Insurance
On This Page
- Insurance Requirements
- Insurance Waiver: Guidelines for Acceptable Coverage
- 2022–23 Student Health Insurance Information
- 2021–22 Student Health Insurance Information
- Insurance FAQs
Insurance Requirements
Health insurance is required for all domestic students enrolled in seven or more La Mirada campus units and for all international students living in the United States regardless of unit load. Students that qualify under these requirements are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan and charged all applicable fees. Students who already have an acceptable health insurance plan (see guidelines below), can submit those details to Gallagher during the open enrollment period to apply for a waiver out of the Student Health Insurance Plan. Please be aware that if a student's unit load changes, their insurance requirements and/or eligibility may change as well. After the enrollment/waiver deadline, no insurance changes can be made.
For students that waive coverage, Biola University reserves the right to audit the coverage parameters of any health plan at any time, and to revoke any prior waiver if it is determined that the required conditions are not satisfied. Unless alternative acceptable coverage is submitted, Biola University reserves the right to enroll students in the Student Health Insurance Plan should coverage submitted under a waiver lapse during the course of an academic year.
Insurance Waiver: Guidelines for Acceptable Coverage
Students that apply for a Student Health Insurance Waiver must be covered under a private health insurance plan that meets the following standards for acceptable coverage:
- Compliant with ACA (Affordable Care Act)
- Plan is underwritten in the US
- Offers unlimited benefit with no benefit maximums
- No pre-existing condition exclusions or waiting periods
- Plan is Medical Insurance and not travel insurance
- Maximum out of pocket for individuals: $8,150
Maximum out of pocket for families: $16,300 - Coverage for the following essential health benefits:
- Ambulatory Patient Services
- Emergency Services
- Hospitalization
- Illness and Injury Services
- Laboratory and X-Ray Services
- Maternity and Newborn Care
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, including behavioral health treatment
- Prescription Drugs
- Rehabilitative and Habilitative Services and Devices
- Preventative and Wellness Services and Chronic Disease Management
- Pediatric Services, including oral and vision care up to age 19
All HMO, federal, and state sponsored plans must provide coverage in the Southern California area while students are enrolled for classes.
Students are encouraged to compare deductibles, total out-of-pocket costs, and premiums before submitting an application for waiver. Ensuring that provisions have been made to cover these costs is considered the responsibility of the student.
2022–23 Student Health Insurance Information
Rates
| Fall (8/1/22-12/31/22) | Spring/Summer (1/1/23-7/31/23) | |
|---|---|---|
| Student | $1,155.50 | $1,155.50 |
For more information, please visit Gallagher Student Health's website.
Auto-Enrollment Dates:
- Fall 2022 — Monday, August 1, 2022
- Spring 2023 — Thursday, December 1, 2022
Enrollment & Waiver deadlines:
- Fall 2022 — Friday, September 30, 2022
- Spring 2023 — Friday, February 10, 2023
2021–22 Student Health Insurance Information
Rates
| Fall (8/1/21-12/31/21) | Spring/Summer (1/1/22-7/31/22) | |
|---|---|---|
| Student | $1,105.00 | $1,105.00 |
For more information, please visit Gallagher Student Health's website.
Enrollment & Waiver deadlines:
- Fall 2021 — Friday, October 1, 2021
- Spring 2022 — Friday, February 11, 2022
Insurance FAQs
How do I know if I am required to have health insurance?
Biola requires all domestic students taking seven or more on-campus units and all international students living in the United States (regardless of unit load) to purchase Biola’s Student Health Insurance Plan or waive out of it by providing proof of a health insurance plan that is both ACA compliant and comparable to the plan offered through Biola. Enrolling in or waiving the student insurance is a part of your MyAccount enrollment tasks and must be completed every semester you are eligible.
How do I know if I am eligible for the Student Health Insurance Plan?
In addition to the students who are required to have health insurance, any domestic students taking at least seven units with at least three of those being on-campus are also eligible for the Student Health Insurance Plan. They have the ability to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan but are not required to submit a waiver to avoid auto-enrollment.
How does the Health Insurance Task work?
Students who are required and/or eligible for the Student Health Insurance Plan are given a health insurance task in MyAccount during registration. Once the task opens, students are directed to Gallagher's website where they log in and select to either enroll or waive the Student Health Insurance Plan. Once this step is complete, students can mark their task in MyAccount as done.
What is covered under the Student Health Insurance Plan?
This Preferred Provider Org. (PPO) plan through United HealthCare Student Resources (UHCSR) offers comprehensive benefits that include hospital room and board, inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures, labs and x-rays, chemotherapy and radiation, inpatient and outpatient mental health services, physician office visits, consultant visits, ambulance, emergency care, and prescription drugs.
