Required Student Health Insurance

Required Student Health Insurance

Colgate University requires that all full-time students have health insurance that provides adequate coverage in the Hamilton, N.Y., area. This requirement is fulfilled in one of two ways:

  1. Enrolling in Colgate’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). (Students who reside outside of the United States are automatically enrolled in the Colgate plan*.)
  2. Waiving out of the Colgate student health insurance plan by demonstrating comparable or better family or individual plan coverage (domestic students only*).

    *Students who reside outside of the United States are automatically enrolled in the Colgate plan. There is no option to waive out of the Colgate plan utilizing international health insurance plans. Learn more about international student health information.

The coverage period of your health insurance plan must be from August 1 to July 31, each academic year, and must provide inpatient and outpatient medical care and mental health care. This coverage must include routine, urgent, and emergent care, within a 50-mile radius of Hamilton, NY. Sufficient and confirmed coverage is essential for any health care services that may be required beyond what is available/provided by Colgate’s Student Health Services.

If you intend to submit a waiver out of the Colgate plan, we strongly encourage you to carefully check the details of your personal insurance plan to ensure it will provide coverage in the Hamilton, New York, area. Not all insurance policies cover students outside their local “network” area. In particular, state-based Medicaid does not cover students outside their state of residence. Such coverages will not be approved for waiver.

Each academic year (even if your insurance coverage remains unchanged), Colgate requires all domestic* students to complete an insurance decision form by August 1, choosing one of two options.

  1. Confirm enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). This option will officially activate your insurance with SHIP. Please allow 7 to 10 days for activation.
  2. Waive enrollment in the SHIP plan by submitting proof of comparable coverage through another carrier (domestic students only*). Students need in-network emergency and non-emergency coverage. In-network non-emergency coverage must include primary preventative care, prescriptions, specialty services, etc.
  3. Colgate will record personal coverage details as part of the student’s electronic health record.

The annual enroll/waive decision process is administered by Colgate’s health insurance broker, Haylor, Freyer & Coon (Haylor). The enroll/waive decision form, as well as additional information on the plan, is available on the Haylor website. The enroll/waive form is available each academic year starting this first week of June, with a completion deadline of August 1st.

If a student does not submit a waiver by August 1, they will be automatically enrolled in the Colgate plan for the academic year. They are responsible for the annual premium charged to the Colgate student account. We strongly recommend actively enrolling for a more streamlined and timely confirmation of enrollment and service.

For your waiver to be approved, your plan must meet the following requirements: 

• Fully compliant with all aspects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

• Underwritten and administered in the United States. 

• Effective for the entire academic year. 

• Provides in-network non-emergent/urgent and routine care (preventative services) without coverage limitations within a 50-mile radius of the school. 

• No limitations or exclusions on pre-existing conditions. 

• Provides coverage for hospital stays for medical and surgical care and for mental health conditions. 

• Provides coverage for doctor’s office visits for medical and mental health conditions. 

• Provides prescription drug coverage. 

• Provides unlimited medical/hospital benefits without dollar maximums. 

The following coverages do not meet the university’s waiver requirements and will not be approved: 

• Out-of-state Medicaid plans  

• Out-of-state HMO plans  

• Health Share plans 

• International plans 

• Travel plans 

• Kaiser Permanente HMO Deductible Requirement: 

• None 

*Students who reside outside of the United States are automatically enrolled in the Colgate plan. There is no option to waive out of the Colgate plan utilizing international health insurance plans. Further health information for international students can be found here.

For questions or assistance on the enroll/waive decision process, please contact Haylor (student@haylor.com, 866-535-0456) or Colgate’s Office of Student Accounts (stuaccounts@colgate.edu, 315-228-4817).

The Colgate Student Health Plan provides coverage for a full calendar year (from August 1 to July 31) and is not limited to services in the Hamilton, NY area.

The Colgate plan carrier is Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

SHIP Plan Features

  • An unlimited policy year maximum
  • Low annual deductibles
  • In-Network services generally covered at a 90% preferred allowance
  • In-Network Physician Office Visits covered at 100% after a $25 copay
  • Students will be able to locate in-network providers whether, at home, school, or throughout the country through the SHIP Find A Doctor website
  • Access to online behavioral health support
  • Prescription drug coverage with low copayments
  • Coordination with Colgate Student Health Services
  • Worldwide Coverage including medical evacuation, repatriation & travel assistance services

SHIP Plan Details

Please view the Frequently Asked Questions and Plan Highlights sections of the Haylor website.

