2011 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
ORIENTATION
INTERNATIONAL
HEALTH
INSURANCE
Health Insurance
(All F and J Visa Holders)
3 Types of insurance
Non-Funded & Undergraduates
ISSS
Funded Graduate Students
TA/GA
SUNY International Student
GSEU /
and Scholar Health and
Employee Benefits
Accident Insurance
(NYSHIP)
(HTH Worldwide Insurance)
RPA
Research
Foundation
(POMCO)
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Who is the ISSS Health
Insurance Team?
Terry Creeden – International Health
Insurance Coordinator
Lorraine Medionte – International Health
Insurance Assistant
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What is Health Insurance?
In the United States, it is the main way
bills for medical care are paid. Medical
care in the United States is very
expensive.
Insurance helps pay your medical bills.
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What Does Medical Care
Cost?
Off Campus Doctor visit- No insurance = $
145.00
With HTH insurance: $ 0 if referred by
University Health Service or $50.00 with
no referral
Hospital Emergency Room visit for broken
arm: No insurance =$700.00
With HTH insurance = $0
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Who must have Health
Insurance?
All international students and scholars
with F1 or J1 Visas must have insurance.
Dependents with F2 or J2 Visas must have
insurance
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What Does Insurance Pay
For?
 When University Health Service cannot treat you they
send you to a doctor off campus. These services are not
covered by your “Health Services Fee”
 Insurance will pay for medical services, prescription
drugs, and many other services defined in your
insurance policy.
 The Policy also tells you how much HTH will pay for
covered services.
 If a service is NOT covered, you have to pay for it
yourself. Services NOT covered are found in the HTH
Policy under “General Exclusions.”
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Some Common Non-Covered
Services
Routine Physical Exams – An exam
required by a class or program, but you
are not sick.
Eye Exams to check vision
Dental Care unless caused by injury.
Some immunizations and vaccines
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Links to Your Policies
 Health Care Policy:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/healthinsurance/SUNYIntInsPolCert.pdf
Medical & Security Evacuation and
Repatriation Program Policy:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/healthinsurance/MEDSECDes10.pdf
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How do You use Your
insurance?
ISSS enrolls you.
HTHWorldwide sends an e-mail to your
Binghamton.edu email account. It Explains how
to log-on to www.HTHstudents.com to print
your Health Insurance ID Card.
Always carry your Health Insurance ID card with
you. You must present it to referred doctors and
pharmacies off campus and in emergencies.
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Your ID Card
Looks like this:
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Where do You go when You Are
Sick?
 Go to University Health Service on
Campus.
No cash needed.
Professional medical staff.
Your medical information is confidential
Services are paid through your Health
Services fee.
For more information go to:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/health/
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What if University Health
Service Cannot Treat You?
 They will refer you to a doctor off campus.
 They will give you a Referral form.
 You must enter the referral code on
www.HTHstudents.com before your doctor visit
 Call HTH Customer Service at 1-888-243-2358 to make
sure doctor is in HTHWorldwide Network
or
 Call doctor to confirm they are part of the “AETNA Open
Access PPO Network” as noted on the back of your
Insurance ID Card.
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What if Health Service is
Closed?
If not an emergency
Short term - overnight or weekend: wait until
University Health Services re-opens
However, if you feel you must see a doctor off
campus go back to Health Services to get a HTH
Referral form when they reopen. Go to
www.HTHstudents.com to enter referral code.
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What if You have an
emergency on Campus?
An emergency = life threatening event or
severe/acute pain.
On campus - call 911 from a campus land
line phone or 607-777-2222 from a cell
phone.
Both connect you to University Police.
They will help you
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What if You Have An
Emergency Off Campus?
 Off campus - call University Police at
607-777-2222
 Identify yourself as a Binghamton
University Student and ask for Harpur’s
Ferry Ambulance
Note: If you call 911 from an off campus
telephone or cell phone = Broome County
Emergency Dispatch
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Emergency - Continued
Important: If you go to a hospital
emergency room and you do not have an
emergency
 You will wait 2-4 hours or more
Cost is very high
$50 (called a deductible) will be charged
to you.
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Can you see a doctor without
going to Health Services?
Yes, BUT…
You will pay an extra $50.00 (called a
deductible)
and
If the doctor is not part of the HTH/AETNA PPO
Network you also pay the difference between
what HTH pays the doctor and what the doctor
charges you. This could be very expensive and
beyond your means to pay.
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Where do I get Dental Care?
Dental Care is a not a Covered Service.
HTH sells discount plans found on
www.HTHstudents.com
Look in the Binghamton Phone Book
under: “Dentists”
Broome Community College Dental
Hygiene Clinic for preventative care. Call
778-5015 for appointment.
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Where Can You get Eye
Exams and Glasses?
 Eye glasses and eye vision exams are not
covered by HTH Insurance.
Look in the Binghamton Phone Book
under: “Opticians and Optometrists”
Shop for best prices.
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Sick or
Accident
Emergency:
ROUTINE ILLNESS
Acute pain, life threatening event
UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES
(no charge, covered by health fee)
HOSPITALS
General, Wilson Regional &
Lourdes Hospitals
You present insurance ID card to
hospital. They send bills to HTH
Insurance for payment.
Referral Form
No referral form is needed in an
emergency to have HTH Insurance
waive $50.00 deductible applied to
non referrals.
ADDITIONAL BILLS FROM
EMERGENCY ROOM OR
HOSPITAL STAY
Unpaid bills with total amount due:
Call provider’s office. Provide them
with your insurance information so
they can send bill to HTH. Or mail
bills to HTH Worldwide. Include your
insurance certificate # on each bill.
Always keep copies of bills or
receipts that you send to HTH
Worldwide.
REFERRAL TO
OFF-CAMPUS PROVIDER
Use “preferred provider”
found at
www.HTHStudents.com to
receive highest level of
reimbursement from HTH
Insurance
Visit Doctor/Provider
Give insurance ID card to
Doctor. They will bill HTH
Insurance to be paid by them.
Bills With $50.00 Deductible Due
Any emergency service or hospital
bill with $50.00 charge remaining
for you to pay: Contact ISSS for
assistance at
intl.insure@binghamton.edu or 7772510
TREATMENT AT
CAMPUS HEALTH
SERVICES
No referral form or
insurance ID required.
Referral Form
Get referral form from University
Health Services. Enter code from
form into
WWW.HTHstudents.com
/My Benefits/SUNY before your
Dr. visit
Notice of Unpaid Bills
Received
If you receive bills where the total
amount is due from you, either
the doctor does not have your
insurance ID or the claim was
denied. Contact HTH customer
service at 1-888-350-2002 or
ISSS at 777-2510 for assistance.
Get the Details
Health Insurance is complex and many rules
apply.
Use the HTH website for information and many
services @ http://www.hthstudents.com,
including translation guides for medications
Read all materials provided by HTH and ISSS.
Contact ISSS with any questions or concerns
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Who Can Answer My
Questions?
 Terry Creeden, International Health Insurance
Coordinator
 Lorraine Medionte, International Health Insurance
Assistant
We are here for you!
By Appointment or Walk In - Tuesdays 10:15 – Noon
Office of International Student and Scholar Services
607-777-2510 or intl.insure@binghamton.edu
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BU Health and Wellness Program
Web Sites
International Health Insurance:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/healthinsurance/index.html
Health Services:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/health/
Counseling Services:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/counseling/
Campus Recreation:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/campus-recreation/
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Questions?
What are Your Questions?
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