PIE students with an F-1 visa who do not have a government scholarship must pay for and receive IU health insurance EVEN IF you already have health insurance or travel insurance. This is an Indiana University rule. It is important to have health insurance in the U.S. because the healthcare system here is different from most other countries.
The Office of International Affairs (OIA) enrolls F-1 visa students automatically in health insurance program through the ANTHEM insurance company. The PIE OIA Advisor will provide more information to students seeking health insurance.
PIE staff will help you to access your temporary insurance card at orientation. You will get a plastic card in the mail to your local Indiana address in a few weeks.
Students with B-2 visitor visa status are allowed to purchase Indiana Univeristy health insurance through ANTHEM as well. Talk to the OIA advisor if you are a visitor and you want to have this health insurance.
The U.S. healthcare system is different from most other countries. Here are some suggestions to use healthcare most effectively.
For minor illnesses, go to the Student Health Center on the IUPUI Campus. You may need to pay a fee for your visit. You may also have to pay for the cost of prescriptions and/or any medical or laboratory tests that are done.
Two locations of Student Health Center:
You can also go to walk-in health clinics in some stores:
CVS –“MinuteClinic” Walgreens –“Healthcare Clinic” Walmart –“Care Clinic”
These are real health clinics with real doctors. You may need to pay a fee for your visit. You may also have to pay for the cost of prescriptions and/or any medical or laboratory tests that are done. The advantage is that you can walk in with no appointment.
When you go to the doctor
DO NOT GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM of the HOSPITAL for your health care UNLESS it is a true emergency. Here are examples of a true emergency:
