Understanding and tracking medical bills can be complicated. Depending on the treatment you received, you may have a copay or an amount not covered by the insurance plan. The bill from the medical provider will show the charges for the treatment, what your insurance plan has paid and what you owe. 

If you have questions about the amount owed, the first step is to register with Highmark where you can track your medical claims for the date of service, and access your Explanations of Benefits (EOB). The EOB will show what your insurance plan paid, did not pay, and why.

University Health Services (UHS) Charges:

If you are enrolled in the SHIP and receive care at University Health Services (UHS), many of the fees for our services will be covered by the plan.  If you do owe any fees, those charges will be posted to your student account.

•  For questions about a UHS charge email the student health insurance team. 

Bills from off-campus providers:

If you see a provider or have a hospital visit outside of UHS, you may receive a bill for non-covered services, and/or copays:

• If the bill indicates little/no insurance was applied to the claim (often noted as an "Uninsured Discount"), please contact the medical provider directly, give them your insurance information and ask that they re-submit the claim to the SHIP. 
  • If you saw a provider at UPMC, you can register with UPMC to track claims and bills. 
• If you recieved a bill for medical services, refer to the Medical Plan Coverage Table to verify coverage and copay amounts. 
  • If you received a bill for dental or vision services, refer to the dental and vision plan books for coverage and copay amounts. 
• If you still have questions about SHIP coverage, please call the Member Services phone number on the back of your insurance ID card.  Member Services will be able to look at your claims, and verify coverage based on the diagnosis and procedure codes provided with the claim. 

Laboratory Testing:

• Basic diagnostic testing is covered by the SHIP at in-network labs, but students will owe a $25 copay for the date of service.
• If a test is not fully covered by the SHIP, students will recieve a bill from the laboratory for that amount. 
• Bills are sent to the address listed on your SHIP enrollment.
• Students can find information on lab claims by accessing their Explanations of Benefits (EOB) in their Highmark portal. The EOB will show what your insurance plan paid, did not pay, and why.
• Bloodwork done at UHS is sent to Quest Diagnostics for processing:
  • to track claims, pay a bill, or for any questions regarding bills register with Quest Diagnostics and/or call Quest Member Services.

Bills for Ambulance Transport:

The SHIP covers the cost of emergency ambulance transports, however students are responsible for paying the transport company directly. Highmark will mail you a check for the amount of the transport, once it arrives you have two options: 

• You can cash the check and pay the company directly, as per the payment instructions on the bill or;
• You can endorse the Highmark check over to the transport company:
  • on the back of the check there is an endorsement line - you would write: pay to the order of (name of the company on the bill), and sign your name.
  • mail the check to the address listed on the bill.
    • Be sure to keep a copy of the bill and check for your records.  

If you receive a medical bill and still need assistance, please message the Student Health Insurance Team through HealthConnect, and include a copy of your bill and Explanation of Benefits, if available. 

Wisdom teeth (third molar) removal is covered under the SHIP Dental Plan and Medical Plan. However, coverage will depend on whether your teeth are soft tissue impacted, or bony impacted.

Dental Plan Coverage:

The SHIP Dental Plan provides benefits for both bony impacted, and soft tissue impacted, wisdom teeth:

1. soft tissue impacted wisdom tooth removal is covered at 80% when using an in-network provider in the dental plan, and 70% when using an out-of-network provider.
2. partial and fully bony impacted wisdom tooth removal is covered at 50% with an in-network or out-of-network provider.

You can review the coverage for third molar removal on the summary of benefits and coverage, located on page 27 of the dental plan book.

 Medical Plan Coverage:

The SHIP Medical Plan only provides benefits for impacted wisdom teeth when partially or totally covered by bone:

1. bony impacted wisdom tooth removal is covered at 100% when using an in-network provider (Oral Surgeon) in the medical plan. 

 You can review the coverage for third molar removal on page 26 of the medical plan book.

 Evaluations & Procedures

Before having your wisdom teeth removed, you will need to be evaluated. If you have both the SHIP dental plan and medical plan you can get an evaluation from a dentist, or oral surgeon.

1. Prior to making an appointment, verify the provider participates in the SHIP network:
   1. if you see a dentist, the provider should be in-network on the dental plan.
   2. if you see an oral surgeon, the provider should be in-network for both the dental and medical plan.
2. The dentist or oral surgeon will determine whether the teeth are soft impacted, or bony impacted.
3. If you see a dentist, and they determine you need to have your wisdom teeth removed, you will then need to make an appointment with an oral surgeon for a consultation.
4. At your evaluation you will want to ask for a pre-determination to verify coverage and costs.  If you have both the medical and dental plan, the two plans will coordinate your coverage, if necessary.
5. The provider will let you know once that pre-determination has been finalized, and you will be able to see how much of the procedure is covered, and if you will have any out-of-pocket cost. You can then make an appointment for the procedure, if desired.
6. Once the procedure is complete, the provider will submit a claim to the SHIP. If you have any out-of-pocket costs you will have to pay at the time of service, or you will be sent a bill.

The CMU Medical SHIP provides dental and vision services for students, and their eligible dependents, under the age of 19. This coverage is seperate from the optional dental and vision plans. 

Pediatric Dental Benefits

• Students under the age of 19 prior to the beginning of the coverage period (August 1) are eligible for Pediatric Dental benefits on the Medical Plan:
  • Benefits are for the full coverage year (August 1 - July 31).
  • Benefits include routine exams, X-rays, cleanings, consultations, palliative treatment (emergency), sealants and space maintainers, when using an in-network provider.
  • Review Pediatric Dental benefits on page 11 of the Medical Plan Book. 
  • Review SHIP Dental Plan benefits on page 27 of the Dental Plan Book. 

Pediatric Vision Benefits

• Students under the age of 19 prior to the beginning of the coverage period (August 1) are eligible for Pediatric Dental benefits on the Medical Plan:
  • Benefits are only available until the end of the month the student, or dependent, turns 19. 
  • Benefits include exams, frames and lenses, when using an in-network provider. 
  • Review Pediatric Vision benefits on page 28 of the Medical Plan Book. 
  • Review SHIP Vision Plan benefits on page 7 of the Vision Plan Book. 

Claim forms can be found in the Highmark forms library. Once you have selected the proper form, click the Tips icon for instructions on how to file the claim.

• Medical Claims: Use the Member Submitted Health Insurance Claim Form.
• Dental Claims: Use the Member Dental Claim Form.
• Vision Claims: Use the Direct Reimbursement Claim Form.
• Prescription Claims: Use the Prescription Drug Reimbursement Form or Specialty Drugs Form.

You can track your claims on your Highmark portal, or call Highmark Member Services with any claim related questions: 800-241-5704.

If you have the SHIP, prescription drugs are covered, with a copay, at in-network pharmacies. However, prescription drug costs vary according to the drug type (generic, brand-name and specialty), and their corresponding tier levels (e.g., Tier 1, Tier 2, etc.). Lower tiers (generic) usually have lower copays, while higher tiers (brand-name and specialty) have higher copays.

• Review how to search for covered medications and corresponding copays.
• If prescribed a higher tiered medication, speak to your provider, or pharmacist, about the possiblity of receiveing the less costly generic version, if available.
• Some medications can be filled at UHS when you see a UHS provider. 
  • Medications at UHS will incur up to a $15 copay per medication.
• Over-the-counter medicine and supplies (not prescribed) are not covered by the SHIP when purchased at a retail store (example: CVS or Rite Aid).

Enrollments and waivers do not carry over from one academic year to the next; completing Open Enrollment is an annual requirement. Students must enroll in, or waive, the CMU SHIP every academic year that they are enrolled at the university. 

At the start of each academic year, all full-time students (and some part-time students) enrolled in a degree-seeking program are assessed a placeholder charge for the CMU Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). This placeholder charge remains on a student's account until they complete Open Enrollment.

If you do not complete Open Enrollment, you will be auto-enrolled in the CMU Medical SHIP and the insurance fee will remain on your student account. 

If you receive an approved waiver, the insurance fee will be credited back to your student account.

Please note that invoices are generated on the first day of each month. Please check the Account Activity page in SIO for up-to-date charges and credits. 

Student account or invoice questions should be directed to Student Financial Services.

No, the insurance fee posted on a student's account is a placeholder charge, and paying the insurance fee does not complete your SHIP enrollment.

Students must submit a SHIP enrollment during their Open Enrollment period:

• Log into SIO >Campus Life >Health Insurance.
• Click any of the Highmark links to access the enroll/waive portal.
• Follow the instructions to enroll.
• Click CONFIRM to submit your enrollment.

Insurance ID cards should arrive 2-3 weeks after your enrollment has been processed. If you are need of your member ID number before your card arrives: 

• During Open Enrollment, use the portal link in your SHIP enrollment confirmation email (from cmuship@hubinternational) to view your insurance member ID number.  This is not your actual member ID card.
• Use your member ID number to register with Highmark, and download a digital card until your physical card arrives. 
  • please note that the enrollment/waiver portal is only available during Open Enrollment. Outside of Open Enrollment, if you need your insurance member ID, or to request changes, email the student health insurance team at shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu.

A U.S. mailing address is required to enroll in the CMU SHIP. Enrollments submitted with a non-U.S. address, or an incomplete address, will not be processed. 

International students enrolling in the CMU SHIP should wait until they have secured a U.S. mailing address where they can receive mail before submitting an enrollment. Waiting until later in the Open Enrollment period to enroll in the SHIP will not affect the coverage dates. SHIP coverage begins on August 1 each academic year, even if you do not submit your enrollment until the end of the Open Enrollment period.

The CMU SHIP is a full year plan with a coverage period of August 1 - July 31 each academic year. Students entering CMU in the Fall are enrolled and charged for the full coverage year.  

