We require that all students enrolled in six or more credit hours during the fall and spring terms or four or more credit hours during the summer term to have health insurance.
Fall 2020 Update: With the fall term being offered remotely, we understand that securing health insurance may not be possible. However, for your personal health and well-being, we strongly encourage you to have insurance coverage.
Health Insurance Resources and Information
If enrolling in health insurance is a new experience for you, we suggest doing some general research about U.S. health insurance first.
- Health Insurance Basics: The 101 guide to health insurance
- Health Insurance 101
- 5 minute health insurance video overview
- Health Insurance information and options for college students, specifically
Students may enroll in any health plan they choose, including maintaining existing coverage they have when starting at the Institute. When choosing a plan, make sure that it includes healthcare coverage and providers, including hospitals and walk-in clinics, in the Monterey area.
To assist with your search, we have included some helpful resources and plan options below. Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Student Services if you should have any questions.
EHealthInsurance.com | Online tool for finding health insurance |
Healthcare.com | Online tool for finding health insurance |
Covered California Affordable Health Plans | California insurance marketplace to search for subsidized (lower cost) plans. The site also has information available about Medi-Cal, which is free or low-cost health coverage for adults with limited income. |
Short-Term Health Plans | Through Covered California |
ISO | International student health insurance option |
ISP | International student health insurance option |
PGH Global | International student health insurance option |
BETiNS | International student health insurance option |
Student Medicover | International student health insurance option |
Healthplans | Online tool for finding health insurance |
*Disclaimer* We have put together answers to some frequently asked questions about insurance here. Please note: we are not experts in any particular insurance plan and all of this information is subject to change at any time. Please reach out to a specific insurance provider for specific questions about their plan offerings
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Insurance Vocabulary
Premium: The amount you pay in order to have an insurance plan (i.e. the monthly or annual cost of your insurance)
Deductible: If you need medical care, a deductible is the amount you pay for care before the insurance company starts to pay its share of the medical costs
Co-Pay: A co-payment is a fixed amount you’ll pay for a medical service (doctor visit, emergency room visit, prescriptions) with the insurance company paying the remainder of the cost.
Co-Insurance: Co-insurance generally follows your deductible and is similar to a co-pay, except it’s a percentage of costs you pay rather than a fixed dollar amount.
What are Metal Tiers?
Metal tiers are a quick way to categorize plans based on the way costs are split between insurer and consumers. Roughly split, here is the breakdown:
- Bronze – 40% consumer / 60% insurer Silver – 30% consumer / 70% insurer Gold – 20% consumer / 80% insurer Platinum – 10% consumer / 90% insurer
- These percentages do not represent how much you will actually pay, nor do they take premiums into account. They are simply a way of taking the deductible, coinsurance, and copayments into account in order to estimate about how much your out of pocket costs would be, based on expected average use of the plan.
Source: https://www.policygenius.com/health-insurance/learn/health-insurance-basics-and-guide/
I'm not a CA resident, can I still apply for Medi-Cal?
Students who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents can apply for a full Medi-Cal plan. You do not need to be a California resident. You are applying in a student status which allows for the full Medi-Cal coverage.
International students can apply for emergency/temporary health services through Medi-Cal. Emergency/temporary health services cover students in the event of an illness, accident or injury but does not cover preventative healthcare. They can do this since they are here in an official student status.
It’s best if students review online what documents they need to have for their application process. Also, it is very easy to reach someone with Medi-Cal to answer questions - we encourage you to do this if you have questions about the process.
You can reach the Monterey County Department of Social Services (which handles new Medi-Cal applications for Monterey County) at 1-866-323-1953.
Requesting a letter of insurance termination (if you previously had the student help plan through MIIS)
MIIS does not issue letters regarding termination of insurance coverage. If you enrolled in health insurance through the school previously, which in this case was provided by Anthem Blue Cross, the insurer will automatically generate these letters after coverage terminates. If you need a document that indicates the date your coverage will terminate, you may contact Anthem Blue Cross and request a “Certificate of Credible Coverage.” These may be provided early on a case-by-case basis.
You may call Anthem Blue Cross directly at 1-800-888-2108.
I don't have a California address. How do I apply for insurance?
Until you have a California address, you can use the Institute’s address to apply for insurance: 460 Pierce St. Monterey, CA 93940. Office Services will hold on to any mail you receive until you have a permanent address, after which you should change your address with your insurance provider promptly.
I am concerned I won’t have insurance in time for the start of the semester or I am not sure my current insurance coverage will work in Monterey while I wait for California-based healthcare. What should I do?
If your current insurance does not have in-network providers in the Monterey area, you can check to see what it would cost to see an out-of-network healthcare provider in case of emergencies.
You can also explore a temporary insurance plan to cover you for 30 days. Here is one site with guidance on the benefits and downfalls of short term plans, and a link to get a quote for one.
When and how will I submit proof of insurance to Middlebury?
You will not submit proof of insurance to Middlebury at this time. Please do not send your insurance information to anyone at the Institute. You may be asked to show insurance at any point if prompted, however. We expect that students will take action to ensure they are covered in the event of a situation requiring medical care. For students health and well being, it is required to have insurance.
Does Middlebury require vaccination records?
We do not require that students show or submit proof of immunization; however we require that all students and their dependents/partners have documented proof, in English, of immunity for measles due to multiple measles outbreaks that have occurred in California.
In the event of a measles outbreak, Middlebury will require students to present that proof of immunity for the safety of students, faculty, and staff. Please review the full Middlebury measles guidelines to understand what you need to have on file and when, if ever, this information will be asked for.