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International Student Services

Health Insurance for International Students

Health insurance All international students on F-1 student visas are required to have health insurance while they are enrolled at UH Hilo. While enrolled at UH Hilo, you are required to have coverage for each semester that you attend classes. If you enroll in summer session classes, you must have health insurance during that period.

UH Hilo has some health care services on campus at the Student Medical Services. Unless it is an emergency, it is recommended that you first visit the Student Medical Services office (located in the Campus Center Room 212) if you are experiencing any health problems before arranging to see a health care provider off-campus. UH Hilo also offers free, confidential personal counseling. View a short video about mental health for international students in the U.S.

On this page:

What health insurance do I need to buy?

All UH Hilo international students on F-1 student visas are required to buy a specific health insurance plan (United Health Care). This is an excellent and affordable plan that covers a wide range of health care, as well as immunizations, prescriptions, telehealth, online counseling, sports injuries, women's health, eyeglasses or contact lenses, and coverage while traveling. View more information and to enroll in this health insurance plan. (For detailed instructions on how to enroll, download step-by-step instructions).

For details about the required health insurance benefits, costs, accessing your health insurance card, finding a health care provider, and submitting a claim, click here.

Optional Dental Insurance

Health insurance does not cover dental or vision care. If you need dental care, here are some recommendations:
- United Health Care offers optional dental care insurance. You can enroll at the link above at any time.
- Hilo Family Dental Center : No insurance is required. Fees are charged on a "sliding fee" scale, meaning you get charged an amount based on your income. Located at the Hilo Shopping Center.
- Hawaii Family Dental : Located at Waiakea Villas.
- Hoala Dental : Pay an annual fee and get discounted rates for services such as cleaning and x-rays.
- HMSA Dental Plans : Dental insurance for a monthly fee.
- International Student Insurance: Dental and vision insurance, with options to pay monthly or in full.

Why are international students required to have health insurance?

Medical care in the U.S. is expensive. Adequate health insurance is essential because the U.S. government does not pay for medical expenses. While other countries may cover the health care expenses for its citizens, in the U.S. each individual is responsible for his or her own medical expenses. A visit to the emergency room or a stay in hospital can cost thousands of dollars and the lack of adequate health insurance coverage can be financially devastating.

If you become ill or injured and have no insurance, it could prevent you from continuing your education because of the financial costs. Therefore it is very important to have insurance that covers medical expenses. By requiring international students to have health insurance, the University’s goal is to have students fulfill their educational goals.

Watch a short video that explains the health care system in the United States. (The video is also available in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and Russian.)

What are the minimum requirements?

1. Comprehensive medical coverage of at least $100,000 US per accident/illness

Your insurance plan must provide medical benefits (doctor visits, hospital, surgery, laboratory tests, x-rays, etc.) of at least $100,000 US for each accident or illness. For example, if you are in an accident you will have to pay your portion (deductible, if applicable, and your co-payment) and your insurance policy must pay for covered expenses until a limit of at least $100,000 US is reached. Then if you get sick you will have to pay your portion again (deductible, if applicable, and your co-payment) and your insurance policy must pay for covered expenses until a limit of at least $100,000 US is reached.

2. Inpatient/Outpatient medical (including mental health) coverage at no less than 75% of the usual/customary charge

Your insurance plan must pay at least 75% of covered medical expenses (including mental health coverage) for both inpatient (stay at an inpatient facility/hospital) and outpatient (doctor’s office, outpatient department of a hospital or ambulatory surgery center) services. Even after you pay the deductible, an insurance plan will usually cover only a percentage of your medical expenses. For example, if the policy pays 75%, you would need to pay the remaining 25% (coinsurance/copayment).

3. Repatriation coverage of at least $25,000 US

If you die in the U.S., your plan must provide at least $25,000 US to send your body/remains back to your home country.

4. Medical evacuation coverage to home country of at least $10,000 US

If, due to a serious illness or injury, your doctor recommends that you return to your home country for treatment and/or recovery, your plan must provide up to $10,000 US for you to return home.

5. No more than $500 US deductible per accident or illness

Your insurance plan deductible cannot exceed $500 US for each accident or illness. Most insurance plans require you to pay for part of your medical expenses (this is called the deductible) before they will start to pay for any covered services. While the requirement limits the deductible to $500 per accident or illness, many plans offer either lower deductibles or no deductibles at all. Some plans also have deductibles per year instead of per accident or illness. As long as your plan does not exceed the $500 US deductible (per accident/illness or per year) then this requirement will be fulfilled. A deductible is not the same as a co-payment or co-insurance. A deductible is in addition to your co-payment/co-insurance.

6. May require a waiting period for pre-existing conditions that is reasonable under current industry standards (typically no longer than 6 months)

Your insurance plan may require a waiting period for a pre-existing condition, but the waiting period must be reasonable under current industry standards (typically no longer than 6 months). Each company has its own definition of pre-existing conditions, but basically pre-existing conditions are any physical or mental conditions for which medical advice, medication, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received prior to enrollment on your insurance plan. Some insurance plans exclude pre-existing conditions while some plans might put a waiting period on pre-existing conditions.

A waiting period means that your insurance company will not cover any pre-existing conditions for a certain amount of time. For example, if your plan has a 12 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions and you have previously received care for asthma, then you will not have coverage for any care or services related to asthma for 12 months.

Health Insurance while doing OPT

Students who have graduated and are doing OPT are not required by the University to have health insurance. Many employers will offer health insurance as a benefit of employment. But if an employer does not offer health insurance, individuals doing OPT can purchase health insurance from one of the following health insurance companies:

Students from the Compact of Free Association Nations

Students from the Compact of Free Association nations are not required to have health insurance, although it is recommended. Students from a COFA nation may be eligible for Medicaid, which is free health insurance. Contact Kuʻu Makuakane-Salavea at (808) 348-4410 or jmakuakane-salavea@dhs.hawaii.gov for more information about how to apply for Medicaid.

For general questions about health insurance, you can call 1-877-628-5076. Language interpreters are available in 16 languages, including Chuukese and Marshallese.