Preventative Care Services are available to cover routine physicals and examinations, routine screenings, routine GYN examinations, and most immunizations with no cost-sharing for a student when services are received by In-Network Providers.
Services provided by a participating In-Network provider are generally covered at 80%, while services provided by an Out-of-Network Provider are generally covered at 60%.
For a complete description of the benefits available, including limitations and exclusions in the Student Health Insurance Plan, visit Biola's Gallagher Student site or call Gallagher Student Health at (800) 395-0959. View all Gallagher brochures here.
Please note dental and vision are only included for minors under 19 years of age. There are, however, dental and vision discounts available. Check with Gallagher for more information.
Click here for the most up-to-date information from UHCSR regarding COVID-19.
What are the enrollment/waiver deadlines?
Each fall and spring semester, there are enrollment/waiver deadlines. This date is the last day to make any changes to your insurance status. If you wish to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan or cancel your coverage, you must do so on or before this date. Once you use the insurance during a semester, it can not be cancelled for that semester. See above for the current semester’s deadlines.
What if I was charged for the Student Health Insurance Plan but I have my own coverage?
Students who are required to have health insurance are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan unless they provide an approved waiver through Gallagher before the semester's enrollment/waiver deadline. If you notice you were charged for the student insurance but wish to waive, log in to your Gallagher account and look for a yellow waive button. If you have any trouble, contact Gallagher's customer service team at biolastudent@gallagherstudent.com or 1-800-395-0959. You can not cancel your student insurance once you use it during that semester.
How do I change my insurance selection after completing online enrollment?
You may edit your waiver through Gallagher up to 5 times as long as it is done before the enrollment/waiver deadline. You can not cancel your student insurance once you use it during that semester.
I did not receive the Health Insurance Task. How can I enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan?
All international students living in the United States are eligible for the Student Health Insurance Plan. Domestic students must be taking at least seven units with at least three of those being on-campus units. Online domestic students are not eligible. Please contact the insurance coordinator at health.center@biola.edu if you believe you are eligible but did not receive the health insurance task.
Will my insurance ID card be mailed to me?
United HealthCare Student Resources does not automatically mail your insurance ID cards. To access a copy and set up your online account with them, visit uhcsr.com/myaccount. If you would like a traditional card mailed, you can request one through that online account.
Can I be seen in the Student Health Center if I do not have the Student Health Insurance Plan?
Yes! The Student Health Center is available to all on-campus students regardless of insurance status.
Will the Student Health Insurance Plan cover all my costs if I visit the Student Health Center?
The Student Health Center does not bill insurance. Office visits themselves are always free but if you receive a chargeable service (medications, lab work, immunizations, breathing treatments, physicals, etc.), your visit may have a bill attached to it. Students must pay this bill out of pocket no matter what insurance they have. The front office can then provide a copy of the bill sheet for the student to submit to their insurance company for possible reimbursement (Students with Medicare/Medicaid are not able to submit for reimbursement).
How do I process a claim with the Student Health Insurance Plan?
The Student Health Insurance Plan is through United HealthCare Student Resources. To open a claim for reimbursement, log in to your account at uhcsr.com/myaccount. For more information, also see Gallagher’s website.
Do I need to update my insurance status every semester?
Yes, if you are required to have health insurance, you will need to complete the health insurance task every semester during registration. **For Spring 2023, if students submitted an approved waiver for Fall 2022, it will be rolled over and applied to Spring 2023.**
What if I purchased the Student Health Insurance Plan but end up needing to withdraw from Biola?
If you withdraw from Biola BEFORE the insurance waiver/enrollment deadline and have NOT used the Student Health Insurance Plan, your coverage will be cancelled and you will receive a full refund. If you have already used the plan, you keep your coverage. If you withdraw from Biola AFTER the insurance waiver/enrollment deadline, you keep your coverage.
What if my insurance waiver information changes mid-semester?
If your personal health insurance changes before the enrollment/waiver deadline, update your waiver through Gallagher. If your personal health insurance changes after the enrollment/waiver deadline, contact the insurance coordinator at health.center@biola.edu.
What if I age out of my parents’ insurance or lose my personal insurance mid-semester?
If you lose your insurance mid-semester due to a qualifying event such as aging out of your parents’ plan or losing a job, you can submit a Petition to Add directly to Gallagher. Be sure to do this no later than 30 days after losing your coverage (and preferably earlier to avoid any lapse in coverage). In order to enroll through a Petition to Add, you must still meet the usual eligibility requirements.