Care when you’re away at college

You’re covered for care when attending school away from home

If you are attending school outside of our service area and are a dependent child of a Kaiser Permanente member, you may be able to keep your coverage while away at school. If you’re under the age of 26, you have the option to stay on your parents’ health insurance plan. If you’re eligible to keep your coverage, your must complete your college health care waiver form at the beginning of each academic year.

When you’re attending school in a different Kaiser Permanente service area from where your parents reside, you can get most of the same services that you would get close to home. When you need care, go to the nearest Kaiser Permanente location. When you come home, you’ll be able to use your existing care team. No matter where you are, we’ve got you covered.

If you need to seek care outside the Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic region and have a plan design with out-of-network benefits, call Member Services at 888-225-7202. They can help you find your closest in-network care option.

You can also connect with Kaiser Permanente care by phone or online:

  • 24-hour consulting nurse service: Call 800-777-7904 to talk with a nurse for care advice, or determine whether you need immediate medical attention. Get help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No copay or coinsurance for members.
  • E-visit. For common health issues, get an online treatment plan and a prescription (if needed) from Kaiser Permanente pharmacies or Mail Order Pharmacy. (Prescriptions from online visits must be filled at Kaiser Permanente medical offices or mail-order service.) Start your visit anytime. Responses are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, including holidays. No copay or coinsurance for most members.
You may have to pay upfront and submit a claim for reimbursement if you get care outside a Kaiser Permanente service area. Reimbursement depends on your health plan and deductible. Learn what kind of information you’ll need to submit a claim.

No matter what Kaiser Permanente health plan you have, you’re covered for emergency and urgent care worldwide.

Emergency care. If you have a medical emergency while away from your Kaiser Permanente region, call 911 or the local emergency assistance number immediately. Within 24 hours or as soon as reasonably possible, call our Notification Line at 800-777-7904 so we can follow up on your care. Before you get follow-up care after an emergency visit, call Member Services at 888-225-7202. They may be able to recommend where to get care that’s covered by your plan. Even if they can’t, they can let you know what’s covered and help you be prepared for any charges.

Urgent care. Urgent care is for conditions that require prompt attention but don’t pose an immediate, serious threat to your health or life.

When you get care outside of a Kaiser Permanente state, you’ll have access to the Cigna PPO Network of participating providers and facilities. If you need urgent care while away from the Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic region, call Member Services at 888-225-7202 And at any time, wherever you are, you can call the consulting nurse helpline at the number on your Kaiser Permanente member identification card.

Copay and coinsurance for urgent care varies depending on whether you get care at a Kaiser Permanente facility or from a Cigna PPO provider.

You are covered for care you receive at Kaiser Permanente facilities outside the Mid-Atlantic region. This includes California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

Before you access care for the first time in another Kaiser Permanente service area, call the Mid-Atlantic Away from Home travel line at 951-268-3900 or visit kp.org/travel.
This varies. Providers and services at the campus health center may or may not be covered by your Kaiser Permanente plan. Call Member Services at 888-225-7202 for help with finding out whether your student health center is covered.

First check out all the online tools and services available to you as a Kaiser Permanente member, such as the 24-hour consulting nurse helpline, online visits, and Care Chat. We aim to make it easy to get and manage your care anytime — whether you’re on the mend or on the go.

Important tip: If you haven’t already, register for your online account at kp.org. Then it’s quick and easy to sign on anytime. And once you’re registered, you can download the Kaiser Permanente mobile app.

Online tools available to all members:

  • Find a doctor
  • Order prescription refills
  • Take a health risk assessment
  • Review your health plan usage status
  • View your coverage documents
  • Browse a library of thousands of health topics
  • Contact Member Services

Services available when you get care at Kaiser Permanente medical centers in the Mid-Atlantic region:

  • Schedule appointments
  • Email your health care team
  • See most lab and test results
  • Access your online medical records
  • Review after-visit summaries
  • Check your allergies and immunizations

These services are available on the go with the KP mobile app.

The answer to this depends on your individual situation. You’ll need to compare coverage under your Kaiser Permanente plan with coverage offered by your school’s plan.

To check coverage under your Kaiser Permanente health plan: Sign in at kp.org/mas. You can check your coverage benefits and also get proof of your Kaiser Permanente coverage.

Some schools require you to purchase additional coverage. Ask your school about their requirements for health care coverage.  

Kaiser Permanente provides services in the following regions:

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Maryland
  • Oregon
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • District of Columbia
Not in one of these regions? Certain plans offer out-of-area dependent coverage. If you’re participating in one of these plans, you may be able to get routine, nonurgent services even if your school isn’t near a Kaiser Permanente facility. To find out if your Kaiser Permanente plan offers out-of-area care for routine and nonurgent health matters, call Member Services at 888-225-7202.
Kaiser Permanente health plans around the country: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., in Northern and Southern California and Hawaii • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc., Nine Piedmont Center, 3495 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305, 404-364-7000 • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., 2101 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, MD 20852 • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest, 500 NE Multnomah St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232 • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington or Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington Options, Inc., 1300 SW 27th St., Renton, WA 98057

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