LewerMark Health Insurance
Mandatory Health Insurance Policy for International Students
GVSU has a mandatory health insurance policy for all F-1 and J-1 international students. This mandate started in Fall 2023. The policy is brokered by the company LewerMark. Find out more about this mandate, the cost, coverage, and considerations below.
Health insurance in the USA is extremely costly and can be very confusing. To provide the best support we can to our international students, we work with LewerMark to provide all our international students with quality health insurance coverage. This page details many aspects of the policy and the LewerMark website dedicated to GVSU international students has comprehensive information on the policy and other specifics.
LewerMark brokers GVSU International Student's Health Insurance plan and manages all provider bills, questions, and waivers. LewerMark has a webpage dedicated to GVSU International Student Health Insurance information. Students should familiarize themselves with the site and make sure to login and learn about the many resources available to them.
Cost & Coverage Dates
The cost for the 2024-2025 policy year to GVSU international students (F-1 and J-1) is $1,896. This covers the dates of August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025. LewerMark offers free 30 day extended coverage prior to the policy's official start for new students. So students starting in Fall have health insurance coverage starting July 2, 2024. Students starting in Winter have coverage starting December 2, 2024. This gives students added security if within the USA and needing medical attention. Students can consider this as a month of free coverage!
Students are billed for half of the full year at the rate of $948 for Fall 2024 semester and $948 for Winter 2025 semester. Students' accounts are billed in July for the Fall 2024 semester and in November for Winter 2025.
A summary of the policy is available on the LewerMark website. Some highlights are:
- Annual Deductible: $0
- Max per policy year: $300,000
- Max per Injury/Sickness: $300,000
- Student Health Center visit or CVS Walk-in Clinic: $0
- Office Visit: 100% coverage in-network with $20 copay
- Hospital visit: 100% coverage in-network with $100 copay
- Wellness care: 100% up to $300 per policy year
- COVID vaccine is covered up to $100 per policy year
- Emergency Ambulance Service is covered up to Policy maximum of $300,000 per year
- Prescription Drugs covered 100% as inpatient and 50% as outpatient, up to $2,500 per policy year
- Medical Treatment of Mental Health Condition covered max of 30 days inpatient and 30 visits outpatient
- Physiotherapy when prescribed covers max 20 visits per policy year
- and Free Ancillary Services
Students should visit the LewerMark student login page to access full details of their account and download their insurance card. All GVSU students will use their GVSU G# for their Student ID (ex. G01234567). For the first time logging in, the student's password is the student's birthdate in the US format: mmddyyyy. Students can then update the password for future login.
Students should download their Health Insurance card and bring to all medical visits. Although not all healthcare providers know the name LewerMark, they will be familiar with the AETNA network so students should tell their healthcare provider that they are covered by AETNA.
Before making a healthcare visit or ordering prescriptions, students should use the LewerMark website's "Find a Doctor or Hospital" tool to search for a provider that is in-network and therefore covered by the policy.
For your convenience, here are a list of urgent cares and hospitals that are in-network.
Waiver Form
Click here to view & save fillable Waiver Form
Students who meet the 3 conditions listed below, can submit the waiver form to LewerMark for review. If approved, the student will not be billed for the 2024-2025 academic year and will need to maintain the coverage they purchased outside of GVSU for the entirety of their time as a GVSU student during this academic year.
- 3 conditions
- Your parent/spouse is employed by a United States based company that provides Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant coverage that you are covered under
- You arrived in the United States with health insurance because you participate in a government exchange student program, such as SACM
- You are currently covered by one of your parent’s insurance plans from your home country. This plan must meet or exceed the LewerMark plan and be valid in the United States. An emergency-only and/or travel plan will not be accepted.
If you meet 1 of the 3 conditions above, you will need to complete the attached waiver and send to LewerMark at [email protected] including:
- A full copy of the Health Insurance Policy in English
- Proof of coverage
The deadline to submit all information to LewerMark following the process outline above is as follows:
- Students starting in Fall 2024 semester – August 9, 2024
- Students starting in Winter 2025 semester – December 6, 2024
Starting Fall 2024, waivers will only be permitted in a very limited number of cases.
