Health Insurance

Check with the insurer (contact information should be on the back of the insurance card) to see what kind of coverage is available where the school is located, if providers in that area are able to bill your insurance company, and if there are any in-network providers within the college community, especially if it is in a different state.

Some insurers may state that they will cover care outside of their area, but you will need to pay the full cost of your care upfront and file a claim for reimbursement. You will still need to pay any copays, coinsurance, or deductibles that apply under your plan.

If the student is 19 or over, has a ND address, no one claims them as a dependent on their taxes, and makes less than $20,783 per year, the student may be eligible for ND Medicaid Expansion.

The student should apply on their own separate application and can apply at any time.

If the student is under 19, they may need to provide information about their parents and their household’s income to complete the application.

If the student is currently covered by Medicaid Expansion in another state, they will need to cancel that plan before they can be covered in ND.

If the student is a dependent under 26 and

• Living in the same state as their parents: They can be included on their parent's application and can add you during Open Enrollment from November 1 through January 15.
• Living in a different state from their parents have two options:
  
  1. Apply for coverage with their parents during Open Enrollment from November 1 through January 15.
     
     • Before enrolling or deciding to stay on a parent’s plan, be sure to read the plan's coverage documents and review the provider network carefully so you know how the plan covers care delivered in the state you go to school.
  2. Apply in the state you go to school. Students may want to do this to enroll in a plan that better meets their needs in the state where they go to school. When filling out the application, note:
     
     • When filling out a separate application, state that parents and the other members of their tax household don't need health coverage. But still include everyone’s income on the application.
     • The cost of the plan may be reduced with a premium tax credit and extra savings based on the whole household's income.
     • When students move to or from the place they live and go to school, they may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period allowing them to enroll outside the yearly Open Enrollment Period. This is assuming they had health insurance prior to moving.

If the student is 26 or over

1. Apply in the state of the school. Students may want to do this to enroll in a plan that better meets their needs in the state where the school is located. When filling out the application, note:
   
   • The cost of the plan may be reduced with a premium tax credit and extra savings based on income if it is above the eligibility limits for Medicaid Expansion.
   • When moving to or from the place students live and go to school may make them eligible for a Special Enrollment Period allowing them to enroll outside the yearly Open Enrollment Period.

Note: Catastrophic health insurance plans are also available to people under 30 through the Marketplace. These plans have low monthly premiums and very high deductibles. They may be an affordable way to protect students from worst-case scenarios, like getting seriously sick or injured. With catastrophic plans, students would pay most routine medical expenses outside of routine preventative care. Monthly premiums for these plans are low, but premium tax credit aren’t available to reduce cost.

To see cost estimates of Marketplace plans without completing the entire application, go to health insurance plans & prices (HealthCare.gov).

For questions or for help completing a ND Medicaid Expansion or ND Marketplace plan, please contact the ND Navigators at 1-800-233-1737, NDNavigators@minotstateu.edu, or complete the contact form.

North Dakota State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) policy section 505 requires* all international students at Minot State University in F-1 or J-1 status to carry the health insurance policy that has been designated by the Chancellor of the North Dakota State University System. * Canadian citizens are exempt from this requirement.

International students in F-1 status will be automatically enrolled into the insurance policy on a semester basis by the Office of International Programs.

More info at the Office of International Programs