International Insurance

Medical & Pharmacy

Review the Brochure for Inbound International Students 2026-2027 for details on medical and pharmacy benefits.  

To use these benefits, you must have a copy of your UnitedHealthcare Student Resources insurance card. Register your UnitedHealthcare account to access your insurance card.
 

Telehealth

You can use your UnitedHealthcare Student Resources to access telehealth services through the HealthiestYou app.

Services are available for both mental health support and physical health concerns. These services are not subject to the deductible or copay if your UHCSR insurance information is added to the HealthiestYou account.

Please review the HealthiestYou Guide for more information on accessing the available resources through the app.  
 

Dental

Dental insurance is available, but it is separate from medical and pharmacy coverage. You must have your Ameritas insurance card to access the dental insurance benefits.  

To register your account with the dental insurance company, please follow the instructions outlined in the Dental Insurance Member Account Registration Guide. Your Ameritas insurance card is available in this account.  

There are limits to the dental benefits available; please review these benefits on the Dental Highlight Sheet. 

International students are automatically enrolled in International Insurance through UnitedHealthcare. However, eligible graduate student employees have the option to apply for employment-based insurance.

Those plans may include:  

• Student Employee Health Plan (SEHP): Offered to eligible graduate students working as a teaching assistant or graduate assistant 
• State Employee Health Insurance: Offered to eligible graduate students working as a lecturer or in another UUP-represented position 
• Research Foundation Employee Health Insurance: Offered to eligible graduate students working for the SUNY Research Foundation at UAlbany

If you enroll in an employment-based insurance plan by the deadline, you’re eligible to have your International Insurance cancelled and the fee removed from your bill. (Note: This is considered a waiver, but a waiver application is not required.)  

If your enrollment in an employment-based plan is not yet complete, or there are any gaps in your employment-based insurance plan (such as over the summer), you will be charged for the International Insurance plan for the days you did not have other coverage.  

If you need to seek medical care during the enrollment process, please do so. You should contact the enrollment coordinator for the plan you intend to enroll in to ensure the claim will be processed through the correct insurance provider.  

If your Student Account bill is due before your insurance waiver is processed, you may be charged a late fee if you do not pay the outstanding balance on your bill.  

If you pay the International Insurance fee by the bill due date and your waiver is approved after your payment, the International Insurance fee will be refunded either partially or in full.

Note: Students enrolled in employment-based plans must still pay for Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance, since the employment-based plans do not include this coverage. Please pay this fee by the due date.

If you use the International Insurance plan (UnitedHealthcare) while waiting to enroll in an employment-based insurance plan, the International Insurance cannot be terminated, and a refund cannot be issued.  

The New York State Essential Plan or Medicaid Plans do not qualify for a waiver of the health insurance requirement. Do not enroll in these plans.  

As an international student, you must have enough funding for your stay in the United States. If you accept U.S. government assistance, it is possible the U.S. government will later determine you have been a public charge.  

This could result in:

• Denial of an F-1 or J-1 visa or renewal
• Refusal to enter the U.S.
• Denial of a future change of status or future benefits (such as OPT)

Waivers will only be granted if you are receiving health insurance as a benefit of your employment in the United States or from the employment of a family member in the United States.  

Your policy must be based in the United States and Affordable Care Act compliant. Health insurance policies from countries other than the United States will not be accepted.

If you believe you qualify for a waiver, please submit the International Student Health Insurance Waiver Application and your confirmation of coverage letter from your insurance company to [email protected].

You must first be enrolled in international health insurance before you can add dependents to your policy.

Once you are enrolled, email a completed International Student Dependent Enrollment Form to [email protected]. Haylor, the insurance broker, will process your form and send it to UnitedHealthcare. This takes about one to two weeks.

You will receive an email from UnitedHealthcare with a payment link. Make the payment to complete the dependent enrollment process.

You must first be enrolled in international health insurance before you can add dependents to your policy.

Once you are enrolled, email a completed J-1 Visiting Scholar Dependent Enrollment Form to [email protected]. Haylor, the insurance broker, will process your form and send it to UnitedHealthcare. This takes about one to two weeks.

