Student Health and Property Insurance
West Virginia University-Potomac State College (PSC) students are not required to have health insurance however we strongly recommend it.
Protection against medical expenses that may be incurred as a result of illness or accident while in college is the student’s responsibility. Students are responsible for paying all medical costs incurred at off-campus medical facilities.
All students, including international students, are encouraged to establish a health insurance carrier before arriving on campus.
Student-athletes are responsible for their own medical insurance coverage for injuries incurred during athletic participation. The state’s insurance policy is a secondary plan. Any remaining balances after the primary and secondary plans have been applied are the sole responsibility of the student athlete.
What are my health insurance options if I don’t have health insurance?
Check with your parents to see if you are covered under their insurance plan-most students are eligible to be covered under their parent’s plan until the age of 26.
PSC does not have a student health insurance plan for the current academic year. Students who do not have health insurance should visit Healthcare.gov or their State Health Insurance Exchanges to see what options they have for affordable health insurance.
Medicaid is only accepted at health care facilities in the issuing state.
International and domestic students who want to purchase insurance could use https://www.betins.com/ or http://www.ehealthinsurance.com as starting points to research, compare and purchase insurance (Please note, PSC does NOT endorse these sites). You are encouraged to research all of your insurance options.
Can a student use their health insurance at the Student Health Center?
No. Currently students pay a medical fee therefore services in our Health Center are covered. Exceptions include the costs associated certain immunizations. If a student is referred to an off-campus provider or has to go to the emergency room or an urgent care facility the student is responsible for all costs associated with off-campus providers.
Affordable Care Act Information
There is a lot to the Affordable Care Act, but it is based on a few simple principles that are described below:
•If you don't have adequate health insurance coverage, you can use the new Health Insurance Marketplace to buy a private insurance plan.
•Pre-existing conditions are covered. Many preventive services are also covered at no extra cost.
•All health plans must include essential core benefits as doctor visits, hospitalizations, emergency care, maternity care and treatment, pediatric care, prescriptions, medical tests, mental health care and substance abuse.
•Depending on your family size and income, you may get lower costs on monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
•You may qualify for free or low-cost coverage from Medicaid. Many states have expanded Medicaid to cover more people.
•If you have health insurance coverage and you want to explore Marketplace plans, you can. However if you have an offer of insurance from an employer, you may not be able to get lower costs on Marketplace insurance based on your income. It depends on whether the insurance you're offered is considered affordable and meets the minimum standards.
•Medicare is not part of the Marketplace. If you have Medicare, keep it.
•Marketplace Open Enrollment is no longer open. You can still get 2018 coverage in special cases, including: Marriage, birth, or adoption; A move outside your service area; Loss of health coverage; Applying for Medicaid or CHIP
Students should visit Healthcare.gov to be directed to health insurance exchanges from their own states.
Property Insurance – Loss or Damage to Personal Belongings
PSC does not provide property insurance coverage for your personal belongings that are contained within a dormitory room or anywhere else on campus. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain insurance coverage on personal belongings that are lost, stolen, or damaged, regardless of the cause. Insurance policies designed to provide student protection for these types of losses are available from a number of sources. Students might also wish to check with their parents to determine if they might have coverage under an existing homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy maintained by their parents.
Can Potomac State students purchase health insurance through WVU?
No. PSC students do not need to complete the insurance waiver listed on the WVU Student Insurance site and they are not able to purchase the Aetna health insurance offered by WVU.