All full-time OWU students are required to have health insurance to ensure access to healthcare resources when needed and to protect them from unexpected medical costs that could disrupt their education.
For students who do not already have health insurance, OWU has partnered with Academic HealthPlans (AHP) to provide coverage through Wellfleet Insurance and access to a national network of healthcare providers within the Cigna Network. Coverage is from August 1 to July 31 of the following year.
To ensure that students have adequate insurance, all full-time students are automatically enrolled in coverage and a health insurance fee is posted onto their student accounts. Students who have other health insurance coverage and wish to waive this fee will need to verify that they have comparable coverage in order to have the fee removed from their account. This waiver process is facilitated by AHP and details are emailed students.
Details for the waiver process can be found at https://owu.myahpcare.com/waiver.
All international students will be enrolled in the University’s student health insurance plan. For international students, only ACA plans offered by employers or embassies that include medical evacuation and repatriation coverage will meet the waiver guidelines. The OWU Student Health Insurance includes this coverage.
Students who do not provide proof of enrollment in another comparable medical insurance plan by the deadline indicated will remain on the OWU Student Insurance Plan and will be responsible for the health insurance fee.
Students with other comparable coverage will need to request a waiver each year. If the heath insurance fee is waived for Fall semester, the waiver will remain valid for the upcoming Spring semester and the fee will not be posted onto the student account. AHP, however, will verify that the student's coverage has remained in place.
The AHP website includes helpful resources for:
For students looking for other comparable health insurance coverage, it is important to consider the following:
Access to healthcare providers. It is important to consider which doctors and hospitals are in the area. For OWU students, this includes the campus and Delaware Ohio area, such as Grady Memorial Hospital and other local medical resources. It also includes providers that you may need to visit when you are back home or traveling. For students on Medicaid from states other than Ohio, you need to check with your Medicaid provider network to see what resources are available in Ohio. "Comparable" insurance plans must include a provider network that includes local healthcare professionals.
Comprehensive coverage. Some insurance plans simply cover emergency medical costs. It's important that OWU students have access to healthcare services for a broader range of care that they might need and have coverage that complies with the Affordable Care Act.
Costs to the student. The premium is the amount due for certain periods of time (monthly, annually, etc.) It’s important to also be aware of the plan’s deductible, which is the amount you would pay personally before the insurance company begins paying. Many plans have high deductibles, which can be costly in the unfortunate event of an injury or illness. Coinsurance is the percentage of costs that you would be responsible for after your deductible has been paid. Copayments (copays) are the amount that you may be expected to pay a healthcare provider at the time you receive services. It can all be very confusing, but it is important to be aware of these definitions when selecting a plan that works best for you.
The OhioHealth system of hospitals and healthcare providers offers a convenient and accessible network for OWU students. The following link will take you to the OhioHealth website to view plans with whom its hospitals and professionals contract:
https://www.ohiohealth.com/insurance/
(Click the “View Insurance Accepted by OhioHealth Urgent Care” button in the Accepted Insurance Payers and Plans section of the above page.)
We encourage you to access this site to determine whether the OhioHealth facilities and providers will be in-network with your insurance.
Please note OhioHealth is on a limited number of exchange plans that are listed on the healthcare.gov website. If you have purchased coverage through one of the government exchange plans, we encourage you to verify whether the plan is one that OhioHealth accepts for non-emergent care.
Questions about OWU's student health insurance program can be directed to the Dean of Students Office at deansoffice@owu.edu or by calling 740-368-3135.