New policy on mandatory health insurance

<p>Verification and Waivers</p>

<p>All eligible students will receive a charge on their student account prior to the beginning of each semester with their Student Blue SM premium. Students wishing to waive coverage must visit the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina website and complete the waiver process.</p>

<p>For the fall semester, the deadline for completing the waiver is Monday, August 23, 2010. Failure to complete the waiver will result in automatic enrollment into Student Blue.</p>

<p>Please note, this must be completed prior to every semester of enrollment, exclusive of the summer term.</p>

<p>To begin the waiver process, please visit [link forthcoming].</p>

<p>I just want to be sure everyone knows about this. I was kind of dismayed to see this on the website today - apparently - we are being billed $600+ per semester for this insurance, unless we satisfactorily waive it. What really irks me is that we have to do the waiver with BlueCross of NC - not Wake Forest. What incentive will this insurance company have to cooperate in granting the waiver? I don't like what I am seeing so far.</p>

<p>More info - the semester charge of $600+ will be on the June 1 bill. The waiver form will be available on the website June 2nd. I spoke with someone at Wake Forest who tells me that as long as you have insurance coverage - the waiver should not be difficult to obtain. There will be a link for Blue Cross of NC - you enter your insurance info - it should take about 5 minutes. Then you should see the $600+ insurance fee reversed off the bill within a few weeks - keeping in mind the bill is not due until August 1. Keep in mind - you have to reapply for the waiver every semester. </p>

<p>For those that lack health insurance - this might be a very good policy - I’m not passing judgement on the quality of the plan they have selcted. I’m just incredibly annoyed that we have to opt out every semester rather than allowing those who want it to opt in.</p>

<p>thanks for the info Rockvillemom. Since we use Kaiser Permanente, a ‘managed care provider’, where you only use their doctors and hospitals, it won’t work when she moves to the east coast. As I am self employed I don’t have a group policy. But if I buy the WF policy, it sounds like she is only covered during school, not the summer, at roughly $150 per month. I sure don’t want to pay for two policies. Sounds like this is going to be a full time project to figure out.</p>

<p>r-mom: mandatory insurance is common; plans are setup so you have to opt-out, not in. (One reason that they make it mandatory is that the state/federal grants can apply towards the fee, but only if its mandatory.)</p>

<p>merry: at the few colleges where I have researched the issue, the spring fee covers summer as well. But obviously, best to confirm with WF.</p>

<p>"More info - the semester charge of $600+ will be on the June 1 bill. "</p>

<p>So we start getting bills in June? And only by email? Good thing I learn this stuff here, or come Sept I would be sitting patiently waiting for the bills to come in the mail.</p>

<p>merryecho - you get kind of a preliminary bill on your DEAC account June 1 and then a more correct version on July 1 and the first semester is due by August 1. You need to set up the account on DEAC - you view the bill on-line and pay it on-line as well - it is actually very easy to use once you have it set up. It’s just like paying a credit card on-line - you link it to your checking account and pay the bill. You also add money to your students Deacon card the same way. I started my son with $200 each semester and just transferred additional funds as needed.</p>

<p>I check the DEAC site periodically - sometimes there will be a small charge - like for the health center - that needs to be paid, but the main due dates are August 1 and december 1.</p>

<p>thanks for the hand-holding rockvillemom- I am trying to figure out when I need to cash in stock to pay for the semester, and some dividends are paid on stock held in mid July. If it is still worth anything by then- the last week has been nerve wracking.</p>

<p>I would just figure you need cash in the checking account 3-4 days prior to August 1 - that’s when I pay it - a few days before the due date.</p>

<p>Incidentally - I do think the school policy will cover for the entire year. I saw on the webpage about the insurance that paying for the spring semester covers the student through July 31. Then paying for the fall begins coverage August 1. So, you would not need 2 policies - this one would provide year round coverage.</p>

<p>The insurance waiver is available - I just did it - took about 2 minutes. You just need to have the Wake Forest student ID number and the insurance card for the present insurance.</p>

<p>The preliminary bill for Fall 2010 is also on DEAC.</p>

<p>Thanks, rockvillemom. I see that the insurance premium is part of the Fall 2010 bill in DEAC. I guess when we complete the waiver process, the bill will be revised accordingly. </p>

<p>I also need the bill to reflect a partial R&B grant from the college. I’ll give them a few more days to get that loaded in. It’s graduation week, after all. I don’t have the head space to deal with bills right now. ;)</p>

<p>DB - yes - I rcvd a confirmation e-mail later in the day saying the waiver was complete and that I should look for an adjustment on the bill in 3-5 days. My son’s FA does not yet show up on the bill either - maybe by next week. Keep in mind it is not due until August 1.</p>

<p>Am I doing something wrong? My Deac account just shows the current balance due, but there is no way to see a statement to see a breakdown of the charges. And it doesn’t say when it is due.</p>

<p>Hi - go to view accounts and then go to account status - you will see an itemized bill with tuition, housing, meal plan and a few fees. The $629 insurance premium is also listed. The total amount due is not correct - at least on mine - as they show the $500 deposit but do not subtract it from the total. But again, this is preliminary, so I’m sure it will get updated and corrected.</p>

<p>"Annual Payment Dates</p>

<p>Fall Semester charges are due August 1st.
Spring Semester charges are due December 1st.
Deposits for the Fall Semester are due by March 15th
First Summer Session (Summer I) charges are due by June 1st.
Second Summer Session (Summer II) charges are due by July 1st."</p>

<p>Just checked my account, and it says “please pay by 7/1/2010”. So I guess they want the money early this year.</p>

<p>OK, never mind- it says due 8/1/2010 next to tuition, then please pay by 7/1 at the bottom, so I guess they want the demon dollars paid early. I think I will call to straighten it out.</p>

<p>Hi - you can add deacon dollars whenever you want - that is completely optional. That is just loading cash onto your student’s deacon card - which they can then use at stores on campus, etc. Completely optional. I put $200 on at the beginning of each semester and then he just e-mailed me when he needed more. If your child will be paying for his books that way - add another $500 per semester for that purpose.</p>

<p>The required payment - tuition, etc. is due 8/1.</p>

<p>The insurance premium credit is taking longer than the promised 3-4 days - I called today and they told me to allow another week.</p>