Undergraduates

Cornell University requires all students to have quality health insurance. The Board of Trustees made this decision in 1974, and for three decades this policy has proven to serve students well. It gives you, and your family, the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are well-insured.  

Cornell utilizes a "hard waiver" system, common on most campuses that have a health insurance requirement, to assure understanding and compliance with this policy. 

Every student is enrolled automatically in Cornell's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). In order to waive enrollment in the SHIP, you must demonstrate that you have insurance meeting all six of Cornell's criteria.  

Your health insurance plan MUST:  

1. Be provided by a company licensed to do business in the United States, with a U.S. claims payment office and a U.S. phone number.
   
2. Provide coverage in the Ithaca area for outpatient and inpatient medical care. (A policy that provides coverage in the Ithaca area on an "emergency care only" basis does not meet this requirement.)
   
3. Provide coverage in the Ithaca area for outpatient and inpatient mental health care.
   
4. Have a maximum benefit of at least $500,000 per year.
   
5. Remain in force as long as you are a registered student at Cornell.
   
6. Cover pre-existing conditions. 

NOTE: If you choose not to enroll in the SHIP, you must complete the online waiver application every year.

Your health is essential to achieving your goals at Cornell. Having access to health care and adequate health insurance are essential to your health. Without adequate coverage, unexpected medical expenses could alter your future dramatically.  

Review the "Insure Your Health" fact sheet collection. View the complete collection (pdf) or click on an image to open an individual (pdf) file.
Choosing Health Insurance	SHIP Overview	SHIP Benefits at a Glance	Compare Your Coverage	Optional Enrollment
Letter to Cornell Families	Paying for Health Care	Undergraduate Enrollment & Waiver Process

Assessing Your Coverage

Compare your health insurance coverage (pdf) to make sure any health insurance coverage you are considering meets all six of Cornell's criteria for waiving participation in the SHIP, and any additional needs you might have as a student.

• If you do not know whether your coverage meets these conditions, contact your health insurance plan administrator to get current, accurate information about your plan before applying for a waiver.  
• You may want to avoid plans that have a high deductible (e.g., $500 or more), as these can create financial barriers to accessing care, due to out-of-pocket expense at the time of visit.
• It may be helpful to you to review a list of Ithaca-area health care providers to determine whether any of them participate in another insurance plan you might be considering. The Ithaca-Area Yellow Pages provides up-to-date lists of providers of every kind of care available in the area, including medical, mental health, dental, eye care, pharmacy, and alternative and complementary medicines. You may also want to consult Cayuga Medical Center (CMC)'s Physician Finder.  
• Parents and guardians of first-year undergrads may find it helpful to review Gannett Health Services' Insurance Matters, It features a useful discussion of the health insurance needs of Cornell undergraduates and may assist you in making your decision to enroll in or waive the SHIP.  

Health Care on Campus  

Gannett Health Services is the primary medical and mental health care provider for ALL full-time registered students, regardless of insurance coverage. An ambulatory care facility with pharmacy, x-ray, laboratory, and specialty services in a convenient location on central campus, Gannett specializes in integrated medical, mental health, and health promotion services for Cornell students. The National Committee for Quality Assurance NCQA has recognized Gannett for having achieved the highest level of certification as a patient-centered medical home PCMH; and Gannett has been accredited for the fifth time with highest marks by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

Most appointments with a Gannett health care provider or counselor involve a $10 visit charge. Fees are charged for services such as lab tests, x-rays, procedures, and medications. Most of these services are covered for those enrolled in the SHIP.

For students who have private health insurance, Gannett can provide a copy of the bill that can be submitted for reimbursement. We also offer use of the student bursar system during the academic year to minimize any financial barriers to access services. Please make sure your insurance will reimburse you for health care expenses at Gannett and in the Ithaca area. 

Enrolling Dependents  

If you want to enroll dependents in the SHIP, you must enroll in the SHIP.  

Optional Dental/Vision Coverage  

If you want to enroll yourself or dependents in the optional dental and vision plans available to Cornell students and their families, you must enroll in the SHIP.  

