Health Insurance
All F-1 and J-1 visa holding international students at Loyola University New Orleans are required to have health insurance. This requirement is for your health and safety, should you become ill or need to seek medical attention.
You are automatically billed and enrolled in a plan provided by LewerMark Insurance that is specifically designed to meet the needs of international students.
IMPORTANT COVID-19 HEALTH COVERAGE INFORMATION
for international students enrolled with LewerMark Health Insurance:
- You can find detailed information on your health insurance coverage for COVID-19 related cases offered by your LewerMark health plan here.
- You can find more information on Covid-related questions, vaccine information, treatment, etc., on this site: https://www.lewermark.com/covid-19-qa/
- You can always reach out to LewerMark with specific questions by phone (1-800-821-7710) or via the chat function on their website (https://www.lewermark.com/loyola). You can also print out copies of your insurance ID card on their website.
ENROLLMENT PERIOD & COST for Academic Year 2024-2025:
The cost for the insurance is $157 per month.
Degree-seeking students starting in the fall semester will be enrolled for 12 months of coverage (August 2024 through August 2025) to be renewed annually. The cost of the plan is $1884 for 12 months of coverage.
Degree-seeking students starting in the spring semester will be enrolled for 7 months of coverage (January through August) to be renewed annually in August. Spring-start students will be charged $1099 for 7 months of coverage in their first spring semester, and then $1884 for 12 months of coverage each August thereafter.
Exchange students will be enrolled for and charged $785 for one semester of coverage or $1570 for two semesters of coverage depending upon how long they will be at Loyola.
Loyola Intensive English Program (LIEP) students who are on a student visa will be enrolled in and charged for the number of months that they are enrolled in LIEP.
U.S. citizens living abroad: If you are a U.S. citizen living outside the U.S. and you would like to enroll in the Lewermark international health insurance, you must complete the U.S. Dual Citizen Questionnaire Form. Lewermark will use this form to determine if you are eligible for the health insurance. Please complete the form and email it to us at cie@loyno.edu.
If you wish to keep your own insurance, your insurance company representative must complete a Health Insurance Waiver.
Loyola's international student insurance policy covers you if you get sick or have an accident. The insurance will not cover most routine checkups, preventative care, or annual dental or eye exams or medical care in your home country.
It is a co-pay insurance plan that works with a specific network of doctors. This means that for a covered expense you pay a $20 co-pay for services provided by a participating health care provider and the insurance will pay 100%. If you go to a doctor outside of the network, the insurance will cover 80% of your costs. Remember that the insurance company will charge an additional deductible for a hospital emergency room visit unless the reason for going is an injury or a major illness requiring an overnight hospital stay.
For a complete list of coverage benefits, refer to the LewerMark policy information brochure. You can also contact the plan administrator, LewerMark, at 800-821-7710. The insurance company has negotiated fees with providers within a "network." Services performed by in-network members will be covered at 100% of the allowable charges.
It is very important that you go to a doctor or hospital in the network.
- If you use doctors and hospitals that are not part of the network, your insurance policy will only pay 80% of the allowable charges.
- Providers who are not in-network may also charge fees that are higher than the insurance company's negotiated fees, so you will spend much more if you see an out-of-network provider.
In the event of a non-emergency injury or sickness, you should see the nurse or doctor at the Student Health Center if possible. There is no co-pay charge at the Health Center.
If the Student Health Center is closed and it's not an emergency, call the Nurse Line (available 24 hours/day): 866-549-5076
How do I find a doctor? Go to https://www.lewermark.com/find-a-doctor-or-pharmacy-first-health and follow the detailed instructions.
If you are admitted to the hospital or you visit a doctor:
- Be sure to present your insurance ID card!
- Some doctors will take your insurance information and then bill the insurance company. Other doctors will require that you pay upfront. You would then get a reimbursement from the insurance company. You may have to pay your co pay upon being seen, or the doctor may bill you later.
- Obtain itemized hospital and medical bills showing the amount you have paid the doctor.
Hospital Stay
The policy covers 100% (80% at an out of network hospital) of prescriptions if you are admitted into a hospital and require prescription drugs during your stay.
Retail Pharmacy
When purchasing prescriptions at the pharmacy, you get a discount and you are also eligible to receive reimbursement of 50% of the cost of the prescriptions:
- You must show your insurance card when purchasing the prescriptions to get a discount.
- Pay for prescriptions in advance.
- File a claim form for reimbursement from the insurance company.
Students who are using LewerMark also have free access to mental health resources from LifeWorks and from Togetherall. These resources are included with the health insurance policy and are FREE to use for students.
LifeWorks Student Support Program (SSP) offers free 24/7 access to short-term, confidential, professional counseling from licensed counselors and therapists. They also have a multitude of self-directed resources including articles, videos, podcasts, assessments, and much more. LifeWorks SSP can help international students manage stress, sadness, and loneliness; help international students adjust to the new culture of their host country; and even help international students navigate school and relationships with family and friends.
Students can access LifeWorks on the My SSP website, as well as on the free My SSP app, which is available on the Apple Store and Google Play. On their first visit, students will be asked to register and create a free account in order to access their resources LifeWorks.
Togetherall is an online platform that offers free peer-based support. Students can speak with their peers anonymously about their problems and share resources with each other, and there are registered mental health professionals on hand 24/7 to ensure community safety. This is a great resource for students who are not comfortable discussing their mental health with friends or family, but don't want to keep their feelings bottled up.
Students can access Togetherall through the Togetherall website. Students will be asked to create an account upon their first visit to the website using their school email.
Since health insurance is mandatory, you will be charged an insurance fee and covered under a policy obtained by Loyola on your behalf, unless you submit proof of comparable personal coverage.
This health insurance charge will appear on your first student bill. If you wish to waive coverage under Loyola’s accident/sickness policy, your insurance company representative must complete the Health Insurance Waiver.
This form or a letter from your insurance company addressing all of the policy requirements must be submitted to LewerMark Insurance by the deadline:
FALL DEADLINE: July 31
SPRING DEADLINE: November 30
- After this date, LewerMark will not accept any waivers and you will have to pay the insurance charge on your student bill.
- You should contact your insurance company before you arrive at Loyola and well before the deadline since it may take several days for them to complete the Health Insurance Waiver.
- Remember: you must reapply for a waiver every year. Even if you are approved for a waiver for one year, you will have to submit proof of comparable insurance coverage every academic year to maintain the waiver. CIE can answer any questions you have about the Loyola health insurance coverage.
Loyola University New Orleans requires ALL students entering the university for the first time and those students residing in on-campus housing to get a series of immunizations, including against meningococcal disease (bacterial meningitis).
In order to begin classes, you must prove that you have the required immunizations by having your doctor fill out the Loyola Proof of Immunization Compliance form. You can access the Immunization Compliance form through the Student Health Services Website.
Student Health Services assists students with immunization issues. It is located on the lower level of the Danna Student Center. The telephone number is 504-865-3326, FAX 504-865-2393. The address is Student Health Services, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, Campus Box 179, New Orleans, LA 70118.
You can use the Lewermark website to access the following:
- Student Login to print your ID Card
- How to Use Your Insurance
- Search for a Doctor
- Stop or Go: When Should I Visit the Emergency Room?
- How Do I Receive My Reimbursement For Prescriptions?
- MyNurse 24/7
- Scholastic Emergency Services
- Scholastic Emergency Services Multilingual Brochure
- Summary of Benefits And Coverage
On Lewermark's Facebook page you can communicate directly with Lewermark employees.