International Students

International Students:  All international students on a non-immigrant visas at the University of Richmond, regardless of credit hours taken are automatically enrolled in this insurance by the University of Richmond Office of International Education.  Please see Health Insurance for International Students for more information.

Students must actively attend classes for at least the first 31 days after the date for which coverage is purchased.

If you have any questions, please send an email to [email protected].

The University of Richmond requires students in the following schools to purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) while enrolled at the University so that an unexpected illness or accident does not hinder student wellness or academic success. 

• Arts & Sciences
• Business (undergraduate only)
• Leadership Studies
• Law

Students who already have health insurance may waive out of purchasing the SHIP if they meet certain requirements.  See the Domestic Students or International Students pages for specific information.

Students enrolled in School of Professional and Continuing Studies or Graduate Business programs are not eligible for the SHIP and are not required to submit a waiver.

Domestic students are enrolled in the SHIP on a hard waiver basis.  Domestic students are students who are U.S. Citizens, Dual Citizens of the U.S. and another country, or U.S. Permanent Residents.  This means that each academic year, domestic students are required to either enroll in the SHIP or waive the SHIP by demonstrating comparable insurance coverage.  To waive coverage, please review your current health insurance plan to be sure that you have comparable coverage based on the University’s waiver criteria.

IMPORTANT:  If you do not take action to enroll in or waive the SHIP prior to the deadline, you will be automatically enrolled into the insurance plan and the semester rate will be added to your student account.

Students studying remotely are not required to have health insurance, but may elect to enroll in the SHIP.

Domestic Students WAIVER CRITERIA

You will be asked these questions when you go online to waive the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan.  Both answers must be ‘yes’ or your request to waive will be denied.

1. My plan is currently active and I agree to maintain health insurance coverage throughout the entire academic year.
2. My plan covers inpatient and outpatient care in the Richmond area.

In addition, you will be asked to certify the type of health insurance plan you have (HMO, PPO, Medicaid, or Tricare), and must provide information from your insurance ID card.

MEDICAID AND HMO PLANS

Be certain that your plan benefits extend to the state of Virginia.

• For those students enrolled in state Medicaid plans outside of Virginia, we strongly recommend that you also enroll in the University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan to ensure that you have coverage for healthcare needs when you are away from home. Please contact Financial Aid if you need assistance with the premium cost.
• For those students enrolled in HMO plans, we strongly recommend that you check with your insurance provider to assure continued health insurance coverage while at the University of Richmond. Some HMOs offer guest membership plans which provide healthcare benefits to continue at the same level when away from home. Please contact your HMO insurance provider to find out if this option is available. There usually is no additional charge for this type of program.

International Students

International students are required to participate in the SHIP.  Degree-seeking international students and all visiting students (regardless of immigration status) studying through one of the University’s partnerships will be automatically enrolled in the plan.  The cost of the SHIP will be billed by semester and added to your student account.

Exceptions

Degree-seeking students may request an exception to the mandatory insurance purchase if they are covered by a comparable U.S. based health insurance plan through one of the following ways:

1. Employer sponsored family plan of a parent or spouse working in the U.S.
2. U.S. based health insurance plan provided by a foreign government as a sponsored student

If you would like to request an exception, please contact the plan broker, Tim Cummons, at [email protected] or 1-800-346-4075, ext. 1452.  You will be required to provide a copy of your insurance ID card and a letter of certification of coverage.

The University of Richmond requires students to maintain health insurance to assure there is no disruption of their education due to the financial impact of an unexpected illness or injury.  Students are not required to purchase the student health insurance plan sponsored by the University and can purchase coverage meeting all of the standards of the Affordable Care Act.

The University of Richmond has secured the services of UROne Benefits to assist students with a search of alternative health insurance plans.  You can reach UROne Benefits at 800 722-7331.

The insurance plans offered either through your parents’ employer or in the Marketplace have a variety of options.  Some plans will limit coverage and services if the individual is seeking routine medical services outside of their home state.

Most, if not all plans will offer coverage in the event of an emergency, but would require the insured to return to their home state for routine medical care.  This can result in significant out-of-pocket expenses or delays in receiving proper care.

