Student health insurance

Mandatory health insurance coverage with Pearce & Pearce, Inc.
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has announced a mandatory insurance policy with Pearce & Pearce, Inc. All international students (graduate or undergraduate), and all graduate assistants are now required to have insurance under the policy. Students may opt out by providing evidence of health insurance coverage that is equal to or exceeds the policy provided through the University System of Georgia.

To better understand the services Pearce & Pearce, Inc. provides to you, visit the company's Web site at http://www.pearceandpearce.com. Once you enter the site, choose Columbus State University from the dropdown menu on the left to see the information that applies to CSU. This Web site contains links to help you set up your personal account, download a temporary ID card, read plan information and conduct a Network Provider Search.

How to use your insurance
As with most insurance plans, your doctor or hospital files a claim with Pearce & Pearce for you after you receive treatment. This claim is reviewed by Pearce and Pearce, and if the treatment is covered, they will make payments to your doctor or hospital. Most insurance companies do not cover 100 percent, so you will most likely receive a bill from the doctor or hospital for the portion of expenses that were not covered by Pearce and Pearce.

Looking for a doctor
Now that your insurance provider has changed, it is possible that the doctor who you visited in the past may not be a part of the insurance network through the Pearce & Pearce plan. Before you go to the doctor, you should call his or her office to make sure it accepts the insurance you now have. The Center for International Education has compiled a basic listing of Urgent Care Clinics and Family Practice doctors in the area. If you would like to download this list, please click here. You can also do a more comprehensive search for doctor’s and facilities by going to the website and clicking on the link that says "Network Provider Search." There are two search directories available: CCN and South Care. Consult both directories to see if your doctor is listed in either of these, or simply search for a doctor from either of these.

Contact information
You should be able to find the information you need from the Pearce & Pearce Web site. If
you have a question the Web site does not cover, you can contact Pearce & Pearce by phone for Benefits 1-888-622-6001, or for Claims, 1-888-722-1668. Or, you can contact the international student coordinator by calling 706-565-4037.

Insurance terms

Claim — A written request for payment by the insurance company of medical expenses that are covered under an insurance policy.

Co-payment — After the deductible is paid, this is the amount of covered expense that must be paid by the insured individual. For example, you might have to pay a $20 co-payment each time you see a doctor.

Deductible — The portion of a covered expense that must be paid by the insured person before the insurance company pays its portion of the expense. For example, if you are a graduate student enrolled in the mandatory plan, your deductible with Pearce and Pearce is $250, so you must pay the first $250 of covered medical costs before Pearce and Pearce will begin paying the other portion of your medical expenses.

Exclusion — Any condition or expense for which, under the terms of the policy, no coverage is provided and no payment will be made.

Insurance premium — The amount of money you have to pay to get coverage with an insurance company for a set period of time.