Financial Assistance for SHIP  

Cornell’s financial aid packages do not include the cost of the SHIP. If you receive financial aid, you may request an adjustment to your aid package (in extra loan or work eligibility) to cover this necessary educational cost. If you do not receive financial aid, you may be eligible for a loan to help cover the cost of SHIP. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment by phone (607 255-5145) or e-mail.

The enrollment/waiver site is not active at this time. Please revisit in early July, 2012.

Automatic Enrollment  

EVERY full time student (including students enrolled in absentia and non-degree students) will be enrolled in and billed for the Student Health Insurance Plan. A charge of $____ will appear on your August 2012 bursar bill. (The premium in 2011–12 was $1898.) A pro-rated charge is applied in January for spring entrants.

To OPT IN and stay enrolled in the SHIP:  

• You don't have to do a thing. You will be enrolled automatically and your coverage will begin on August 17, 2012 (January 16, 2013 for spring entrants, i.e., those who enroll in the spring semester and who were not registered during the fall semester). An insurance card and information about the SHIP will be sent to you early in the semester.
  
• To expedite the process of getting your insurance card and information about how to use your insurance, complete a simple ON-LINE ENROLLMENT APPLICATION. You will need your Cornell student ID number to log on.
  
• You are eligible to enroll in the optional dental plan and/or vision plan or to enroll dependents. Learn more now so you don't miss the February 28 deadlines. 

To OPT OUT of SHIP coverage and paying the premium:  

• Make sure you have the following information on hand:
  • Cornell student ID number
  • health insurance company name, address, telephone number
  • health insurance policy identification number and group number
  • health insurance subscriber name and date of birth
    
• Complete a simple ON-LINE WAIVER APPLICATION.
  
• If your waiver application is received by the deadline and is approved, a full credit will be issued on your next bursar bill.
  
• Remember: if you use the Student Health Insurance Plan for any reason, at any time, you will have to pay for it. 

Deadlines:  

• Fall waiver deadline: August 31 
  
• Waiver deadline for spring entrants only: February 28
  
• Late registrants: within 30 days of registration 

NOTE: Students who do not submit a waiver application by the deadline or who are not approved for a waiver will remain enrolled in the SHIP and be responsible for the $____ premium. (The premium in 2011–12 was $1898.) After the deadline, the SHIP may not be cancelled, except as provided by policy guidelines.

A $50 per month late fee will be charged if a waiver application is received after the October deadline. Waiver applications will not be accepted after December 10, 2011 (fall entrants).

There are only three situations in which the SHIP can be cancelled and the premium refunded. If claims from any provider have been submitted and paid for any period, no refund will be provided under any circumstances. Take the time now to learn more

Students leaving Cornell mid-year may be eligible for a five-month plan. Under this plan, students are billed in August for the entire plan year, but will be credited for seven months of the premium once appropriate paperwork is completed and processed. All paperwork must be completed prior to the January 31 deadline. Learn more.

For more information, please read the "Insure Your Health" fact sheets (pdf). They explain Cornell's requirements, describe the enrollment/waiver process, and provide an overview of the Student Health Insurance Plan.

For detailed information, please review the SHIP Member's Guide.

For more information, please contact:  

Cornell University Office of Student Health Insurance
409 College Avenue, Suite 211
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: 607 255-6363
Fax: 607 254-5221
E-mail: sicu@cornell.edu

Visit the Aetna Student Health web site

Go to www.aetnastudenthealth.com. For Cornell SHIP specific information:

• choose the “Student Connection” link
• enter the Cornell Policy Number of 711115

SHIP-related questions and concerns

Aetna Student Health Claims Administrators, Inc.
P.O. Box 981106
El Paso, TX 79998
Phone: 800 859-8475
           617 218-8400 (outside the US,collect calls are accepted) 

General information

Aetna Student Health
One Charles Park
Cambridge, MA 02142-1254
Phone: 617 218-8400
Fax: 617 218-5700