Student Health Insurance
Whether you’re a new or continuing student at Biola, health insurance is an essential step to enrollment. We’re here to help guide you through the process and answer any questions you have.
Insurance Requirements
Health insurance is required for:
- All traditional undergraduate students regardless of unit load
- All international students on an F-1 visa (undergrad/grad/doctoral)
- All students living in Biola housing (undergrad/grad/doctoral)
Students who fall under one or more of these categories are required to:
- Purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) OR
- Submit a waiver through Gallagher with proof of other health insurance coverage that meets the university requirements (see guidelines below).
Students required to have health insurance will be automatically charged for SHIP. If they submit an approved waiver before the deadline and have not yet used the coverage for that semester, SHIP can be canceled and the charge credited back to their student account. After the waiver deadline, no insurance changes can be made for that semester.
Students who submit an approved waiver for fall semester do not need to resubmit a waiver for spring semester unless their insurance coverage changes. During spring’s open enrollment period, students also have the option to rescind their fall waiver if they wish to enroll in SHIP for spring semester.
Students who do not fall under one of these categories and are therefore not required to have health insurance are not eligible to purchase insurance through the SHIP at Biola. Please explore eHealth or Health For California to help you find other options for health insurance coverage.
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
How to Confirm Enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan
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Confirm enrollment or waive in Gallagher
- The MyAccount task will direct you to GallagherStudent.com/Biola where you’ll log in with your Biola Net ID & password and select to waive if you do not wish to be auto-enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan.
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Complete the Health Insurance Task in MyAccount
- Once this step in Gallagher is complete, return to MyAccount to mark the task as done.
This is an annual process, however, if you submitted an approved waiver for fall semester, you do not need to resubmit a waiver for spring semester unless your insurance coverage changes. If your insurance selection will stay the same as fall semester, just mark the spring health insurance task as done.
Health Insurance Rates and Waiver Deadlines
2024-25 Student Health Insurance Rates and Deadlines
Rates
| Fall (8/1/24-12/31/24) | Spring/Summer (1/1/25-7/31/25) | |
|---|---|---|
| Student | $1,175.50 | $1,175.50 |
For more information, please visit Gallagher Student Health's website.
Dates and Deadlines
Auto-Enrollment Dates:
- Fall 2024 — Thursday, August 1, 2024
- Spring 2025 — Monday, December 2, 2024
Waiver Deadlines:
- Fall 2024 — Monday, September 30, 2024
- Spring 2025 — Monday, February 10, 2025
2023-24 Student Health Insurance Rates and Deadlines
Rates
| Fall (8/1/23-12/31/23) | Spring/Summer (1/1/24-7/31/24) | |
|---|---|---|
| Student | $1,175.50 | $1,175.50 |
For more information, please visit Gallagher Student Health's website.
Dates and Deadlines
Auto-Enrollment Dates:
- Fall 2023 — Tuesday, August 1, 2023
- Spring 2024 — Wednesday, December 1, 2023
Waiver Deadlines:
Please note: absolutely no changes can be made after the following dates. These are the last dates to make any changes to your insurance status (outside of a qualifying event). You cannot cancel your student insurance once you use it during the semester.
- Fall 2023 — Friday, September 29, 2023
- Spring 2024 — Friday, February 9, 2024
Student Health Insurance Waiver
How to Apply for Student Health Insurance Waiver
To waive enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan, submit a waiver through Gallagher with proof of other health insurance coverage that meets the university requirements. Here are the steps to submit a Health Insurance Waiver:
- Go to GallagherStudent.com/Biola and log in with your Biola Net ID & password.
- Scroll down to click the yellow waive button.
- Enter your insurance details and make sure to press submit.
- Some insurance plans (including Medi-Share, Medi-Cal, and Samaritan Ministries) will require that you also upload a verification of coverage letter from your insurance company (dated within the last 60 days) confirming current coverage.
- Gallagher will notify you once your waiver has been approved, if further documentation is needed, or if the coverage is not comparable to Biola’s waiver requirements. If you do not receive notification from them within a couple days, please contact Gallagher before the waiver deadline to confirm they received your waiver. Their customer service team can be reached at 1-800-395-0959.
Requirements for Insurance Waiver
Students that apply for a Student Health Insurance Waiver must be covered under a private health insurance plan that meets the following standards for acceptable coverage:
- Compliant with ACA (Affordable Care Act)
- Plan is underwritten in the US
- Offers unlimited benefit with no benefit maximums
- No pre-existing condition exclusions or waiting periods
- Plan is Medical Insurance and not travel insurance
- Maximum out of pocket for individuals: $8,150
- Maximum out of pocket for families: $16,300
- Coverage for the following essential health benefits:
- Ambulatory Patient Services
- Emergency Services
- Hospitalization
- Illness and Injury Services
- Laboratory and X-Ray Services
- Maternity and Newborn Care
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, including behavioral health treatment
- Prescription Drugs
- Rehabilitative and Habilitative Services and Devices
- Preventative and Wellness Services and Chronic Disease Management
- Pediatric Services, including oral and vision care up to age 19
All HMO, federal, and state sponsored plans must provide coverage in the Southern California area while students are enrolled for classes.
Students are encouraged to compare deductibles, total out-of-pocket costs, and premiums before submitting an application for waiver. Ensuring that provisions have been made to cover these costs is considered the responsibility of the student.
