Frequently Asked Questions

Archive 2024-2025

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Benefits

Benefit Information

Advantages of Membership

Enroll/Cost

Am I Eligible to Enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan?

Online Enrollment Periods

Fall Early Arrival (coverage beginning 08/01/2024) - 06/22/2024 - 08/25/2024

Fall (coverage beginning 09/01/2024) - 06/22/2024 - 09/30/2024 

(Fall Installment Option ends 09/30/2024)

Spring/Summer (coverage beginning 01/01/2025) - 11/15/2024 - 02/14/2025

(Spring/Summer Installment Option ends 01/31/2025)

Summer I (coverage beginning 05/17/2025) - 04/01/2025 - 06/03/2025 

Summer II (coverage beginning 07/01/2025) - 06/04/2025 - 07/15/2025

Online Enrollment

Domestic Students

International Students (Mandatory)

Continuation Insurance

Students with a Qualifying Life Event

Opt-Out/Waiver

If you do not want the Student Health Insurance Plan, you must decline or opt-out of coverage by submitting a waiver. You may only opt-out of coverage during the following Waiver Periods:

Early Fall Arrival (new International Students) - 07/28/2024 - 08/22/2024

Fall - 08/02/2024 - 09/07/2024

Spring/Summer - 12/08/2024 - 02/01/2025

Summer - 04/19/2025 - 06/03/2025

Summer II - 06/04/2025 - 07/12/2025

The Texas A&M University System

Student Health Insurance Plan Waiver Criteria

The Texas A&M University System has established five circumstances in which an international student can request a waiver to the student health insurance plan by providing alternative health insurance coverage. In order to be approved for a waiver, your alternate health coverage must meet the requirements as set in the System Regulation and be submitted with proof documentation prior to the deadline.

Please review these prior to submitting your waiver request.

  1. Student is sponsored by the United States government; or
  2. Student is sponsored by a foreign government recognized by the United States or certain international, government-sponsored, or non-governmental organizations, and covered under a health plan that is compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SHIP; or
  3. Student is enrolled in an employer-provided group health plan that is compliant with the ACA. If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SHIP; or
  4. Student is enrolled in only distance learning programs; or
  5. Student is involved in intercollegiate athletics and coverage for all medical insurance is provided through a policy as part of the current sports accident medical policy approved by System Risk Management.
  6. Alternative coverage for the Summer semester must be effective 5/17/25 – 08/31/25.
  7. Travel Plans are not acceptable plans to waive the insurance coverage unless sponsored by US Employer or Foreign Government.

Requirements:

  1. Policy provides the Essential Minimum Benefits required by the PPACA with no annual limits.
  2. Policies annual Deductible of no more than U.S. $500 (except for employer plans.)
  3. Policy contains no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.
  4. Proof of Repatriation expenses in the amount of no less than $25,000.
  5. Proof of expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the insured to the insured’s home country of no less than $50,000.

Acquire the following scanned documents before clicking below to submit your waiver information:

  1. A scanned copy of the front and back of your health insurance ID card indicating you are a covered member.
  2. A scanned copy of your complete policy, including exclusions & limitations and dependent coverage.

Students that wish to waive for the Summer semester:

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR WAIVER REQUEST ONLY IF YOU MEET ONE OF THE ABOVE CRITERIA & HAVE YOUR SCANNED DOCUMENTS READY

Please contact Academic HealthPlans at help.ahpcare.com if you have questions.

Graduate Student Employees

Graduate Student Employees

Graduate Student Employees who meet the requirements are automatically waived.

Beginning in mid-August, the office at each campus that handles health insurance enrollment for the International Students, will receive a list of GSE’s that can be waived from the SHIP fee for the current semester. This report is provided by System Benefits Administration and is based on several factors. 

The GSE Waiver Report is run weekly from mid- August to early October.  If you do not meet the requirements for a waiver of SHIP, and you have overlapping International and GSE coverage during the semester you will be refunded accordingly for the overlapping months of coverage. AHP will automatically refund this premium to you, once the semester is over and students accounts have been reconciled.

Covered Spouses

 If you are covered on your spouse’s GSE plan, and you meet the following requirements:

  1. Coverage must begin on, or before September 1 (for fall), or January 31 (for spring), and,
  2. Your spouse meets the requirements as stated in the section above, and appears on the GSE Waiver report.

Click here to submit your request for a waiver.  If we are able to verify that the requirements are met, your waiver will be “APPROVED” and we will notify your school to remove the SHIP fee from your student account. 

If we are not immediately able to approve your request your waiver will be pended until we are able to confirm that your spouse, the member, is listed on the report.

If you do not appear on the report on, you will not be waived from the SHIP fee. However, once the semester is over and student accounts have been reconciled, AHP will review your waiver information, and you will be refunded premium for the months you were covered as a dependent on your spouse’s plan and as an International Student.

Claims

View Claims Online

Access Medical, Dental, Prescription, and International* Claim Forms

*International Claim Form is used to submit claims for benefits for covered services received outside the United States

  • Click on the Form Finder and complete claim form, attach the completed form and the original bill issued by the provider and select "Claims Submission Attachments" in the subject dropdown, or; mail the the form and the original bill issued by your provider to the address printed at the top of the claims form.
  • Allow 30 days for the claims review. You can view the status of your claims in your Blue Access for Members (BAM) account.

Regulatory Notices

Enhanced Products

Optional Dental Coverage

Offered in partnership with BCBS

Optional Vision Plan

Offered in partnership with BCBS

Contact

Enrollment Information

Academic HealthPlans, Inc.
PO Box 1605
Colleyville, TX  76034

Benefits/Claims

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
PO Box 660044
Dallas, TX  75266-0044
1 (855) 267-0214
BCBS Customer Service
1 (800) 581-0369
24/7 Nurseline
1 (855) 267-0214
Dental/Vision Customer Service

BAM Internet Help Desk

If you have any questions about BAM, please call the Internet Help Desk at 888-706-0583.
The Internet Help desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Telehealth Solution

AcademicLiveCare (ALC)

24/7 In The Moment Counseling

Academic Student Assistance Program (ASAP)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Hours: Available 24 hours
Languages: English, Spanish
988
Dial 988 from any phone to be immediately connected