2024-2025 Student Health Insurance Plan
A message from Tracy Robin, Associate Provost for Student Health Services
Dear Students,
We have good news to share about the Student Health Insurance Plan the university will offer students for the 2024-2025 academic year.
We will be partnering with Aetna Student Health (ASH) and have secured an approximately 2.7% decrease in the premium with many added benefits:
- Expanded gender-affirming benefits including coverage for electrolysis, voice therapy, chest binders, and facial feminization surgeries
- Access to Aetna’s trained Personal Navigators when students have questions about benefits, claims, and providers for gender-affirming health care
- Addition of Aetna Dental care
- Addition of Aetna Vision care
- No deductible for neuropsychological testing services
- Copays for acupuncture will be $20 to match copays for other in-network services
- Benefit plan documents will be available in Simple Chinese and Korean languages
Why Are We Changing?
The University was facing another year of rising premiums with no added benefits to students. A call for proposals from major student health insurers was solicited, and ASH offered the best health care coverage for students at a lower premium. A big “thank you” goes out to two University Student Senators who closely followed this process for months and provided valuable feedback along the way, which helped make this decision.
What About My Therapist? Medical Provider?
Anticipating the concern about coverage for mental health providers, ASH will be reaching out to all of our New School mental health providers who are currently in-network with the University’s UnitedHealthcare Student Resources plan. Aetna will extend an invitation to join the ASH network beginning with the 2024-2025 policy year. They are offering a 5% increase in the provider reimbursement rate to incentivize therapists to become in-network mental health providers for New School students. This will be the first increase for these providers since 2019.
ASH has a similar medical provider network. We do not anticipate disruptions in this area.
If one of your medical or mental health providers is not in-network with Aetna but is interested in joining the Aetna Student Health network, they should fill out the Aetna credentialing application on the Aetna website. For questions, providers may contact the Aetna Provider Call Center at 1-888-632-3862.
When Can I Enroll or Waive for Fall 2024?
The enrollment and waiver forms for fall 2024 are available on the University Health Plans website starting today, May 2, 2024. All students must submit an enrollment or waiver form by September 9, 2024.
The plan documents will be available later this summer once the plan is approved by NY State.
If you have questions about enrollment, the waiver process, or plan details, please visit our FAQ or contact University Health Plans directly by emailing info@univhealthplans.com. Student Health Services staff are also here to answer your questions and can be reached at studentinsurance@newschool.edu.