For an insurance plan to meet the Emory University mandatory insurance waiver criteria, the insurance plan must feature all of the following:

• The plan provides prescription drug coverage.
• The plan cannot exclude or limit coverage for pre-existing conditions.
• The plan must have 100% coverage for preventive care, including vaccinations, in Atlanta, GA, and surrounding areas.
• The plan covers emergency and non-emergency inpatient and outpatient medical (laboratory, diagnostic services, primary and specialty care, and physical therapy included) and mental health care in Atlanta, GA, or the surrounding areas.
• The insurance plan must cover at least 75% of usual and customary charges in Atlanta, GA, and surrounding areas. The plan may not contain specific limitations for treating medical conditions relative to standard hospital or outpatient care. For example, an insurance plan that has limited coverage of hospital room and board to $500 or limited coverage of ambulance costs to $350 would not be acceptable.
• The insurance coverage is not through a medical cost-sharing or co-op type program.
• The plan has a U.S.-based claim administrator, a U.S. telephone number and address for submission of claims, and the policy is issued in the U.S.
• Oral contraceptives must be covered at 100% of usual and customary charges in the Atlanta, GA area.
• The insurance plan must cover inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment and treatment for substance abuse (both alcohol and drug abuse).
• The plan is active, and you agree to maintain health insurance throughout the policy year, i.e., through the end of this year’s enrollment term at Emory. If you lose coverage, you must notify Emory immediately.

Yes, absolutely! The cost of seeing the provider is covered by your tuition.

Please view information about fees/charges and insurance coverage here.

All international students at Emory have historically been required to have health insurance or to purchase the Emory student plan. We have found that receiving health insurance benefits from international carriers for medical care in the United States can often be incomplete and challenging to navigate. Under certain circumstances, we will allow students to have insurance with an international carrier if the insurance company has a claims-processing agreement with an American firm and the plan meets the waiver criteria. Please contact our Student Health Services Insurance Office if you have questions about this situation.

The Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan (EUSHIP), administered by Aetna Student Health, meets all additional insurance requirements for international students.

Additional information can be found on the International Student and Scholar Services website at isss.emory.edu/life_usa/health_insurance/index.html.

Students on the Student Health Insurance Plan have an individual contract with Emory for insurance for the ENTIRE academic year. Because the insured students have contracted with Emory for an annual plan, students will not be eligible to voluntarily cancel the Student Health Insurance Plan for purposes of enrolling in a different plan for the remainder of the academic year.

Please submit a form to contact the Emory Student Insurance office for further support here.

Yes, Emory University Student Health Services (EUSHS) is the primary care provider under the plan. Visits to EUSHS are free for enrolled students, and the Student Health Insurance Plan pays 100% of covered services at EUSHS (lab tests, medical supplies, annual physical examinations, medications, immunizations, Travel Clinic, etc.).

Use Aetna's DocFind® Service located here. Click on the Find a Doctor link. You can use DocFind® to find out whether a specific provider belongs to Aetna's network or to find Preferred Providers practicing in your area.

 

Dental

The Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan (EUSHIP) offers routine dental coverage. The applicable out of pocket expenses will apply. Additional information is available here.

The Pediatric Dental Benefit is available to students under 19 years of age. Routine dental services (exams, cleanings, etc.) are covered at 100% under the plan.

A complete list of dental providers is available on Aetna’s Docfind website here.

A referral from Student Health is not required for dental.

Vision

The Pediatric Vision Benefit is available to students under 19 years of age. Routine vision services (exams, glasses, contacts, etc.) are covered at 100% under the plan.

Adult routine vision care is available on a discounted basis only, under the EyeMed Vision One Discount Program. The applicable discount must be applied to services at the time of the visit.

Prescription Savings and Discounts on:

• Designer frames
• Prescription lenses
• Lens options, like scratch coating and tint
• Non-disposable contact lenses
• Savings on LASIK laser eye surgery
• Replacement contact lenses, delivered to your door
• Savings on eyeglass chains, lens cases and cleaners, and nonprescription sunglasses

Your eye exams are always discounted. So even if your plan covers your first exam, you can save on another one from any participating doctor.

Locations

You can visit many doctors in private practice. Plus, national chains like LensCrafters®, Target Optical® and Pearle Vision®. Log in to your member website at AetnaStudentHealth.com to find participating locations.

Built-in plan discounts with no referrals, claims or limits.

A referral from student health is required for all medically-related vision services.