Annual Premium

All students are automatically assessed the fee for the SHIP annual health insurance premium during the fall semester billing in July. If a waiver from the plan is completed, and approved, the SHIP charge will be reversed from your student account. (If the waiver is processed prior to fall term billing, the charge and reversal activity will not appear on the student account).

Colgate Plan Administrator

Haylor, Freyer & Coon (Haylor), is Colgate’s partner to administer student enrollment in or waiver out of the Colgate plan.

300 South State Street, Suite 1000
Syracuse, NY 13202

Phone: 866-535-0456

Email: student@haylor.com

Website: haylor.com/college/colgate-university

Colgate does not offer a student dental or optical insurance plan. Students interested in optical coverage may utilize Guardian Direct to consider coverage options. Students interested in dental coverage may utilize Guardian Direct or AETNA to consider coverage options.

For specific questions or guidance with selecting a plan, please contact Guardian Direct at 866-569-9900 or AETNA at 855-837-6453.

Students wishing to make changes in their insurance coverage during the academic year should contact the student accounts office at 315-228-4817.

Unfortunately, with the overwhelming number of different insurance carriers and plans represented by our geographically diverse student body, we are unable to directly bill insurance companies for services offered through Student Health Services. However, in those circumstances where services are provided that result in an additional charge, students have the option to pay for the services and receive a written receipt that may be provided to their insurance carrier for reimbursement.

Claim forms are available at the Student Health Services or may be filed from the broker's website listed above. Insurance claims cannot be processed online.

Website: haylor.com/college/colgate-university

Insurance FAQs

What does insurance cover?

All Colgate students must have medical insurance to cover services provided outside the university’s Student Health Services, such as:

  • Routine medical care
  • Referrals to specialty providers (orthopedics, dermatology, etc.)
  • Lab tests sent to a commercial laboratory
  • X-rays and other imaging tests
  • Prescription medications
  • Urgent care and emergency room visits
  • Hospitalization

The coverage period of your health insurance plan must be from August 1 to July 31, each academic year, and must provide inpatient and outpatient medical care and mental health care. This coverage must include routine, urgent, and emergent care, within a 50-mile radius of Hamilton, NY. Sufficient and confirmed coverage is essential for any health care services that may be required beyond what is available/provided by Colgate’s Student Health Services.

If you intend to submit a waiver out of the Colgate plan, we strongly encourage you to carefully check the details of your personal insurance plan to ensure it will provide coverage in the Hamilton, New York, area. Not all insurance policies cover students outside their local “network” area. In particular, state-based Medicaid does not cover students outside their state of residence. Such coverages will not be approved for waiver.

Note: State-based insurance plans such as Medicaid do not provide coverage outside the home state.

Insurance information you should know.

Make sure you:

  • Know the name of your insurance company
  • Have your own insurance card (or a copy) and bring it to every Student Health Services appointment (we will need this information if it becomes necessary to send a lab test out or need to make a referral to a specialist or another community provider.)
  • Know the basics of your medical insurance plan, especially regarding any out of network coverage
  • Know how to obtain claim forms if needed
I have always been healthy—why should I pay for insurance I may not need?

Fortunately, most college-age young adults are healthy and we sincerely hope that remains the case while you are at Colgate. However, our medical team sees healthy students every day who have sustained an injury or developed an illness that may require prescription medication, a referral to a local specialist, or even hospitalization. Inadequate insurance can be a barrier to appropriate care while you are away from home. Selecting an effective health insurance plan is an important first step in ensuring your health and well-being while pursuing your studies at Colgate.

Does Colgate carry insurance to assist NCAA varsity student-athletes?

For all injuries occurring after Thursday, August 1, 2024 Colgate University has an insurance policy in place to assist NCAA varsity student-athletes with medical bills attributable to injuries which are the direct result of official intercollegiate athletic activities. This policy is a secondary insurance policy and can only consider billing after a student's primary has paid to its fullest. After Colgate's secondary policy has paid to its limit any remaining balances are the responsibility of the student.

For additional information regarding injuries occurring prior to Thursday, August 1, 2024, please see the athletic department's Athletic Medical Billing Policies and Procedures.

