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Cherry Blossoms

Current International Students

F-1 Student Health Insurance

All Foothill’s active F-1 students are automatically enrolled in our mandatory health plan.

  • This plan offers the best possible medical coverage at the best possible price.
  • Under this plan, you may choose from a wide variety of health care providers in our local communities who participate in the Anthem Blue Cross PPO (Prudent Buyer) network.
  • The plan provides up to $250,000 in coverage per condition each year, with 100% coverage after the copayment (usually $50-$100) for most doctors and clinic or hospital services within the PPO network.
  • The copayment may be waived if you first seek medical help from Foothill College's Student Health Services office.

Plan Enrollment

Coverage Dates

$576 USD each four-month term, a total of three terms per year.

  • Fall term: August 15 - December 14
  • Winter term: December 15 - April 14
  • Spring term: April 15 - August 14

 

For new students, if you arrive in the U.S. before a coverage term starts, you may purchase one additional month of transition insurance.

If you completes your studies at Foothill College before the end of the coverage term, your insurance ends on the last day of the last quarter which you paid.

Coverage Payments

Once you register in a class for the upcoming quarter, the insurance fee should be added automatically. If you do not see this charge, please contact Mang-Ling Cho at foothillinternational@fhda.edu. You can pay this fee along with the rest of the tuition and fees.

Dependents

Dependents are not automatically enrolled in this health insurance plan. To enroll your dependents, visit www.4studenthealth.com/foothill. Your dependents include spouse, domestic partner, or children under the age of 26. Dependents will only be enrolled later if it is within 31 days of marriage, birth, adoption, or arrival in the U.S.

For questions about enrollment, contact Relation Insurance Services at 800.537.1777 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT).

During OPT

If you are participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT), you are eligible for the plan but you will not be automatically enrolled. You must enroll when you start OPT and remain enrolled through the entire OPT  period. 

To enroll during OPT, visit www.4studenthealth.com/foothill. Students who are on Optional Practical Training must provide a Verification of Practical Training Letter to be eligible for this insurance coverage and must purchase OPT coverage within 30 days of the expiration date of their prior coverage. Dependent coverage is not available for students enrolled during OPT.

If you are no longer an F-1 visa student, you may not purchase health insurance under this plan.

Waiver

Foothill College may grant waivers only if you meet certain requirements (i.e. if you are on your spouses', partners' or parents' U.S. local health insurance plans). If you hold another health insurance plan, whether U.S. or foreign, you will still be required to purchase the Foothill health insurance. Please contact Mang-Ling Cho at foothillinternational@fhda.edu if you have questions about the waiver. 

The waiver form must be submitted to the ISP office along with all required documents no later than the second Friday of each quarter (fall, winter or spring).

COVID special policy: If you are studying online from abroad, make sure to complete the Study Location Form each quarter by the refund deadline.

Refunds

You are responsible for paying the quarterly health insurance fee unless you notify the ISP office and are approved for a refund within the first two weeks of the quarter about one of the following circumstances:

  • You are taking online classes from abroad during COVID-19
  • Your immigration or visa status has changed
  • You have obtained permanent residency status (green card)
  • You are transferring to another school or university
  • You are ending your studies or leaving the United States

If you don't pay the required fees, a hold will be placed on your student account. You will not be able to obtain transcripts or enroll in future quarters until the hold is cleared. If left unpaid, your debt may be sent to an outside agency for collection. This may affect your financial or credit rating in the future.

Access Care

Insurance ID

Students should receive a welcome email from Anthem within the first two weeks of the new quarter. Students should check their spam/junk mail. Follow the instructions to create an Anthem Member Account to access your digital ID and other plan benefits. If you cannot locate this email, please contact Mang-Ling Cho at foothillinternational@fhda.edu.  

In-Network

The network for this plan is Anthem Blue Cross PPO (Prudent Buyer).

In-network means providers such as doctors, specialists, and hospitals have a contract with this insurance plan at a lower cost to its members. Sometimes it is also called “PPO” or “Preferred” network. 

If you use an Anthem provider, covered medical services are paid by the insurance company at 100%. If you use a out-of-network provider, meaning a provider who is not part of Anthem Blue Cross, covered medical expenses are paid at only 70%. Copays are not included in what the insurance company pays.