A referral is not required for routine services.

To locate clinics that accept EUSHIP, use Aetna’s Docfind website.

The Aetna Student Health Insurance Policy offers both domestic and international coverage including medical evacuation and repatriation. Learn more about Aetna Travel Assistance here.

1. If you have never been to Student Health Services (SHS) before, you must make an appointment to see a physician, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant for an appointment in most cases to establish care and ensure that the information for the referral is accurate.
2. If you have been seen at SHS before but not for this condition, you need to make an appointment at SHS as well.
3. If you have been to SHS before and have received the referral from SHS last year and you need a renewal (except for physical therapy which requires an appointment), please send a message in the Portal to the “referral coordinator.”
4. If you have recently been seen in the Emergency Department or hospitalized, please make a follow-up visit with a primary care provider within a week of discharge. If a follow up is not needed, please notify the “referral coordinator” through a Portal message that you received emergency care and a referral needs to be generated.
5. If you have any other questions or your situation doesn’t fall into any of these other categories, send a message in the Portal to the “referral coordinator” for guidance.

Referral requests from the students and by the providers are responded to within seven business days. The timeframe of the appointment with the specialists depends on the acuity of the issue and the schedule availability of the specialist.

 

If you graduate in May, your EUSHIP coverage will remain active until the end of the policy year, which will be July 31 for all plans.

Once your Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan terminates, or if you do not return in the fall as a result of a leave of absence or withdrawal, you will be able to extend coverage for an additional one month under the Student Health Insurance Continuation Plan as long as you were covered under the plan, the semester prior. Benefits under the continuation plan remain the same as the basic student plan. Under the new policy year, all out-of-pocket expenses (including copays, deductibles and co-insurance) will reinstate. You will have 31 days from the termination date of your prior insurance to enroll. 

If you graduate in December or take a leave absence and do not return for the next Spring Semester, coverage will terminate on December 31. You will then be eligible to extend coverage for an additional one month under the continuation plan. You will have 31 days from the termination date of your prior insurance to enroll.

How to Apply/Enroll/Submit Payment for the Continuation Plan:

Once you are eligible to apply/enroll for the Student Health Insurance Continuation Plan (see above), both the online enrollment and payment submission are accessed at the same location through Aetna Student Health. Click here to apply/enroll/submit payment.

If you take a leave of absence or withdraw within 31 days into the semester, the Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan (EUSHIP) will terminate retroactively and you will not be eligible to enroll or remain enrolled in EUSHIP for the semester in which your leave occurs.

If you remain an enrolled student 31 days into the semester (or beyond), coverage will remain active for the remainder of the semester.

If you are no longer eligible to enroll in the base plan for enrolled students, the continuation plan is available for extending coverage an additional 1 month if you were enrolled in the plan one semester immediately prior to your leave.

Dependent Enrollment is not automatic. Enrollment must be renewed every new policy year.

Information:

• As a student currently enrolled in the Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan (EUSHIP) you are also eligible to enroll your dependent (spouse, domestic partner, and/or child(ren)) in the plan.
• The enrollment deadline is August 1, 2025.

How to Apply/Enroll/Submit Payment for the Dependent Enrollment plan:

• If you are a student currently enrolled in the EUSHIP and you would like to also enroll and submit payment for your dependent (spouse, domestic partner, and/or child/ren), both the application and the payment submission for the Student Health Insurance Dependent Plan are accessed on the same location through Aetna Student Health. Click here to apply/enroll/submit payment.
• A newborn child is automatically covered under the insured member, for Accident, Sickness, premature birth and congenital defects for the first 31 days from the date of birth. To extend benefits past the 31 days, the newborn child must be officially enrolled in the plan.

To obtain your Aetna ID card, select one of following:

1. Access Aetna’s website at https://www.aetnastudenthealth.com/en/get-id-card.html.
   Find "Emory", enter your Emory ID number, date of birth, and email address.
   A PDF of your ID card will be emailed to you.
2. Download the Aetna Mobile App on your Smartphone by visiting www.aetna.com/mobile.

Please note, you will not be able to print your card until your plan’s effective date.

The 1095-B Insurance tax forms have been processed and were mailed to plan members of the Student Health Insurance Plan on Jan 31 for the previous tax year. As per IRS requirements, all 1095-B forms should be distributed by March 31, including required residents of NJ, DC, RI and CA. If you do not receive your tax form, or you require a correction, please submit a inquiry form here.

