Student Accounts
Health Insurance
After considerable thought and careful review, SUNY Cortland adopted a new policy in 2006-07 requiring all full-time undergraduate students to have adequate health insurance coverage.
All full-time undergraduate students will be billed the yearly cost of single-premium health insurance with the fall semester bill. The charge will be waived upon verification of existing coverage through an online, Web-based process.
Cost
The cost for the entire school year—fall/spring/summer semesters—will be billed with the fall 2008 semester bill.
| Semester(s) | Coverage Dates | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Fall only* | Aug. 10, 2008-Jan. 9, 2009 | $ N/A |
| Spring/Summer only* | Jan. 10, 2009-Aug. 9, 2009 | $ N/A |
| Full Year | Aug. 10, 2008-Aug. 9, 2009 | $1,030 |
* Students who are not enrolled full time (12 or more hours) at the College in the fall will be charged a pro-rated premium if/when they enroll at full-time status for the spring semester.
Important Points
- The rate for the entire academic year is included on all fall semester bills sent to full-time undergraduate students. Part-time undergraduate and graduate students with at least six credit hours may opt to enroll in the health insurance plan.
- To remove a charge, a student must request a waiver from our provider, Aetna Student Health. This waiver request must be done online via myRedDragon (Student Online, Waive Health Insurance)
The ability to access the waiver portion of Aetna Student Health's web site opened July 7, 2008 and will be available for spring 2009 waivers (for students not charged in fall 2008) starting on or about Dec. 10, 2008. The last day to submit a waiver request for fall 2008 was Sept. 30, 2008. In order to complete a waiver request you should have the following personal and existing insurance plan information available:- Your Permanent Address and preferred e mail address (as they appear in Banner)
- Maximum coverage amount (must be at least $75,000)
- Knowledge that existing plan will cover student in Cortland/Syracuse/Binghamton and surrounding area.
- Insurance company name
- Policy or Group number (use 11111111 for Medicaid coverage)
- Plan Name
- Insurance company address and phone number
- Policy holder name
- If a waiver is granted, the student's charges will be reduced by placement of a waiver (reduced charge) on the student's account. The waiver will not appear in real-time. If approved, it will take 24-72 "business" hours for the reduction to appear on a student's account.
Please note: a new semester bill will NOT be generated. Instead, a student should monitor his/her account to ensure the reduced charge appears and payment should be adjusted accordingly.
- If an online waiver is denied, the student will receive a message to that effect and may appeal the waiver denial. Appeals should be forwarded to the Student Accounts Office.
- Students will be allowed to file only one waiver or one enrollment request. If the attempt to complete the waiver online is unsuccessful, contact our office at (607) 753-2313.
- Waivers need to be filed once each academic year. Students who waive insurance in the fall will not be charged for health insurance on their spring semester bill.
- Students who fail to file a waiver by the last day to waive will be responsible for payment of the health insurance charge for the entire academic year.
- Important! Waivers are for the academic year. This means that undergraduate students enrolled for the fall semester who are eligible to waive insurance and who will continue on for spring semester must process their waiver during the fall waiver period (and will NOT have to waive again in the spring).
The spring waiver period is only for two classes of students:
1.) Those students who commence/resume study for the spring semester;
2.) Those students who were enrolled less than full time—12 or more hours—during the fall who are full time for spring.
- Please note that the Student Health Insurance should not be confused with the Student Health Service Fee. The Student Health Service Fee supports the operations and activities of the on-campus
- Students with six to 11 credit hours may choose to voluntarily enroll in the SUNY Cortland Student Health Insurance Plan by enrolling directly with Aetna Student Health. Coverage for domestic partners and dependent children is also available directly from Aetna Student Health.
- In accordance with NCAA regulations, Cortland athletic team members must show proof of coverage at or before their initial team practice.
Athletes who need to utilize the SUNY Cortland Health Insurance Plan and who have responded to their semester bill by confirming their attendance and/or making payment on their semester bill, may contact Aetna Student Health at www.aetnastudenhealth.com or (866) 396-2573 for instructions on obtaining a health insurance ID card.
- Inbound international F-1 visa holders, international exchange students, and those enrolled in study abroad programs must meet SUNY’s minimum standards for health insurance coverage and may be required to purchase the SUNY Board of Trustees mandated plan. Be sure to contact the International Programs Office for specific requirements.
OAP students may be responsible for waiving out of the SUNY Cortland Plan if picking up the SUNY International Students Health Insurance Plan. Waivers out of the SUNY mandatory International Student Health Insurance Plan are separate and handled through the International Programs Office.
- The refunding of an insurance charge for a student who drops from full to part time during the official add/drop period is a manual transaction. The Student Accounts Office must receive a written request within 10 days of status change.
The Student Accounts Office will verify with Aetna Student Health whether or not an insurance claim has been filed. No refund will be given if any insurance claims have been made. Refunds will not be made until claim verification has been received from Aetna Student Health.
- If a student goes from part-time to full-time status during the official drop/add period, the insurance charge will be automatically added to the student’s bill. The student is then responsible for waiving the insurance within the required time period if they have coverage under another plan.
- Students who have a qualifying life event should contact the Student Accounts Office as this may provide an additional opportunity to either enter the program past the last date for voluntary enrollment, or provide pro-ration of premiums if the student’s coverage is either resumed or suspended due to the QLE during the academic year.
What is a Qualifying Life Event?
A Qualifying Life Event is an event defined by the Internal Revenue Service in Section 125 that allows you to change your FSA election. QLEs include:
- Change in your legal marital status (i.e., marriage, legal separation, divorce, or death of your spouse)
- Change in your number of tax dependents
- Birth or date you adopt a child, or placement for adoption
- Death of a dependent
- Change in your dependent's eligibility (for example, your child reaches age 13 where he/she is no longer eligible under a DCFSA)
- Change in child care/elder care provider or cost or coverage, such as a significant cost increase charged by your current day-care provider, or a change in your day-care provider. This applies to a DCFSA only. It does NOT apply to a HCFSA or LEX HCFSA.
- Change in employment status (for employee, spouse, or employee’s dependent) that affects eligibility for health insurance benefits
Note: A dependent is anyone you claim on your Federal Income Tax return or someone who jointly files a Federal Income Tax return with you.