Insurance Information
Why Insurance Is Important
Student Plan | Purchasing | Graduating Seniors
Health Insurance Coverage
Because Health & Counseling sometimes refers students off-campus for services beyond what we can provide, we strongly encourage students to have adequate health insurance. Be sure to check to see if you are covered by your family’s plan and if out-of-area services are covered. We are not a participating provider with any insurance company, and your insurance company may not reimburse you for services provided on campus. Upon request, we will provide you with an appropriately coded bill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
[PLEASE NOTE: Services within Health & Counseling are covered by the Student Health Fee, which is completely different from private health insurance coverage and is MANDATED as part of each student's tuition; go here for more information.]
Why Insurance is Important
Many students think that health insurance isn’t something that they really need to worry about. Most college-aged people are relatively healthy, and have never had the experience of undergoing extensive treatment or a hospitalization. It’s easy to think that health insurance is something you will worry about "later."
Unfortunately, those people who wait to get insurance until they actually need it are in danger of finding that because now they have a "pre-existing condition" their new insurance policy won’t provide coverage for the problem they’re experiencing. And in the event of an emergency – which by its nature is very unlikely to be planned or anticipated – first trying to figure out how to cover necessary treatment is unrealistic or impossible.
The best way to avoid problems like these, and to make sure that you’re able to get any medical or mental health services you need, is to make sure that you have insurance. Full-time students under the age of 21 may be covered by a parent’s or family member’s policy – be sure to check whether coverage extends to the Geneseo and Rochester areas. Any Geneseo student – full- or part-time, regardless of age – can also purchase the Student Insurance Plan offered through the College (see below). This plan can either serve as a primary means of insurance or as a supplement to another plan.
Student Insurance Plan
For students without other insurance or who want additional coverage, Niagara National Life and Health Insurance Company offers health insurance designed for SUNY Geneseo students. It makes no difference whether the accident or sickness occurs at the college, at home, while traveling, or while participating in sports. Many HMO/PPO insurance plans do not cover the student while away from home, especially for non-emergency (non-life threatening) treatment. The Student Insurance Plan is an ideal supplement and may help protect against medical expenses not fully covered by other insurance.
Specific benefits of the Student Insurance Plan include:
- treatment by a physician (includes any licensed health care practitioner such as a psychologist, optometrist, podiatrist, chiropractor, physical therapist, or surgeon), licensed practical nurse, or registered nurse
- hospital services including hospital stays, x-ray, operating room, anesthesia, and lab services
- use of an ambulance
- alcohol and substance abuse treatment
(Please note that the Student Insurance Plan does not include dental coverage.)
Students may sign up for insurance during the open enrollment periods at the beginning of each term or within 30 days of being removed from another policy. Information about Niagara can be obtained from Tompkins Insurance at 11 South Street, Geneseo(585-243-3553). The cost of the Student Health Plan for the 2009-10 academic year is $1,775. Each semester can also be purchased separately at a cost of $587 for the fall and $1,188 for the spring and summer. Please note that Student Accounts will only accept payments for the Student Health Insurance Plan up until the first two weeks of each semester; after that time, students must deal directly with Tompkins Insurance.
If an accident or sickness occurs, students are encouraged to first utilize Health & Counseling on campus prior to activating their benefits through the Student Insurance Plan.
Need to make a claim? You can pick up a claim form from Health Services, Lauderdale Health Center. However, please note that the form should be mailed to POMCO, PO Box 186, Syracuse, NY, 13206. You can also file claims and get more information by logging on to Markel's website.
Purchasing the Student Insurance
Niagara National is an independent insurance company with a broker located in Geneseo; SUNY Geneseo does not profit from the sale of this insurance. For your convenience, however, Health & Counseling has arranged to assist you in purchasing the insurance. If you wish to have this additional coverage, stop by Health Services to pick up an application.
Insurance for Graduating Seniors
If you are currently on a family health insurance plan, it is likely that your coverage will not continue once you graduate; insurance coverage for students is usually terminated at the end of the graduation month. One option for continued coverage is the New York State-sponsored plan "Healthy NY." This plan offers limited coverage to individuals who 1) have lost other medical insurance, 2) are either employed or have worked at least part-time within the past 12 months, and 3) earn less than $23,800/year. For more information about Healthy NY, visit their web site www.healthyny.com or call 866-432-5849.