For the protection of your Personal Identifiable Information (PII), Emory University does not provide Social Security Numbers to third party entities including Aetna Student Health. For your protection, the SSN/TIN referenced on your tax form, is the last 4 digits of your Aetna ID number, which will not affect your tax form in any way.

The annual tax filing deadline is April 15. For more information, please visit https://www.irs.gov/.

Please note: The IRS no longer requires that you submit the 1095-B form with your tax return. Once you receive your 1095-B form, it is recommended that you retain a copy for your records. Penalties will not be imposed.

As an Aetna Student Health insurance member, you have access to Aetna Navigator®, your secure member website, packed with personalized benefits and health information. You can take full advantage of this interactive website to complete a variety of self-service transactions online. By logging on to Aetna Navigator, you can:

• Review who is covered under your plan.
• Request member ID cards.
• View Claim Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements.
• Estimate the cost of common health care services and procedures to better plan your expenses.
• Research the price of a drug and learn if there are alternatives.
• Find health care professionals and facilities that participate in the Emory Student Insurance Plan.
• Send an e-mail to Aetna Student Health Customer Service at your convenience.
• View the latest health information and news, and more!

To register for Aetna Navigator:

1. Click here.
2. Click on Members Aetna Navigator.
3. Follow the instructions for First Time User by clicking on the ""Register Now"" link.
4. Select a user name, password and security phrase.

If you need help with registration, assistance is available toll free, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-800-225-3375.

Students are automatically enrolled in the Emory Student Health Insurance Plan (EUSHIP) for the academic year unless they opt out of - or waive - coverage. 

If you decide you would like to waive EUSHIP, you must complete the waiver process. This is an ANNUAL process that must be completed by August 1 each year. 

When you submit a request for waiving EUSHIP, you will need to provide proof of insurance. Your insurance must meet the delineated criteria and will undergo an audit to ensure that it will provide you with adequate coverage during your studies.

If the waiver is not submitted and accepted by the August 1 deadline, you will be charged the full amount for the year.

No! Every Emory student must complete the enrollment/waiver process every year you are enrolled. This is typically done in the summer before the fall semester begins.

You may re-enter the OPUS mandatory insurance waiver site as many times as you wish prior to deadline and cancel or change your waiver.

Every waiver that is submitted is subject to verification to ensure the accuracy and essential coverage of each individual plan. If your waiver does not satisfy the insurance requirements, you will need to contact your insurance company for benefit verification or call Aetna Student Health at 1-877-261-8403 to confirm the reason for the denial.

If you miss the waiver deadline, you will be required to remain on the Emory Student Health Insurance Plan for the remainder of the semester. If you have questions or concerns about the student insurance requirement or your individual situation relative to the requirement, please submit an inquiry form here.

Completing a waiver is a two-step process. 

1. The online student insurance requirement waiver site for new and continuing Emory University students (including Oxford College) typically opens in June and will close at 5:00 pm on August 1. You can access the waiver site via your OPUS account at www.opus.emory.edu.
2. You must also upload a photocopy of your insurance ID to the student health portal. Login to the portal here. 

Yes! The summer is considered part of the previous academic year. If you do not wish to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan, the waiver process must be completed EACH year you are enrolled at Emory University for the upcoming academic year. If you have questions about the insurance waiver/enrollment process, please submit an inquiry form here.

Our international students do need insurance while here, even if they are not degree-seeking. It is an Emory University requirement, and also may be a requirement of your visa.

No, the waiver site is for waivers only, not insurance enrollment. If a student would like to stay on EUSHIP, no further action is required. LGS will then post the subsidy to your Student Financial Services account for their portion of the premium.

Please contact the LGS Student Affairs office if you have any additional questions or concerns. 

Please contact the Emory Student Health Insurance office by submitting an inquiry form here.

In fall 2006, Emory University instituted a mandatory health insurance requirement for all degree-seeking and all international students. Updates to the waiver and refund processes associated with the insurance requirement are outlined below.

In addition, the Student Health Services (SHS) website features extensive information on the waiver process (https://studenthealth.emory.edu/insurance/requirement.html).