Please check with your insurance company to see if they have any options to extend coverage to the Richmond area.  Most of the national insurance companies will expand coverage outside of the home state at no cost to the insured.  Some will reference this as a Guest Membership or Away from Home Care. 

The implementation of this type of plan can properly protect you and ensure there is access for all medical care while you are away from home.  The process can take up to 60 days to complete, so please contact your insurance company in advance to arriving on campus.

The University of Richmond sponsored student health insurance plan offers a prescription drug benefit.  Please click on the link below to access information on which medications are covered, cost for each prescription and if any prior approval is required.

View Prescription Drug List

Students should also use discount Prescription drug sites, which may result in lower out-of-pocket expenses for your medication.  Two popular sites for discounted prescription medications are through Amazon and Good Rx.  We provided links below for your convenience.

• GoodRx
• Amazon

Students insured by the University of Richmond sponsored student health insurance plan will have access to medical provider 24/7/365. 

Doctors are making house calls again!  Included with your student insurance plan, and provided by HealthiestYou, is 24/7/365 access to board-certified physicians online or on the phone (where permitted). Totally worth it for minor stuff (like allergies, pink eye and earaches), the doctors on Telehealth can even send a prescription to your preferred pharmacy.  The future is here!

Telehealth can be a win/win:

• Talk to a licensed physician 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Pay no consultation fee
• Save money and time
• Toll free # is on your SR ID card or in My Account

With over 39% of college students reporting significant depression, mental health support has never been more important. That’s why we’ve partnered with HealthiestYou by Teledoc—to ensure you get the mental healthcare you need to stay on track and tackle whatever challenges you’re facing.

Through our HealthiestYou Behavioral Health program, you’ll receive:

• Access to Mental Health Specialists:get ongoing, confidential access to behavioral healthcare and medically necessary prescriptions. Wherever you are, you can talk to a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, clinical social worker, or therapist through video or phone.
• Mobile Support:receive access to doctors, therapists, and counselors by web or the HealthiestYou mobile app.

Member-Counselor Matching: when you sign up, an intake questionnaire will match you with an appropriate counselor, so you can always speak to someone well-suited to your situation. You can also choose your provider based on licensure, specialty, gender, or language by reviewing the provider’s bio and the information on their linked website.

Flexible Scheduling: HealthiestYou telemental health services are available seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., based on your local time.

Interpretation Services: if you need an interpreter, your provider can connect you to one through Language Line Solutions, which supports more than 200 languages.

International Support: access to licensed mental healthcare professionals is available wherever you’re located, even if traveling internationally.

What issues can HealthiestYou help me with?

While there are a variety of topics HealthiestYou can assist with, some of the most common include:

How much do tele-mental health services cost?

All services are free to students covered under the UHSCR student health insurance plan. Non-UHCSR insured students will need to pay a small fee (noted below) to utilize the services.

Can I continue treatment through HealthiestYou with the same provider I used under BetterHelp?

While there is some network overlap between BetterHelp and HealthiestYou, you should check through the HealthiestYou app to make sure your doctor is still considered in-network.

Where can I find more information about HealthiestYou tele-mental health services?

You can find more information by logging into your My Account or calling 855-870-5858.

View HealthiestYou Flyer.

Global Emergency Services (GES)

Have some peace of mind while traveling. We’ve heard great stories about GES saving the day for students who are studying or traveling in other states or other countries. When you’re at least 100 miles from home and you’re sick or hurt, GES steps in with immediate assistance and evacuation benefits. They can even help you get home if you need to be medically evacuated.

Some benefits of this service include:

• Emergency Medical Evacuation
• Dispatch of Doctors/Specialists
• Medical Repatriation
• Transportation after Stabilization
• Transportation to Join a Hospital Insured Person
• Return of Minor Children
• Repatriation of Remains
• May also include additional assistance services to support your medical needs, including worldwide medical referrals and medication/vaccine transfers.
• Contact information is on the back of your SR ID card or in My Account

For more information on Global Emergency Services, please review the Assistance and Evacuation Benefits flyer.