Find Care

  1. Visit www.anthem.com/ca and click "Find Care", located on the Menu bar toward the top right of the webpage.
  2. Click "Guests".
  3. “What type of care are you searching for?” Select "Medical". “What State do
    you want to search in?” Select "California". “What type of plan do you want to search with?” Scroll down to select "Medical (Student Health)". “Select a plan/network.” Select "Blue Cross PPO (Prudent Buyer) – Student Health" and click "Continue".
  4. Select a provider type and/or specialty, enter your address, ZIP code, or city and state, select the number of miles you would be willing to travel to the doctor’s office, and click "Search".
  5. Select a provider from the list and call to make an appointment.

It is best to locate an Anthem Blue Cross doctor, urgent care center, and emergency room near you before you get sick. Always verify the provider is part of the Anthem Blue Cross PPO (Prudent Buyer) Network before you receive treatment.

Copayments

The plan has a required copayment of $50 per visit for all physicians’ services.  If you make an appointment with the Student Health Services office before and the nurse there refers you to a doctor, the copayment may be waived.

The cost of the insurance charge:

  • A $50 copay when you go to an Anthem doctor’s office
  • A $50 copay when you go to an Anthem urgent care center when the
    campus health center or doctor’s office is closed
  • A $100 copay when you visit an Anthem hospital
  • A $100 copay if you visit an Anthem emergency room
    (waived if you are admitted to the hospital)
  • 50% of the cost of prescription medication, up to $250 per prescription
    (you must pay in full, then send a claim for 50% reimbursement)
  • 30% out-of-network coinsurance if you do not use an Anthem provider
  • Full amount for any services not covered by insurance
    (see exclusions and limitations in the Policy)

Limitations and Exclusions

The Anthem Blue Cross PPO plan offers comprehensive benefits. As with any insurance plan, however, there are some specific limits to the coverage. If you incur charges for a service that is not covered or an amount that exceeds your coverage, you are responsible for paying those charges. 

Be sure to carefully review the "Exclusions and Limitations" section of the plan brochure so you know what is not covered or has limited coverage. If you have any questions or want to verify whether your plan covers a specific service, call Relation Insurance at 800.537.1777.

Reimbursement Claims

After your visit, the doctor or provider will send a bill to the insurance company for the charges. The insurance company will review the doctor’s statement and determine the payment for each itemized procedure. The insurance company will then send you an Explanation of Benefits. This is not a bill. It is a notification of what the insurance company will pay your doctor.

The doctor will receive payment from the insurance company and then bill you for any amount not covered by the insurance. You must pay for any amount the insurance company does not cover. If you do not pay, it will affect your credit and possibly your visa status. Note: Most charges are covered at 100% if you use an Anthem Blue Cross provider.

In most cases, the provider will submit the claim for you.

If you are required to pay for services up front, you will need to complete a claim form in order to be reimbursed (paid back) by the insurance company.

  1. Download a claim form and fill it out completely.
  2. Claim forms are available at www.4studenthealth.com/foothill under
    Claims in the USE YOUR INSURANCE section.
  3. Attach itemized bills for X-rays, lab charges, etc.
  4. Submit your claim form and all bills pertaining to this claim to:

    Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company
    PO Box 60007
    Los Angeles, California 90060-0007

Keep copies of all the documents you submit. To check the status of a claim you submitted, call Anthem at 800.888.2108.

Additional Coverage

COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine

Foothill health insurance covers the cost of COVID-19 testings, vaccines, as well as treatments if you have symptoms.COVID-19 vaccines are provided free of charge through local government vaccination sites. Please visit this website to determine your eligibility and to sign up for an a vaccination appointment when you are eligible: https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/ [Please note that vaccinations are not covered through your Foothill health insurance. However, as long as you receive your vaccine through a local government vaccination site, you should not be charged.]If you have any further questions about health insurance coverage, please contact Mang-Ling Cho at foothillinternational@fhda.edu.

Dental and Vision

Dental and vision care are not covered under this insurance plan. If students would like more information on purchasing dental or vision, check with the Student Health Services office on campus or call Relation Insurance at www.4studenthealth.com/foothill or clientservices@relationinsurance.com or 800.537.1777. Foothill Dental Hygiene program offers free/affordable services at the clinic on campus.

Worldwide

If you plan to travel outside the U.S., call Anthem at 800.888.2108 to find out your Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core® benefits. Benefits for services received outside of the United States may be different from services received in the United States.

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Questions?
We're Here to Help!

International Student Programs Office

650.949.7293


foothillinternational@fhda.edu


Administration Building 1900 Room 1933

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