You will receive an email from UnitedHealthcare with a payment link. Make the payment to complete the dependent enrollment process.

University employees are not required to purchase international health insurance. However, the University recommends it.  

Please complete the University’s International Travel Registry for Faculty & Staff. Review UAlbany’s Policy on Faculty and Staff International Travel for detailed information.

To purchase a plan, please send a completed Faculty/Staff Outbound Enrollment Form to [email protected].

To enroll dependents, please email [email protected].

After submitting the form, you will receive an email with a payment link. Make the payment to complete the enrollment process. 

Students are required to purchase international health insurance for all University-affiliated international travel. Fees are automatically added to your Student Account bill.

Once you complete the International Travel Registry for Students, you will receive an email from the insurance coordinator with more information about your health insurance policy.  

To enroll dependents, please email [email protected].

Review UAlbany’s Policy on Student International Travel for more information. 

In addition to the benefits you receive through UnitedHealthcare Student Resources, UAlbany offers on-campus medical care and mental health care to all current students.

• Medical care: Student Health Services
• Mental health care: Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
• Teleheath (virtual care): TimelyCare

Please visit the Health & Well-being website for detailed information about available services or to make an appointment.

Note: You must be a current UAlbany student to access on-campus health resources. International students on OPT or Visiting Scholars may not be eligible for these on-campus services. 

While living in Albany, you may want to establish care with an off-campus primary care physician.

You can visit a primary care physician for your yearly check-up, routine lab work and vaccinations, and any issues or concerns that require a referral for specialist treatment.  

To find an in-network primary care provider, please log into the UnitedHealthcare Portal to search for local doctors. 

Student Health Services is well equipped to treat minor illnesses and injuries, such as colds, coughs, sore throats, flus, fevers, minor cuts, muscle sprains and skin rashes.  

Note: You must be a current UAlbany student to access Student Health Services. International students on OPT or Visiting Scholars may not be eligible for these on-campus services.

If Student Health Services cannot meet your needs or the clinic is closed, you can visit an urgent care facility for treatment. There are several urgent care locations nearby that offer non-emergency, walk-in care.  

Here are two options near UAlbany’s Uptown Campus:

• WellNow Urgent Care: 1438 Western Aveunue, Albany, NY 12203
• EmUrgentCare: 5 New Karner Rd., Guilderland, NY 12302 

Your health and well-being are always the most important thing, so please seek medical care immediately if you are experiencing a medical emergency.  

Emergency medical issues include serious injuries, severe shortness of breath, fainting and/or bleeding that does not stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure.

If the issue is life-threatening, call 911. If you’re on campus, dial 518-442-3131 on a cell phone any time of day or night for immediate assistance from the University Police Department and Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Service.

If you are experiencing an emergency medical issue, you should go to the nearest hospital’s emergency room. Emergency rooms are open 24 hours per day, seven days per week.  

Here are two options near UAlbany’s Uptown Campus:

• Albany Medical Center Emergency Room: 43 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208
• St. Peter’s Hospital Emergency Room: 315 South Manning Boulevard, Albany, NY 12208

You may fill your prescriptions at any local pharmacy. Please bring your insurance card with you to pick up any prescriptions. You may be responsible for a co-pay at the time of the pickup.  

If you do not have your insurance card with you, the pharmacy may ask you to pay the full cost of the prescription in advance. If this happens, you should file a claim for reimbursement with UnitedHealthcare.    

Please log into the UnitedHealthcare Portal for specific instructions on filing claims.

Please carry your insurance card with you. When you arrive for a medical appointment in the United States, you will be asked for your insurance information.  

If you don’t have your ID card on hand, you can access your information using the UnitedHealthcare Portal or by calling UnitedHealthcare’s customer service at 1-800-767-0700 (available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday).  

If you have any questions about account access, please contact UAlbany’s insurance coordinator for assistance at [email protected] or call UnitedHealthcare Customer Service at 1-800-767-0700.