Insurance Information
Why Health 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 Health 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 health Insurance Plan
For students without other insurance or who want additional coverage, Columbia Mutual Life Insurance Company (serviced through Niagara National, Inc.) 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
- ambulance service
- mental health disorders (up to 20 visits per year)
- substance abuse treatment (up to 60 visits per year)
Additional important notes for the 2012-13 plan include the following:
- Enrollment for the Fall semester can be purchased through the Student Account’s Office by September 30, 2012.
- Enrollment for the Spring semester can be purchased through the Student Account’s Office by February 28, 2013.
- Students who purchase insurance after the dates listed above may do so by completing the application and mailing/delivering their premium and application to Tompkins Insurance Agencies, 11 South Street, Geneseo, NY 14454. Tompkins will only accept cash or check payments. For payments directed to Tompkins after the above dates, the effective date of insurance becomes the date the payment is received.
For more information, please review the Student Health Insurance Plan 2012-13 Brochure. You can also download and print a PDF version of the application.
Finally, if an accident or sickness does occur, students are encouraged first to utilize Health & Counseling services on campus prior to activating their benefits through the Student Insurance Plan.
Purchasing the Student health 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.
health Insurance for those who have lost coverage
If you are a graduating senior currently on a family health insurance plan, you will need to check to see if your coverage will continue beyond graduation (the new health care law that recently went into effect has extended coverage for most students). If not, 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.