International Student Guide: Get Health Insurance and Care

East Texas A&M offers insurance coverage as described in the Student Health Plan.

  • All F-1 and J-1 international students are required to enroll in The Texas A&M University System Student Health Insurance Plan (SSHIP).
  • The SSHIP is through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) of Texas, and Academic Health Plans (AHP) provides management and administrative services for East Texas A&M.
  • Students are automatically enrolled each semester, and the insurance premium charge is placed on an international student’s account as a separate charge during the second week of classes.
  • The Office of International Programs does not set the cost of the insurance.
  • The cost of the insurance is set by criteria and a bidding process at the A&M System. The SSHIP is for all universities within the A&M System.

The Texas A&M University System has established the following circumstances in which an F-1 or J-1 international student can request a waiver of SSHIP and provide alternative health insurance coverage that is comparable to SSHIP:

  • You are sponsored by the United States government.
  • You are sponsored by a foreign government recognized by the United States or certain international government-sponsored or non-governmental organizations and are covered under a health plan that is compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SSHIP.
  • You are enrolled in an employer-provided group health plan that is compliant with the ACA. If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SSHIP.
  • You are involved in intercollegiate athletics and coverage for all medical insurance is provided through a policy as part of the current sports accident medical policy approved by System Risk Management.

Only students who meet one of the A&M System-allowed exceptions on the Opt-Out/Waiver page may apply for a waiver.

Although a student may have alternate health insurance coverage, the student is not necessarily eligible for a waiver.

Insurance Waiver Dates

Please note the following:

  • Students will need to allow Academic Health Plans (AHP) up to ten business days to process waiver requests
  • It is the student’s responsibility to provide any additional documents to AHP regarding a waiver request
  • Failure to respond to any document request from AHP or failure to submit documentation will result in a denial of a waiver
  • The ISSS will not review waiver requests
  • Students who fail to submit a waiver by the deadline will be required to pay the SSHIP charge on their student account and no refunds will be issued for the student

To submit a waiver, visit the Opt-Out/Waiver page.

  • Students with a full-time assistantship that includes the Grad Plan insurance will need to submit the Assistantship Verification Form.
  • Do not submit a waiver through the AHP website.
  • The ISSS will use the information provided through the form to verify a student’s Grad Plan coverage.
  • Graduate assistants with Grad Plan insurance do not submit waiver requests.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Students with F-2 dependents who would like enroll in the SSHIP may contact Academic Health Plans at AHP Contact Us. The SSHIP coverage does not include dependents and a separate enrollment form will need to be submitted.

Texas state law requires all new students 22 years of age or younger to either receive a bacterial meningitis vaccination or meet the exemption requirements prior to the first day of their first semester. Students who fail to submit their proof of vaccination and have their vaccination approved at least 10 days prior to the first day of their first semester may not be allowed to attend classes at A&M-Commerce. Please note that failure to meet this requirement (only students 21 years of age or younger) may result in serious visa status issues.  

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