To verify if your coverage will be accepted, please contact Gallagher.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I am eligible for the Student Health Insurance Plan?
Unless you are a student required to have health insurance (as outlined above), you would not be eligible for enrollment in SHIP through Biola. Domestic graduate students not living in Biola housing who are in need of health insurance can explore eHealth or Health for California to research other coverage options.
Can I enroll my dependents?
SHIP is only available to enrolled Biola students who are required to have health insurance. If you have dependents in need of coverage, you can visit healthforcalifornia.com for other options.
What is covered under the Student Health Insurance Plan?
This Preferred Provider Org. (PPO) plan through United HealthCare Student Resources (UHCSR) offers comprehensive benefits that include hospital room and board, inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures, labs and x-rays, chemotherapy and radiation, inpatient and outpatient mental health services, physician office visits, consultant visits, ambulance, emergency care, and prescription drugs.
Preventative Care Services are available to cover routine physicals and examinations, routine screenings, routine GYN examinations, and most immunizations with no cost-sharing for a student when services are received by In-Network Providers.
Services provided by a participating In-Network provider are generally covered at 80%, while services provided by an Out-of-Network Provider are generally covered at 60%.
For a complete description of the benefits available, including limitations and exclusions in the Student Health Insurance Plan, visit Biola's Gallagher Student site or call Gallagher’s customer service team at 1-800-395-0959.
Please note dental and vision are only included for minors under 19 years of age. There are, however, dental and vision discounts available. Check with Gallagher for more information.
Click here for the most up-to-date information from UHCSR regarding COVID-19.
What are the waiver deadlines?
Each fall and spring semester, there are waiver deadlines. This date is the last day to make any changes to your insurance status (outside of a qualifying event). You can not cancel your student insurance once you use it during that semester. See above for the current semester’s deadlines.
What if I was charged for the Student Health Insurance Plan but I have my own coverage?
Students who are required to have health insurance are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan unless they submit an approved waiver through Gallagher before the semester's waiver deadline. If you notice you were charged for the student insurance but wish to waive, log in to your Gallagher account with your Biola Net ID & password and look for a yellow waive button. If you have any trouble, contact Gallagher's customer service team at 1-800-395-0959. You can not cancel your student insurance once you use it during that semester.
How do I change my insurance selection after completing the Health Insurance Task?
You may edit your waiver through Gallagher up to 5 times as long as it is done before the waiver deadline. You may also rescind your waiver before the deadline if you decide you want to enroll in SHIP instead. You can not cancel your student insurance once you use it during that semester.
If your personal health insurance changes after the waiver deadline, contact the insurance coordinator at health.center@biola.edu.
I did not receive the Health Insurance Task. How can I enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan?
If you did not receive the health insurance task but fall under one of the required categories listed at the top of this page, please contact the insurance coordinator at health.center@biola.edu.
Will my insurance ID card be mailed to me?
United HealthCare Student Resources does not automatically mail your insurance ID cards. To access a copy and set up your online account with them, visit uhcsr.com/myaccount. If you would like a traditional card mailed, you can request one through that online account.
Can I be seen in the Student Health Center if I do not have the Student Health Insurance Plan?
Yes! The Student Health Center is available to all traditionally enrolled students regardless of insurance status. Fully online students can make appointments but an office visit fee will be applied.
Will the Student Health Insurance Plan cover all my costs if I visit the Student Health Center?
The Student Health Center is not set up to bill insurance. Office visits themselves are always free but if you receive a chargeable service (medications, lab work, immunizations, breathing treatments, physicals, etc.), you may have a bill. Students must pay this bill out of pocket no matter what insurance they have. The front office can then provide a copy of the bill sheet for the student to submit to their insurance company for possible reimbursement (The Student Health Center is not a Medi-Cal provider, so students with this coverage may not be eligible for reimbursement.)
How do I process a claim with the Student Health Insurance Plan?
The Student Health Insurance Plan is through United HealthCare Student Resources. To open a claim for reimbursement, log in to your account at uhcsr.com/myaccount. For more information, also see Gallagher’s website.
Do I need to update my insurance status every semester?
Students who wish to waive must submit a waiver once a year. If you submitted an approved health insurance waiver in fall semester, you will not need to resubmit a waiver again for spring semester unless your insurance coverage changes. If you wish to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan after waiving, you can rescind your waiver during spring’s open enrollment period. Students required to have health insurance will still need to mark their health insurance task in MyAccount as done each semester.
What if I purchased the Student Health Insurance Plan but end up needing to withdraw from Biola?
If you withdraw from Biola BEFORE the insurance waiver deadline and have NOT used the Student Health Insurance Plan, your coverage will be cancelled and you will receive a full refund. If you have already used the plan, you keep your coverage. If you withdraw from Biola AFTER the insurance waiver deadline, you keep your coverage.
What if I age out of my parents’ insurance or lose my personal insurance mid-semester?
If you lose your insurance mid-semester due to a qualifying event such as aging out of your parents’ plan or losing a job, you can submit a Petition to Add directly to Gallagher. Be sure to do this no later than 30 days after losing your coverage (and preferably earlier) to avoid any lapse in coverage. In order to enroll through a Petition to Add, you must still meet the usual eligibility requirements. Payments in this case are made directly to Gallagher rather than being added to your student account.