Student Health Insurance

For detailed instructions on how to use ALC, please consult the AcademicLiveCare User Guide. Visit academiclivecare.com or the mobile app. You must enter the Service Key provided by Academic Health Plans! If using the mobile app, click “more options” at the bottom right, then Service Keys, and add.

Our six college deans, recognizing the potential impact of healthcare debt and/or disability on a student's career if the student becomes seriously ill or injured, made insurance a condition of enrollment.

MUSC is committed to providing the highest quality health care to students. Our team of medical experts will work with you to enhance your health and well-being and ultimately, help you achieve your personal and academic goals.

Yes. MUSC has a hard waiver requirement. Each semester the insurance charge is added to the accounts of all eligible MUSC students. To be eligible, a student must be enrolled in 6 or more hours and in a degree seeking program. However, if you have creditable insurance coverage from another source, you can complete the online waiver process before the deadline (each semester). Once your waiver information is verified and approved, the insurance charge will be removed from your account.

Important: A completed, verified and approved WAIVER is required each semester for students who do not wish to participate in the school sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan. Upon completion of the waiver form, a student will automatically receive an email notifying him/her of a pending waiver.

The rates vary slightly year to year.

The fall premium covers August 1-December 31 or 153 days (42% of the year). The spring/summer premium covers January 1 - July 31 or 212 days (58% of the year).

Yes, you need to enroll through the Academic Health Plans website before the coverage period begins to ensure benefits are activated on the first date of the coverage period. Because health insurance is required at MUSC, you will be automatically enrolled and charged if you do not enroll or waive by the deadline given each semester. Waiting for the automatic enrollment process to occur will delay access to benefits.

A hard waiver program is one where students must be enrolled in an external verified/approved health insurance plan or in the Student Health Insurance Plan. Each semester, students are required and encouraged to review their enrollment status for the Student Health Insurance Plan. Students have the option of submitting a waiver if the student has coverage from another source and that coverage meets certain criteria.

During the enrollment/waiver period, students who have adequate health insurance coverage through a parent, spouse, or an individual plan, can waive out of the health insurance requirement by providing proof of insurance coverage in a comparable health insurance plan through the online waiver system.

If the student does not waive out of the sponsored plan by the deadline date each semester, he/she will be automatically enrolled in the MUSC Student Health Insurance Plan and billed through Student Accounting.

Alternate health insurance plans are reviewed to determine if a plan is comparable to MUSC’s Student Health Insurance Plan. MUSC has identified the following criteria are to be applied in making this determination:

• Coverage must be effective on or before January 1 (spring) or May 1 (new summer students only) or August 1 (fall) and extend through the semester including breaks and holidays
• Coverage must be ACA compliant and allow the insured student to receive services in South Carolina (note – these are requirements for all plans according to the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act; online students physically located outside of South Carolina during the semester may be granted an exception if all other criteria are met)
• See Full List

In addition to the coverage requirements listed for all students (see #8 above), international students must have Global Emergency Services coverage that includes a combined benefit of US $50,000 for medical evacuation and repatriation of remains (for international students).

For convenience, International students with insurance plans from other sources that meet all the requirements except for the minimum Global Emergency Services (GES) coverage may purchase just GES coverage through the waiver and enrollment online system.

The University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina meets all additional insurance requirements for international students and dependents.

Waivers can only be processed online and only during the specified dates.

You will need the following information to complete the waiver:

• Student ID (PVID) number
• Name and Address of the insurance company
• Policy holder’s name (main person’s name owning the plan)
• Policy / Member ID number
• Group number
• Policy holder’s zip code (the billing address zip code)
• Insurance Company’s customer service telephone number
• Copy of the front and back of your insurance card

Each semester the insurance charge is automatically added to the accounts of all eligible MUSC students. When an eligible student completes the online waiver and receives approval, the insurance charge will be reversed.

If your program is located off campus, you will be able to enroll and use the insurance.

Deductibles and co-pays will apply to visits. You will be able to use your insurance card as a pharmacy card for prescriptions, subject to deductibles and co-pays.

Students enrolling in the Student Health Insurance Plan can enroll eligible dependents during an Open Enrollment period for an additional premium payment. Payment cannot be made through your MUSC billing account. Premiums must be paid to AHP directly. You can add dependents while completing an online enrollment or if you have already enrolled, you can add dependents through your online account up to the last day of Open Enrollment. For more information, contact Academic Health Plans at 855-850-4302.

There are some circumstances when individuals can enroll or add dependents in the plan after open enrollment period has ended. These are considered "Qualifying Events" and include the following:

1. Adding a newborn (must be enrolled within 31 days of birth)
2. Adding a newly adopted child (must be enrolled within 31 days of formal adoption)
3. Marriage (must enroll within 31 days of marriage date)
4. Divorce
5. International spouse/dependent arriving after Open Enrollment must enroll within 31 days of arrival in the U.S. (must have copy of passport showing date of arrival in U.S.)
6. Student ‘aging off’ parent’s plan
7. Within the first 31 days of losing coverage under other Creditable Coverage, contact AHP at 855-850-4302.

No. The system will be closed and students will not be able to login. You will be able to submit a waiver for the next semester when the waiver period opens for that semester.

Open enrollment is the period during which any eligible student can enroll him/herself and family members in the Student Health Insurance Plan or apply for a waiver. This is the only time when a spouse and/or dependent children may be added to the plan outside of a qualifying event (see Question 13). Open enrollment occurs approximately 1 month prior to and 1 month after the start of the semester.

Premiums are prorated for qualifying events only. Prorated premiums are determined by AHP only.

Please be sure to carry your insurance card with you at all times. You can obtain an electronic ID card in the My Health ToolKit

Students covered by the Student Health Insurance Plan are encouraged to use MUSC Student Health Services as their primary care facility for the most cost savings. However, you may see any in-network provider.

Deductibles and co-pays will apply for visits outside of MUSC Student Health Services. If you have an emergency visit and are referred to another provider by the emergency room or urgent-care physician, please contact the MUSC Student Health Services (843-792-3664) to see if follow-up care can be provided at MUSC Student Health Services.

Yes. Students enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan are covered for the entire semester/coverage period

• Fall semester August 1 - December 3
• Spring semester January 1 – July 31
• Summer (new students only) semester May 1 - July 31

Students can suffer an illness or injury in the summer the same as they could in the fall or spring and would need insurance coverage to cover the costs. Many students travel during the summer and the Student Health Insurance Plan includes benefits for international travel.

No. If you pay for spring/summer coverage, you are covered until July 31 even if you graduate in May. If you pay for fall coverage, you are covered until December 31. However, graduated students are no longer eligible to seek care at Student Health Services and are directed to seek care from in-network providers.

Using the My Health ToolKit, you are able to find in-network doctors, dentists, facilities, and pharmacies.

Deductibles and co-pays will apply to visits. You will be able to use your insurance card as a pharmacy card for prescriptions, subject to deductibles and co-pays.

Yes. For coverage, please visit the AHP Care website.

Yes. For coverage, please visit https://musc.myahpcare.com/benefits

For details on coverage, please visit the My AHP Benefits site.

Yes. For coverage, please visit https://musc.myahpcare.com/benefits

Yes. For coverage, please visit https://musc.myahpcare.com/benefits

Academic Health Plans/Blue Cross Blue Shield

AHP Customer Service: 855-850-4302 or AHP website

MUSC Student Health Insurance Contact Information

Insurance email: studenthealthins@musc.edu

843-792-4402 or 843-792-2706