Students graduating in December can request to cancel the SHIP at that time; it does not cancel automatically. Students with an approved cancellation will receive a prorated refund of the remaining months' premiums on the medical, dental and/or vision plans (with adjustment for any PhD student insurance support, if applicable). SHIP cancellations are effective from the first of the month following the month in which the cancellation form is received.

The final deadline to submit a cancellation request form is March 31, for an April 1 cancellation.  May, June and July cancellations are not permitted. 

If you are graduating in December and would like to cancel your insurance plan, please email shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance.

Cancellations are only available under the following circumstances: 

• December Graduation (or September certification for doctoral students graduating in December)

• Formal separation from CMU (i.e. leave of absence, withdrawal, suspension, forfeit)

• Fall semester foreign exchange students returning to their university after the fall semester

• Enrollment in Medicaid in the state in which you are studying (e.g., a Pittsburgh campus student approved for enrollment into PA Medicaid). Enrollment is based on eligibility and the application process can be lengthy. Students must also have applied for Medicaid before or during their open enrollment period. Locate PA state information.

The option to join a new plan does not make a student eligible to cancel their current insurance enrollment.  

If you meet this criterion, email UHS when your university enrollment status has been updated to reflect one of the statuses listed above (or when you wish to remove a dependent or have been approved for Medicaid) and we can assist you. You may be eligible to receive a pro-rated refund for the remaining months' premiums. 

The final deadline to submit a cancellation request form is March 31 and the insurance plan cannot be canceled after April 1 (May, June and July cancellations are not permitted). 

You can only enroll in the SHIP outside of your Open Enrollment period if you have had a qualifying life event (for example, involuntary loss of insurance, including due to turning age 26). This applies to the student medical, dental and vision plans; you cannot add the dental or vision plan outside of Open Enrollment without a qualifying event. 

If you are already enrolled in a SHIP plan, you can add dependents who have had a qualifying life event (for example, birth/adoption of a child or arrival to the U.S. for the first time during the coverage year). 

You have 90 days from the qualifying life event into enroll in the SHIP medical, dental or vision plan. You will also need to provide supporting documentation . 

Removing Dependents:

Dependents can be removed from your insurance plan at any time before March 31 of the coverage year.

To make any of these changes, please email shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance.

The CMU SHIP is a national plan, with participating in-network providers in every state. To search for medical care, dental care, vision care and pharmacies in your desired location:

For routine care, University Health Services (UHS) does not recommend specific providers, but if you are in need of non-urgent care:

• For Pittsburgh based students: call UHS and speak with a member of the medical team (412-268-2157, option 2). The medical staff can help you make an appointment at UHS or refer you to a specialist. You can find more information on the UHS Services and Fees page. 
• Call your insurance plan's Member Services number to find participating providers and answer questions about coverage. Phone numbers can be found on the back of your insurance member ID card(s).  
• Search for medical, dental, vision care and pharmacy locations via the Highmark portal: 
  • Log in/register (using your member ID number)
  • Select Find Doctors and Rx
  • Select Find a Doctor or Hospital / Find a Vision Care Provider / Find a Dentist / Find a Pharmacy
    • for medical services, choose the BCBS PPO network
    • for dental services, choose the Elite Plus network
    • for pharmacies, select National Plus Network Pharmacy
  •  Enter location
  • Select the category of care
• Search for telemedecine/virtual services in the My Highmark App

Before scheduling any appointment, verify directly with each provider or facility that they participate in the CMU SHIP network.

Mental Health Providers:

Both inpatient and outpatient mental health services are covered 100% if the provider is in-network with the SHIP. If you are enrolled in the SHIP, there are a few options for locating services in your area:

• Log into the Thriving Campus website. Enter your location and select the insurance type (BCBS PPO). 
• Virtual mental health services are accessible in the benefits section of your My Highmark App.
• Find a participating in-network provider through Highmark or call Highmark Member Services at 800-241-5704.

Medical Coverage While Abroad:

CMU SHIP (medical plan) members have access to the same health coverage benefits while abroad as they do while in the U.S. through BCBS Global Core, along with 24 hour emergency medical and travel assistance through the AXA Travel Assistance Program.

Yes. Students graduating in August are eligible to enroll in the medical SHIP for the month of August only. August-only enrollments are only available for the student medical plan; dental and vision plans are not available. 

If you are in need of an August-only enrollment, please email shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance.

Students graduating in May are not eligible to extend their SHIP.  Your SHIP enrollment will terminate on August 1.

Students graduating in August are eligible to enroll in the SHIP for the month of August only. If you are in need of an August-only enrollment, please email shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance.

CMU is not using Social Security Numbers for student insurance enrollment, but Highmark is required by law to send letters on an annual basis to members requesting their Social Security/Tax Identification Number. Members who do not provide this information will not be penalized, nor are they required to provide the information. Students may disregard the letter.