Orlando Harmon
Columbia University offers a comprehensive student health insurance plan, recognising the importance of health and well-being in achieving personal and academic goals. The Columbia Aetna Plan is designed to meet a range of health needs, including medical, mental health, chiropractic care, prescriptions, and travel benefits. The plan is available to all students, with mandatory enrolment for most, and offers worldwide coverage. Students can access benefits through Columbia Health, which provides primary care, and works closely with Aetna Student Health claims administrators. The university also offers optional dental and vision plans. Understanding the complexities of the US healthcare system can be challenging, so Columbia provides resources to help students navigate insurance coverage and make informed decisions about their health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the insurance plan | Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan |
| Insurance provider | Aetna Student Health |
| Coverage | Medical and mental health conditions, including chiropractic care, prescriptions, travel abroad benefits, dental and vision plans |
| Co-pays | None for medical and mental health services with Columbia Health providers; approximately 80 generic prescriptions available with no co-payment |
| Enrollment | Required for most students as part of enrollment in the University; automatic enrollment for students who do not take action before the deadline |
| Waiver | Available for new full-time domestic students and international students with alternate insurance; must submit a waiver request via the Columbia Health Patient Portal |
| Documentation | Must be uploaded through the Patient Portal within 60 days of a qualifying life event (QLE) |
| Referrals | Mandatory for non-emergency off-campus services; not required if more than 50 miles away from campus or for dependent children |
| Fees | Full-time Columbia Health and Related Services Fee provides access to Columbia Health services |
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What You'll Learn
Enrolment and eligibility
All new full-time domestic students and international students wishing to use an alternate health insurance plan must submit a waiver request through the Columbia Health Patient Portal. These students must also confirm their insurance enrolment. New part-time domestic students can choose to enrol in the Columbia Plan by the deadline and are encouraged to do so. Enrolling in the Columbia Plan also requires payment of the Full-time Columbia Health and Related Services Fee, which provides access to all Columbia Health's programs and services.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, Columbia University is offering the Columbia Aetna Plan, which includes benefits for medical and mental health conditions, chiropractic care, prescriptions, and travel abroad benefits. Columbia Health also offers voluntary vision and dental insurance plans during the Fall and Spring terms.
Students at Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, and Columbia University Medical Center should contact their school directly for health insurance information. Funded graduate students should inquire within their department or fellowship office about potential funding to cover insurance premiums for themselves and any eligible dependents.
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Costs and co-pays
The Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan, otherwise known as the Columbia Plan, is offered to students to meet their health-related needs beyond the on-campus services offered by Columbia Health. The Columbia Plan includes benefits for medical and mental health conditions, including but not limited to chiropractic care, prescriptions, travel abroad benefits, and more. The Columbia Plan is a worldwide plan, providing access to coverage throughout the U.S. and internationally.
The Columbia Plan works with Columbia Health to provide consistent, efficient care. The plan will always pay benefits in accordance with applicable New York State insurance laws. Medical Services provides primary care for students enrolled in the Columbia Plan. Providers in Medical Services and Counseling and Psychological Services work closely with Aetna Student Health claims administrators to arrange access to benefits available through the Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan.
The Columbia Plan covers most services provided on campus at no additional charge. A small portion of the fee supports the University Gender-Based Misconduct Office and the University International Travel and Safety and Security Program. Prescriptions, urgent care or emergency room visits, select vaccines, and off-campus services accessed by referral (e.g. specialist care, medications, physical therapy) are covered by health insurance or the out-of-pocket cost responsibility of the student. All pre-matriculation immunization requirements are not covered and must be paid in advance.
The Columbia Plan may not cover all of your health care expenses. The plan excludes coverage for certain services and contains limitations on the amounts it will pay. A referral by a Medical Service or Counseling and Psychological Services clinician is mandatory when seeking non-emergency off-campus services. If a referral is not obtained prior to seeking care, services will be reimbursed at the out-of-network benefit level at a higher out-of-pocket cost.
Columbia University offers four comprehensive medical plan options through UnitedHealthcare (UHC). Each plan includes vision and prescription drug coverage. For the 80, 90 and 100 medical plans, you pay a $30 copay for physician office visits (including specialists and urgent care) when using UHC network providers. Preventive care is covered at 100% with no deductible for in-network services. The deductible, coinsurance, and all medical and prescription drug copays accumulate toward your annual out-of-pocket maximum. Out-of-network services are covered identically by each of the University’s medical plans and are subject to the out-of-network deductible and out-of-pocket maximum.
For inpatient hospital services, a $500 per admission copay is required; outpatient hospital services, including lab and radiology, require a $150 copay. After reaching the in-network out-of-pocket maximum of $4,750 for an individual and $9,500 for a family, the Plan pays 100% of covered in-network medical charges for the remainder of the calendar year. Most out-of-network services are covered at 60% after the annual deductible of $850 per member.
During the Fall and Spring terms only, Columbia Health also offers a voluntary vision insurance plan in addition to the voluntary dental insurance plan. Certain medications are $0 co-pay. Spouses and domestic partners covered under the Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan pay a reduced fee for access to a limited number of services. Part-time and half-time domestic students who are not on the Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan pay a reduced fee but can elect to upgrade to the full-time fee to access the full range of resources, programs, and services.