Confidentiality statement
  • Health and Wellness (H&W) and Sports Medicine (SM) staff (athletic trainers and physicians) maintain confidentiality in accordance with the ethical guidelines and legal requirements of their profession. Your health records are maintained in an Electronic Health Record (EHR) and are considered treatment records under FERPA. These records are completely separate from all other Colgate University records and your educational records. Health and Wellness staff may receive information from other offices on campus as part of their role as consultants on campus. Health and Wellness staff and SM staff will not share information about any patient outside of their care team without their written permission, except under the following circumstances:
    A patient presents as a serious danger to themself or another person;
  • A patient is under 18 years of age and discloses abuse or neglect to a clinical provider;
  • A patient discloses that a minor child, dependent adult, or elderly person is currently at risk for abuse or neglect;
  • A Colgate student seeks care at Community Memorial Hospital, another hospital, or an urgent care center, and that provider requests information, SHS will share relevant health information as needed for continuity of care.
  • A valid subpoena is issued on a patient's records, or a patient's records are otherwise subject to a court order or other legal process requiring disclosure;
  • As required by federal or New York State Public Health law.

 

Note for Division 1 Athletes receiving care through the Sports Medicine staff
This confidentiality applies to sports-related illness and injury only. If a student discloses information to a Sports Medicine staff member that is not specifically associated with a sports-related injury or illness, the Sports Medicine staff may be legally required to report this information (e.g., report of assault or sexual assault).

If any of the above exceptions are true, SHS staff will only disclose the necessary, relevant clinical information based on their profession's ethical guidelines and legal requirements. SHS staff will notify the patient appropriately of this disclosure as soon as possible.

Patient rights
  1. Be treated with respect, dignity and consideration without discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or veteran status.  
  2. Be treated with consideration, respect, and dignity, including privacy in treatment;
  3. Be informed of the services available at the center;
  4. Be informed of the provisions for off-hour emergency coverage;
  5. Be informed of your options for providers and request a change in provider understanding that this may require you to reschedule your appointment.
  6. Know the names, credentials, and positions of the staff working with you;
  7. Receive an estimate of the amount that you will be billed after services are rendered, and receive an itemized copy of your account statement upon request;
  8. Obtain from your provider or the provider's delegate complete and current information concerning your diagnosis, treatment (including possible side effects and risks), and prognosis in terms a patient can be reasonably expected to understand;
  9. Participate in your healthcare planning and consent by accepting all or part of treatments offered or refusing all or part of treatments
  10. Request a medical chaperone in the exam room if the exam may be of a sensitive nature.
  11. Receive information from your provider or the provider's delegate necessary to give informed consent before starting any nonemergency procedure or treatment.
    1. Informed consent shall include, as a minimum, the provision of information concerning the specific procedure or treatment, the reasonably foreseeable risks involved, and alternatives for care or treatment, if any, to allow the patient to make a knowledgeable decision;
  12. Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be fully informed of the medical consequences of that action;
  13. Refuse to participate in research if and when it is being conducted at the Health Center and/or through Sports Medicine;
  14. Voice grievances and recommend changes in policies and services to the Health Center without fear of reprisal;
  15. Express complaints about the care and services provided and have the center investigate such complaints.
  16. Privacy and confidentiality of all information and records pertaining to your treatment;
  17. Approve or refuse the release or disclosure of the contents of your medical record to any provider or the provider's delegate and/or healthcare facility except as required by law or third-party payment contract or necessary to safeguard you or the university community;
  18. Authorize or refuse family members and other adults who may have access to your confidential medical information;
  19. Have access to information about Advance Directives (https://www.health.ny.gov/community/advance_care_planning/ )
  20. Language translation services.
Patient responsibilities
  1. Provide the Student Health Center and/or Sports Medicine staff with accurate information about past immunizations, illnesses, injuries, hospitalizations, medications, including over-the-counter products and dietary supplements, and any allergies or sensitivities.
  2. Inform the Student Health Center and/or Sports Medicine staff of any changes in health status that could affect treatment.
  3. Follow the prescribed treatment plan, ask questions if you do not understand the directions or treatment given by a provider, discuss any desired changes in the treatment plan, and participate in your care.
  4. Notify your provider if the treatment plan no longer works for you.
  5. Inform your provider about any living will, medical power of attorney, or other directive that could affect your care.
  6. Treat those giving them care, as well as other patients, with dignity and respect.
  7. Accept personal financial responsibility for any charges not covered by your insurance.
  8. Keep appointments and arrive on time.
  9. Cancel appointments only when necessary and far enough in advance so that other patients might utilize that time.
  10. Be respectful of others' privacy and property while in the Health Center and/or Sports Medicine facilities.
  11. Not take actions that could harm themselves or others.
  12. Let the Health Center know about changes in contact information or insurance information.
  13. Report any adverse side effects of treatment and/or worsening of your condition.