Insurance and Billing

For Students Enrolled in Macalester’s Health Insurance

Navigating Health Insurance in the US is extremely complicated. Period. We hope these resources can help answer some of your questions and support you in accessing care through your insurance plan.

SUMMARY OF STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE (PDF) – This document summarizes your coverage. Skip to page 3 for costs and coverage details, or read the whole thing for answers to MANY questions about your insurance. It is lengthy, but also a true summary of the most important information. If you have questions (very understandable), the help line listed next can be a great resource for understanding coverage further, or asking questions about specific providers and costs.

HELP LINE:  Contact customer service for the insurance company via phone, live chat, or email form. They can answer your questions about what is covered, who is in network, approximate costs, etc. Students have indicated they have found this service helpful in understanding their insurance and health care costs.

The plan provides coverage to students anywhere in the US.  For additional information about coverage and and for questions specifically regarding coverage for COVID-19, please visit United Healthcare Student Resources.

A Few Important Notes for All Students

• All students may use the Hamre Center services no matter what insurance they have.
• Macalester College requires all students to provide proof of comprehensive, ACA-compliant personal health insurance coverage. Please review the requirements for health insurance coverage. All Macalester students must verify every year that they carry comprehensive health insurance. All students are initially billed for the plan; the charge is removed only when the student has gone online and waived out.

The College views adequate health insurance as key to supporting student capacity to be healthy and fully engaged in the educational experience. Health insurance is required when seeking health care services off-campus and when participating in intercollegiate athletics. We can’t always anticipate healthcare needs and just one serious illness or accident can create significant financial hardship, seriously derailing a student’s ability to continue their studies.

Health Insurance FAQ

If you’re on Macalester Insurance and have questions, visit the Health Insurance FAQ (PDF) or contact Tarryel Powell at [email protected].

Are you not sure how health insurance works?  Here is a short video that describes how health insurance works in the United States. And check out this presentation on Navigating Healthcare (Google Slides).

Billing

Nearly all services at the Hamre Center are provided at no charge. However, there are some things that students without the United Healthcare student insurance will be charged out of pocket. Examples include:

• Immunizations/vaccinations
• Lab tests (except pregnancy tests, which are free)
• Prescription medications/EC
• Physicals
• A few procedures (ear irrigation, suture removal, etc.)
• Supplies like splints, wraps

Here is a Hamre Center list of charges (Google Doc) for procedures, labs, medications, and equipment. Remember, there is no charge for an office visit. Talk to your medical provider about what tests and medications are recommended so that you can make an informed decision.

What to do if you incur a charge?

If you have insurance other than the Macalester-offered plan:

• The charge will be put directly on your Macalester student account, identified only as “Health Service Charge”. You are responsible for paying the balance on your Macalester account. There are various ways to pay your bill, including using a credit card on e-bill. Check with the Business Office if you have questions about payment on your account.   Note: charges applied to your Macalester account will accrue interest if not paid in a timely fashion.
• Or, you can pay the charge directly at the Hamre Center via check or cash.

EITHER WAY, ask the Hamre Center front desk for an itemized statement to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. You can then send it to your insurance company and they will pay you directly any amount that they cover. Go to your health insurance company’s website to get specific instructions and forms.

If you have the United Healthcare Student Resources insurance plan:

• All costs incurred at the Hamre Center are covered at 100%.
• No charges are applied to your student account.
• The Hamre Center will submit your charges to United Healthcare Student Resources – payment will come back directly to the Hamre Center to cover the charges.

If you have questions or problems with what you have been charged for, check-in with the Hamre Center, 651-696-6275.