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Coverage and benefits
Columbia University requires most students to have comprehensive health insurance as part of their enrollment. The Columbia Plan offers benefits for medical and mental health conditions, including chiropractic care, prescriptions, and travel abroad benefits. Certain medications are available with $0 co-pay, and there is no co-pay for medical and mental health services with Columbia Health providers. The Columbia Plan also includes a voluntary vision insurance plan and a voluntary dental insurance plan during the fall and spring terms.
The Columbia Plan provides access to coverage throughout the US and internationally. For students who are more than 50 miles away from campus, they may go directly to a provider in that area without a referral from Student Health. However, it is important to ensure that the provider accepts the Aetna Columbia Student Health Insurance to maximize benefits. Travel and lodging reimbursements are also available for students who need to travel over 100 miles to access healthcare restricted by state law or regulation.
For funded graduate students, it is important to contact the relevant administrative offices to inquire about potential funding coverage for the Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan premium. Students at Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, and Columbia University Medical Center should also contact their schools directly for health insurance information. Part-time domestic students are not automatically enrolled in the Columbia Plan but may request enrollment and are encouraged to do so.
It is important to note that the Columbia Plan may not cover all healthcare expenses. Students are advised to carefully review the Student Health Insurance Plan Brochure before making their insurance decision. Additionally, for any life change events, such as turning 26, having a child, marriage, or divorce, students can complete a Life Change Event form and submit documentation to the Student Insurance Office within 60 days.
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Deadlines and documentation
Deadlines:
- Open enrollment for new Summer Term students: This is the period when new Summer Term students can enroll in the Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan or request a waiver if they have alternative insurance. The deadline for this enrollment period is not specified, but it is referred to as the "open enrollment end".
- Fall Term: August 15 - December 31, 2024.
- Spring/Summer Term: January 1 - August 14, 2025.
- Academic Year: August 15, 2024 - August 14, 2025.
- Summer Term (New summer students only): May 15 - August 14, 2025.
- For the 2024-2025 academic year, Columbia University offers The Columbia Aetna Plan.
- Students have 60 days from a Life Change Event (such as turning 26, having a child, marriage, or divorce) to file a petition to enrol or make changes to their insurance coverage.
Documentation:
- All new full-time domestic students and international students wishing to use an alternative insurance plan must submit a waiver request through the Columbia Health Patient Portal.
- Students must confirm their insurance enrollment.
- Students are encouraged to enrol in optional dental and vision plans.
- Students must submit immunization documentation for measles, mumps, and rubella and certify their meningitis decision at least 30 days before class registration.
- Students experiencing a Life Change Event must complete a Life Change Event form and submit relevant documentation to the Student Insurance Office within 60 days of the event.
- To maximize benefits when seeking care away from campus, ensure the provider accepts Aetna Columbia Student Health Insurance by using the Aetna Doc Find tool.
- Download your ID card from the Aetna website using your Student ID and date of birth.
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Providers and referrals
The Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan, otherwise known as the Columbia Plan, is designed to meet students' health-related needs beyond the on-campus services offered by Columbia Health. The plan includes benefits for medical and mental health conditions, including but not limited to chiropractic care, prescriptions, and travel abroad benefits.
If you are enrolled in the Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan, your primary care provider is at Columbia Health Medical Services, and your initial mental health provider is at Counseling and Psychological Services. A referral by a Medical Service or Counseling and Psychological Services clinician is mandatory when seeking non-emergency off-campus services. If you are more than 50 miles away from campus, you may go directly to a provider in that area without a referral from Student Health. However, you must ensure that the provider you are seeing accepts the Aetna Columbia Student Health Insurance by using Aetna's Doc Find tool to maximize your benefits. Dependent children do not need a referral. If a referral is not obtained prior to seeking care, the claim will incur a "Non-Referral Penalty", resulting in services being reimbursed at the out-of-network benefit level at a higher out-of-pocket cost.
Students at Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, and Columbia University Medical Center should contact their school for health insurance information. Incoming part-time domestic students are not automatically enrolled in the Columbia plan but may request enrollment by the deadline and are encouraged to do so. Enrolling also requires payment of the Full-time Columbia Health and Related Services Fee, which provides access to the services offered by Columbia Health.
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Frequently asked questions
The Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan is a mandatory comprehensive health insurance plan that most students are required to have as part of their enrollment in the University. It provides consistent, efficient care and works closely with Aetna Student Health claims administrators to arrange access to benefits.
All new full-time domestic students and international students wishing to use an alternate health insurance plan must submit a waiver request via the Columbia Health Patient Portal. All new part-time domestic students can choose to enrol in the Columbia Plan by the deadline.
The Columbia Plan includes benefits for medical and mental health conditions, including but not limited to chiropractic care, prescriptions, and travel abroad benefits. It also provides access to coverage throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Please ensure that your provider accepts the Aetna Columbia Student Health Insurance by using Aetna's Doc Find tool to maximize your benefits.
If you experience a life change event, you may complete a Life Change Event form and submit documentation. Students have 60 days from the event to file a petition to enrol with the Student Insurance Office.
