Health and wellness Center Charge Policy

When you are seen by one of our health care providers, you are not charged an office visit.

You will be charged for RX medications, lab/blood tests, vaccinations, and simple procedures. These charges are then billed to your account through the Student Accounts Office.

Itemized statements are available by signed request form from you, which is available at the HWC front desk. These itemized statements may be submitted to your own insurance company for reimbursement. If you are enrolled in the Aetna Student Health Plan throug the college, these charges will be submitted to Aetna for you with reimbursement going to your student account in the Student Accounts Office.

Traveling Abroad?

Travel Insurance Information
Suggestions on addressing your health insurance and travel assistance needs. If you have the Aetna Student Health Policy, it provides excellent coverage for medical evacuation/repatriation and emergency return home in the case of death or serious illness of a parent or sibling.

Health Insurance Coverage for 2011-2012

Macalester students are required to show proof of their personal/family health insurance coverage for 2011-2012 or they are billed for the insurance offered by the college, Aetna Student Health, a division of Aetna Insurance.

ALL STUDENTS (new & returning) MUST EITHER WAIVE OR ENROLL IN THE POLICY ON-LINE BETWEEN JULY 15, 2011 and SEPTEMBER 1, 2011. To complete this:

1. Visit Aetna's Macalester Health web site.

2. Click on "Medical Plan: Enroll/Waive" on the left column. When you move to the next page, click on "Enroll or Waive: Student Health Insurance Plan." Continue with the process on the web pages that follow.

Cost for 2011-2012 is $879.

This is an increase from 2010-2011. It reflects a decrease in deductible from

• $100 to $50,
• a waiver of the $50 deductible being applied to charges from the HWC,
• increased study abroad physical and vaccination coverage, and
• increases in the utilization rate by students (e.g. more students used the insurance and for more costly services).

This still only comes out to just over $73 per month as it covers you for twelve months.

Students are charged on the July 2011 tuition statement for the insurance offered by the college. If students waive insurance before the July statement, the charges will be removed from the first statement; there may be a gap between the deadline to enroll/waive and the billing cycle and so the charge may show on your August statement even if you withdraw by the deadline. If students fail to either enroll or waive by 9/1/11, they will be considered enrolled and charges stay. We are happy to confirm your policy status for you if you have any questions.

Health Services strongly advises students to check any existing policies that they may be covered under to determine if they will be adequately covered while at Macalester. This is particularly important for mental health coverage which tends to have more limitations.

If you have additional questions about the Aetna Student Health Insurance plan, contact Sue Rothenbacher at rothenbacher@macalester.edu.

Paying Medical Bills

You may have submitted those medical charges to insurance but until the insurance pays your health care provider, YOU are responsible! If you ignore the bills, they can send you to collection - not fun and hard on your credit rating. And even if your parents are the ones taking responsibility for those bills, if providers aren't paid, it is YOUR name that is on everything. Talk to the provider and if necessary, arrange for small monthly payments.

Changes in Dependent Status

Dependent Health Coverage by State

Many states have recently enacted legislation changing the age requirements for health insurance coverage for dependents, including Minnesota. Minnesota policies must now cover unmarried dependents under the age of 25, whether they are students or not (effective 1/1/08). New policies enacted in the Health Care Reform Act will find this changing as well, covering students up to age 26 (effective September 2010). Always check with your current insurance provider for details on your coverage.