Pellissippi State does not have any on campus medical or health care facilities. Consequently students must seek medical care off campus. F-1 regulations require each student to be covered by medical insurance. For more information about medical insurance requirements by Pellissippi you may go to the bottom of the page for more information. We also have information about medical documentation required before you register for classes.

If you are in need medical treatment, please follow the following procedures:
1. Locate the name of a doctor or medical facility from the preferred provider directory. This information is available by calling 1-800-937-2277 or by going to www.beechstreet.com.
2. After locating the doctor or medical facility, call their office. Verify that they are currently a member of the Beech Street Provider Network.
3. If they are still a member, schedule an appointment. Ask them the method of payment and the method for processing insurance claims.
4. When you go to the doctor, take your insurance card, claim form (available at the admission office), and policy brochure.
5. Make sure that a claim form is copmleted and mailed to:

Student Insurance
PO BOX 809025
Dallas, TX
75380-9025

You may ask questions about your claim form by calling 1-800-237-0903.
6. Additional information about the insurance policy.

Health Insurance Information

Health care in the United States is very expensive. For example, without health insurance, simple visits to the doctor cost between $45-$100. Hospital rooms alone may cost $1,400 - $1,700 per day, not including medical procedures or surgeon's fees. The U.S. health care system may be very different from health care systems. Therefore, students must purchase health insurance in order to ensure a need for medical care will not jeopardize their continued enrollment here in the United States.

Students (degree seeking or non-degree seeking): the Tennessee Board of Regents requires that international students have medical insurance in order to register for classes. The International Student Health Insurance Requirement is as follows:

No foreign student in non-immigrant status shall be permitted to register, or to continue enrollment without demonstrating that he or she has adequate medical insurance coverage for illness or accidental injury.

An appropriate health insurance policy must have the following elements present:

1. 52 weeks continuous coverage.
2. Basic benefits: room, board, hospital services, physician fees, surgical treatment, ambulance, outpatient services and outpatient fees paid at 80% of usual and customary charge after deductible is met.
3. Inpatient mental health care: 80% with a 45-day cap.
4. Outpatient mental health care: 75% of charges for first 40 visits / policy year; 60% of future charges
5. Maternity benefits: treated as any other medical condition if conception occurs while coverage is in force.
6. Prescription medication covered at 100% after deductible.
7. Reparation: $7500 coverage to return remains to the home country in the event of death.
8. Medical evacuation: $10,000 coverage to permit patient to be returned to home country for medical treatment.
9. Exclusion period for pre-existing conditions: first six (6) months.
10. Deductible: $50 per injury or sickness
11. Aggregate cap: $250,000 per occurrence.

Pellissippi State recommends that all students purchase the state university and college system of Tennessee insurance plan. You will be automatically charged for and enrolled in this plan when you enroll for classes at Pellissippi State. It is unwise to purchase anything other than a temporary insurance policy outside the United States prior to arrival due to insurance laws that are unique to the state of Tennessee. Insurance laws are different in all fifty U.S. states and insurance companies outside the United States may or may not provide adequate coverage.

If you choose to purchase a policy other than the Pellissippi policy please make sure that it meets the above requirements. You must show proof in order to be granted an insurance waiver. An insurance waiver is necessary in order to avoid being automatically charged for the Pellissippi policy. A decision on whether to grant a waiver will generally be made within 48 hours.

Requirements for proof of coverage:

1. Proof of coverage (Usually a photocopy of your insurance card)
2. The "Benefits Schedule" for the insurance policy

Request for waiver form

The premium payments made to Pellissippi State go directly to Student Assurance Services. No insurance money comes back to Pellissippi State. Also, medical insurance may not pay for illnesses or conditions you have before applying for insurance. These medical conditions are called "pre-existing conditions" in the terminology of health insurance in the U.S., and are typically not covered by health insurance policies during an initial exclusion period. It is advisable for you to purchase a "transit insurance" of some sum that offers you health insurance protection during your transit to the U.S. and until your purchasing of a longer-term plan at USF.

Your insurance must be rated as one of the following: A.M. Best rating of "A-" or above; a Standard & Poor's Claim-paying ability rating of "A" or above; a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above; or such other rating service as the agency may from time to time specify. Insurance coverage backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the exchange visitor's home country shall be deemed to meet this requirement.

Pellissippi State does not have a student health center. However, we will be happy to refer you to an appropriate medical clinic or doctor's office. Simply call us at 539-7007 or 539-7257

Immunization Requirements & Exemptions

As a prerequisite to matriculation or registration, Pellissippi State requires all students who were born after 1956 present documented proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, and Rubella. All students less than 40 years of age shall also present documented proof of immunity to Rubella, also known as German Measles. Services guidelines,
Acceptable proof of immunity is as follows:

Measles:

Students can he considered immune to measles (Rubella) only if they have documentation of at least one of the following:

1.Medical documentation of immunization with TWO (2) DOSES of live measles virus vaccine on or after the first birthday. Persons vaccinated with killed, or an unknown vaccine, prior to 1968 must be revaccinate. Persons born before 1957 may be considered to have had a natural infection, and therefore do not need measles vaccination; or

2.Copy of laboratory evidence of measles immunity; or

3.A physician's statement specifying the date seen, and stating that the person had an illness characterized by a generalized rash lasting three or more days, a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, a cough, and conjunctivitis, and in the physician's opinion, is diagnosed to be measles

Mumps:

1.Medical documentation of immunization with the mumps vaccine; or
2. Copy of laboratory evidence of immunity from mumps; or
3. A physician's statement specifying the date seen, and stating that the person had an illness that in his/her opinion is the mumps.

Rubella:

Students can be considered immune to Rubella (German Measles) only if they have documentation as follows:
1.Medical documentation of immunization with live Rubella virus vaccine on, or after, the first birthday; or
2.Copy of laboratory evidence of rubella immunity.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL FEMALES SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE VACCINATED IF THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY OF PREGNANCY!

If a student has no documentation of any doses of measles vaccine, then the first dose should be administered as soon as possible. The second dose should be administered no less than thirty (30) days, and no more than three (3) months later. It is recommended that both doses of measles vaccine be given as a combined measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine.

For more information about medical insurance and how to receive medical care please read about it in the international student guide on-line.