Why Schools Should Mandate Medical Insurance for International Students
You know that it’s important for international students to have medical coverage, and you also know that schools should separate their policies for international students and domestic students. But have you thought about mandating medical insurance for your international student population? There are a few good reasons that schools should make this move.
Ensure Everyone Is Covered
When schools don’t mandate insurance, it means that international students are not equally covered. When it comes to health insurance, international students don’t know what they don’t know. Students left to their own devices may opt for insurance policies that cover relatively little or don’t help them navigate the complex US healthcare system. Others may simply opt not to purchase any coverage at all, which leaves them in a vulnerable position in the event of an illness or accident. By mandating insurance, schools are ensuring that all students have equal and effective coverage for their medical needs.
It Protects Students
Medical insurance for international students is obviously meant to protect these students! Students who travel from abroad to study in the US have different needs than the domestic student population, which is why it is so important to mandate a policy that provides these students with coverage features like emergency evacuation and repatriation services. Good insurance plans for international students also provide support services that can help them navigate the complex and sometimes-intimidating US healthcare system.
Medical insurance also ensures that students aren’t blindsided by unexpected, out-of-pocket costs. Depending on the student’s country of origin, US medical billing fees can seem astronomical, and out-of-pocket costs are a huge concern.
It Protects Medical Providers
Students without insurance may still need to access medical care from time to time. If students have inadequate coverage, they’ll be held responsible for the fees—and they might simply opt not to pay those fees. That hurts medical providers in your school community, and it decreases the efficiency of hospitals and other organizations. If students from your school start to rack up unpaid medical fees, your organization may earn a bad reputation among your local medical community, which doesn’t bode well for your institution, your students, or your local hospitals and clinics.
It Protects the School
As mentioned, a rash of students with unpaid medical fees can put a bad taste in medical providers’ mouths—and your organization may earn a bad reputation. Worse, medical providers may attempt to hold the organization responsible for students’ unpaid fees. Students may also attempt to hold the school responsible for their costs, through legal or financial means. Mandating an insurance plan helps ensure that everyone has the same coverage and the right documentation to use it. That means students have access to medical services, and medical providers are reimbursed in a timely and efficient manner.
It Helps Your Recruitment
Mandating health insurance ensures that students are protected, which can not only bolster your reputation, but it can also help with student recruitment efforts. You’ll be able to provide more accurate estimates on the costs of insurance and more transparency about coverage. That means international students can be more confident about the costs associated with coverage, as well as the kind of coverage they’ll be receiving.
When you don’t mandate a plan for international students, you place the burden of finding appropriate coverage back onto the students. That can lead to students having inadequate or non-existent coverage, as they may not understand what they really need to look for in a plan. The stress of shopping for a policy in a market they may not understand in a language they are still mastering can frustrate prospective students. When you can offer international students coverage and clearly articulate what’s included, your organization becomes a lot more attractive, as it allows students to focus on the things that are truly important to them, like studying.
