International Student Required Health Insurance
Overview
VCSU on campus international students are required to purchase the United Healthcare International Student Health Insurance Plan. Health insurance is required because health care in the United States is very expensive and people are responsible for paying their own medical costs. The United States government does not pay for it. Health insurance helps pay medical expenses that students may encounter such as preventative care, treating ongoing conditions, injuries, and illnesses.
Students who are citizens of Canada or Norway are NOT required to have the United Healthcare plan per the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education policy and procedure number 505. Canadian and Norwegian students can opt into the United Healthcare plan though by emailing VCSU's Principal Designated School Official (PDSO), Shannon Hone at shannon.hone@vcsu.edu. The cost of the insurance plan will be charged to the student's VCSU account in Campus Connection and will need to be paid for.
Coverage Periods and Cost of United Healthcare International Student Health Insurance Plan:
How Students Can Get the Required United Healthcare International Student Health Insurance Plan
1. Register in your classes at VCSU
2. Then you will receive an email from ECI Services (NorthDakota@elev834.com) at the email address that you have told VCSU is your "preferred" email address. This may be your VCSU email address or your personal (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) email address. If you are unsure which email address information is being sent to, reach out to VCSU's Principal Designated School Official (PDSO), Shannon Hone at shannon.hone@vcsu.edu.
3. In the email, click on the "opt-in now" link. The email will look like this:
4. If you are logging in for the first time, you will need to enter your 7-digit student ID number and your password will be your last name (first letter is capitalized)
5. Once logged in, you will need to click on Update Password and change your password to something you will remember
6. Within 5 business days of opting into the insurance plan, you will receive an email from United Healthcare instructing you to log into your United Healthcare account
7. Register your United Healthcare account by entering your name, date of birth and 7-digit student ID number
8. Create a username and password and enter your email address
9. You will then be prompted to do a two-factor authenication via a text or phone call
10. You will be logged into your account and can get your health insurance ID card, by clicking on ID Card
11. Click on the ID Card PDF button
12. Print that page that displays the front and back of your health insurance card at the bottom and keep that document on you at all times so that you have it with you in case of an emergency. Your health insurance card is what you will share with your medical provider so they know to work with your insurance company on charges and apply any discounts that are possible on you prescriptions.
How Students Can Request To Waive the Required United Healthcare International Student Health Insurance Plan
1. Register in your classes at VCSU
2. Then you will receive an email from ECI Services (NorthDakota@elev834.com) at the email address that you have told VCSU is your "preferred" email address. This may be your VCSU email address or your personal (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) email address. If you are unsure which email address information is being sent to, reach out to VCSU's Principal Designated School Official (PDSO), Shannon Hone at shannon.hone@vcsu.edu.
3. In the email, click on the picture of the figure standing next to a phone. The email will look like this:
4. If you are logging in for the first time, you will need to enter your 7-digit student ID number and your password will be your last name (first letter is capitalized)
5. Once logged in, you will need to click on Update Password and change your password to something you will remember
6. Fill out the waiver request with your current health insurance plan's information and submit it
7. Within 5 business days you will receive an email with ECI Services approval or denial decision
8. If your waiver request is approved then you may use your current health insurance plan in the United States for the current semester. If your waiver request is approved in the fall, then ECI will automatically reevaluate your insurance to make sure it is still valid for the spring and summer semesters. Keep in mind, even if initially approved, each fall you will need to submit a new waiver request.
How Students Can Request a Pre-approved Waiver
If you are planning ahead and would like to know if your current health insurance is eligibile for a waiver request before the waiver portal opens for the semester, you can email the following information to waiver@ECIservices.com:
1. Your Full Name
2. Your 7-digit Student ID Number
3. School Name
4. Benefit Summary of your current health insurance
5. If ECI Services emails you to say you are pre-approved for a waiver, then when you receive the email from ECI Services (NorthDakota@elev834.com) asking you to opt-in or waive the United Healthcare insurance, you will follow the waiver instructions above. Being pre-approved does NOT waive your United Healthcare insurance requirement. You still have to submit the request in the ECI waiver portal and be fully approved.
Waiver Application Deadlines For the 2024-2025 Academic Year
Fall 2024 Term: September 4th, 2025
Spring and Summer 2025 Terms: January 23rd, 2025
Summer 2025 Only: June 13th, 2025
Medical Providers In Valley City, ND That Accept the United Healthcare Choice Plus International Student Health Insurance
Essentia Health Valley City Clinic
132 4th Ave NE
Valley City, ND 58072
1-701-845-8060
Monday-Friday
8:00AM-12:00PM and 1:00PM-5:00PM
https://www.essentiahealth.org/find-facility/essentia-health-valley-city-clinic
Sanford Valley City Clinic
520 Chautauqua Blvd
Valley City, ND 58072
1-701-845-6000
Monday-Friday
8:00AM-5:00PM
https://www.sanfordhealth.org/locations/sanford-valley-city-clinic
CHI Mercy Health Emergency Room
570 Chautauqua Blvd
Valley City, ND 58072
1-701-845-6400
Monday-Sunday
Open 24 hours a day
https://mercyhospitalvalleycity.org
Essentia and Sanford are two large medical providers across the state of North Dakota. If your medical provider in Valley City feels you could beneift from a specialist, you may be referred to an Essentia or Sanford medical provider in Jametown, ND (approximately 30 minutes from Valley City) or Fargo, ND (approximately 1 hour from Valley City).
In the United States, in a medical emergency situation, dial 9-1-1 on your phone.