LewerMark offers dependent coverage separately from the plan brokered for GVSU International Students. You can learn more on their site here.
LewerMark offers separate plans for students on OPT/STEM OPT through their LewerGlobal company. The different plan options are here.
Ancillary (FREE) Services
Another reason LewerMark's policy is a huge benefit to our students, is the many free services that all students on the LewerMark policy receive! They are:
- Teladoc – telehealth
- $0 copay, $0 deductible
- 24/7
- Translation Services available
- 1-800-835-2362
- TELUS – mental health student support
- Connects students with virtual counselors 24/7
- Offered in English, Spanish, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, & other languages upon request
- All languages with 24 hour notice
- Licensed Counselors & Therapists
- No limit, no cost
- 1-866-743-7732
- Togetherall – mental health forum
- Monitored by professionals
- Students can post anonymously about their thoughts or feelings
- Join chat groups
- Find useful resources
- Quick video about its features
- Scholastic Emergency Services (SES)
- 5+ days in hospital
- Student can have relative come help or student can visit relative at hospital or funeral abroad (compassionate care)
- Help book flights for self, family
- Repatriation services
- NO REIMBURSEMENT, they need to book themselves
- Toll free numbers to share with family & friends in case of emergencies
- 1-877-488-9833
Claims
A claim is a bill sent from a healthcare provider to your insurance company asking for payment for the services they provided. Claims usually take between 7-10 business days for LewerMark to process and are sent directly to the provider the student visited.
In the case where there is a complex claim, LewerMark will contact the student and request for paperwork to be completed in the form of a Claims Questionnaire. If this is the case for you, please be responsive to LewerMark's request. If the documentation is not submitted, the claim cannot be paid out by LewerMark.
If a student pays the provider directly for the full service, the student should send LewerMark [email protected] the paperwork provided after the service along with the bill and proof of payment.
Key Health Insurance Terms
Allowed Charge - The discounted fee the provider Network negotiates with Physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers in the Network.
Claim - A bill sent from a healthcare provider to your insurance company asking for payment for the services they provided.
Coinsurance - The percentage of a Covered Expense for which the Plan is responsible. Coinsurance is separate from and is not a part of the Copay.
Copay - That portion of a Covered Expense a Covered Person is required to pay out of their pocket before benefits will be paid for any remaining portion. Copay is separate from and is not a part of the Coinsurance.
Covered Accident - An unexpected occurrence directly caused by external, visible means and which: occurs while coverage is in force under the Policy for the Covered Person; and results in a Covered Injury to a Covered Person.
Covered Expense - An expense actually incurred by a Covered Person for Medically Necessary Medical Treatment which is: prescribed by a Physician for therapeutic management of a Covered Injury or Covered Sickness; not excluded by any provisions contained in the Policy; and not more than the Reasonable and Customary charges.
Covered Injury - Bodily harm resulting, directly and independently of any sickness, and which is caused by, arises out of, or results from, a Covered Accident or the sudden onset of physical trauma to the Covered Person. All injuries sustained in a single Covered Accident, including related conditions and recurring symptoms, will be considered as one Covered Injury.
Covered Person - A Covered Student. If the participating School's application, approved by the Program Manager, includes dependent coverage, Covered Person includes the Covered Student's Covered Dependents.
Covered Sickness - An illness, disease, or condition that impairs the normal functioning of a Covered Person's mind or body and which is not the direct result of an injury or accident. All related disorders and recurrent symptoms of the same or a similar illness, disease, or condition will be considered the same Covered Sickness.
Covered Student - An Eligible Student of a Participating School where: the Participating School submitted an application to sponsor coverage; the Program Manager accepted the Participating School's application; all Premium for the Eligible Student has been paid when due; and by virtue of all three conditions above, the Eligible Student becomes a participant of the Lewer International Student Trust (the "Trust").
Deductible - The amount the Covered Person must pay out-of-pocket before benefits may be payable under the Policy.
