew their coverage. Once in the site, enter your e-mail address and password, then click the "renewal" button for the upcoming semester.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHY HEALTH INSURANCE IS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

THE QUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF PEARCE & PEARCE HEALTH INSURANCE

ADDITIONAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

OTHER ENROLLMENT ISSUES

DURATION OF COVERAGE

PRIMARY CARE & REFERRALS

DENTAL COVERAGE

PAYMENT OPTIONS

MORE INFORMATION ON THE WAIVER PROCESS

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Comments are closed.