Diagnostic Examinations - Laboratory, x-ray, diagnostic imaging, and other diagnostic diagnostic examinations.
Intensive Care Unit - A specifically designated unit of a Hospital which: is exclusively reserved for critically ill or injured patients requiring constant audio-visual observation, as prescribed by the attending Physician; provides room and board, trained and qualified personnel whose duties are primarily confined to such unit, and special equipment or supplies immediately available on a stand-by basis; and is segregated from the rest of the Hospital's facilities.
Medical Treatment - All medical care, treatment, services, supplies, procedures, or drugs administered to a Covered Person to address a sickness or injury.
Medically Necessary - Medical Treatment provided or prescribed by a Physician or at a Hospital that is necessary and appropriate for the diagnosis or management of a Covered Sickness or Covered Injury in accordance with generally accepted standards of medical practice in the United States at the time the Medical Treatment is provided.
Network - A compilation of health care providers, such as Physicians and Hospitals, that have agreed to accept reduced payments for Medical Treatment provided to the Covered Person. The Covered Person has discretion to visit any health care provider, regardless whether that provider is included in the Network (In-Network) or does not participate in the Network (Out-of-Network). Regardless whether the Covered Person elects to utilize an In-Network or Out-of-Network healthcare provider, the Covered Person may still incur out-of-pocket expenses.
Participating Provider - A health care provider, such as a Physician or a Hospital, that is included in the Network and has agreed to provide Medically Necessary Medical Treatment at set rates.
Physician - Means a legally licensed practitioner of the healing arts who is practicing within the scope of their Physician's license while performing a particular service covered under the Policy. For the sake of clarity, Physician includes Nurse Practitioners and Registered Dieticians. Physician does not include: a practitioner of chiropractic, naturopathic, naprapathic, or alternative medicine; an athletic trainer; a nutritionist who is not also a Registered Dietician; any Covered Person; a Close Relative of a Covered Person; or an individual residing at the same legal residence of the Covered Person.
Policy - Provides different levels of benefits and Copays depending on where the Covered Person chooses to receive care or whether the Covered Person uses the services of a Participating Provider.
Policyholder - The entity to which the Policy is issued. The Policyholder is shown on the first page of the Policy.
Reasonable and Customary - The most common charge for similar Medical Treatment within the Area in which the charge is incurred. The most common charge means the lesser of: up to 200% of the Medicare published rate for the same or similar service or any of the following (the actual amount charged by the provider; the negotiated rate, if any; the fee often charged in the Area where the service was performed).
Student Health Center - An ambulatory care facility affiliated or contracted with a Participating School that, at a minimum, maintains a staff consisting of a nurse director/nurse practitioner, staff Nurses, and either a staff Physician or an arrangement with a Physician to perform office visits or engage in a collaborative practice arrangement with a mid-level provider.
Urgent Care - Care received in an urgent care center or facility.
Walk-In Pharmacy Clinic - A clinic set-up inside a larger retail operation, such as a pharmacy or retail store, and which provides basic care for minor injuries and illnesses, and may provide vaccinations, immunizations, annual physicals, health screenings, and diagnostic tests.
Customer Service
LewerMark Customer Service
For questions regarding benefits or claims status, contact:
- Toll Free: 1 (800) 821-7710 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time)
- Chat with us at: www.lewermark.com
- Email us at: [email protected]
- Your school's dedicated LewerMark webpage: www.lewermark.com/gvsu
- Physical Address:
The Lewer Agency, Inc.
Student Insurance
9900 W 109th St. Suite 200
Overland Park, KS 66210
LewerMark's "Make Your Mark" International Scholarship Contest - Spring 2024
Create a video describing how American culture is different from your home culture.
Get creative with your submission: Make it funny! Make it dramatic! Are you artistic? Create a cartoon!
Scholarship Amounts:
Six prizes of $2,000 each
Application Deadline:
Sunday, March 10, 2024 (Scholarships will be announced May 2, 2024)
Apply today at: www.lewermark.com/international-scholarship-spring-2024/