• Students who have other insurance plans (i.e., parent’s plan, employer, individual, etc.) that satisfy Emory’s requirements and wish to waive the Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan (EUSHIP) must do so every new academic year. The waiver process is an annual process, which must be completed every year by every student.
• Emory has designated official university email as the preferred mode of communication with students, faculty, and staff. Students are expected to read all official Emory emails, as are faculty and staff.
• Students and parents were surveyed – more than 1,200 students responded – about their preferred method for receiving information about the insurance requirement; an overwhelming majority chose email.
• New and returning students each receive three or four emails throughout the summer (including parents of undergraduates) about the insurance requirement and the waiver process. All email communications are stored in the student’s Communication Center via OPUS, Emory’s student portal, which reflects read or unread status.
• Emails about the insurance requirement and deadlines are sent to parents of new and continuing undergraduate students as a reminder of this process. Because OPUS may not have current email addresses for all parents, SHS’ insurance-related decisions are not solely based on email communications to parents. However, emails are sent to all students new and returning, which they are expected to read as official Emory communications.
• Approximately 10,000 students successfully complete a waiver each new academic year before the waiver deadline; nearly 6,500 are continuing students.
• The deadline for student health insurance waivers is August 1 of each academic year.
• The health insurance charge systematically posts to each student’s account (until they receive a waiver) as early as possible for the pre-term bill in July. The second installment for spring will post as early as November.
• Emory and Aetna Student Health will reconcile enrollment and payment in September on behalf of all students enrolled in the plan (5,000+ each year).
• Once the enrollment and payment of the plan are reconciled, no further financial adjustments (e.g., student refunds of the health insurance charge) can be made. In cooperation with Student Financial Services, financial refunds or adjustments are not to extend beyond one prior semester.
• Requests for an insurance appeal or charge reversal due to a student’s failure to meet the university’s waiver requirements and deadlines will be reviewed by the EUSHIP leadership team and considered on a case-by-case basis with no guarantee of approval. Financial and situational circumstances may be taken into account. When an appeal and refund are requested, a log of the emails sent to the parent and student are gathered to ensure that emails were sent to all parties involved. Previous waiver dates are also reviewed to determine awareness of the established process.
• In the event a request is not granted for the reasons stated above, the student’s insurance coverage will remain active for the academic year for which they are enrolled. The EUSHIP offers both domestic and international coverage with Emory Core and Aetna participating provider networks. For a complete review of the plan design, visit the Aetna Student Health website aetnastudenthealth.com or the Student Health Services website at www.studenthealth.emory.edu.

If you or your eligible dependent (spouse, domestic partner or child) experience a qualifying life event (QLE) by involuntarily losing coverage under another plan by (1) turning 26 and aging off your parents insurance (2) loss of employment/benefits (3) change in marital status (4) new resident to the U.S., you are eligible to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan within 31 days of the qualifying event.

You will need to provide a letter of termination from your prior insurance company or a copy of your visa or passport, if entering as a new resident to the U.S. 

For more information and details, please submit a question on the form linked here. (Select Qualifying Life Event Enrollment under Topic on the inquiry form.)

Yes. If a student on the Student Health Insurance Plan experiences a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) due to graduation or withdrawal/leave of absence from Emory, and loses coverage under the Student Health Insurance Plan, there are several options for ongoing coverage:

• The Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan offers one month of extended coverage under the Continuation Plan. For more information about the continuation plan, click here to access the Forms page on our website, then click on the Emory Insurance Continuation Application form link, or contact our EUSHS Insurance Office at 404-727-8959.
• The graduated or former student may obtain insurance through a new job, or through a parent/family policy due to a Qualifying Life Event.
• In addition, there may be insurance options available through the ACA Healthcare Marketplace at healthcare.gov.

If you are enrolled in an out-of-state Medicaid insurance plan, please be aware that coverage may not transfer out of your home state. At most, emergency care may be available. However, emergency care only does not satisfy the university’s health insurance requirement. If coverage does not transfer to Georgia, students can be left underinsured or entirely uninsured while at school, possibly affecting a student’s academic career long term if anything were to happen. Please contact your individual state plan to verify your eligible benefits in Georgia.

The university continues to work through this important issue in hopes to mitigate the financial strain on our students and families. Please submit a form to contact the Emory Student Insurance office for further support here.

Recommendations for coverage include the following:

1. Use the Emory University student health insurance plan (EUSHIP).
2. Enroll in Georgia Medicaid or a partner plan, or
3. Enroll through the ACA marketplace.

Financial advice and assistance are available through the offices below, including payment options through the Emory Payment Plan (EPP).

Student Accounts and Billing: 404-727-6095

Office of Financial Aid: 404-727-6039

Registrar’s office: 404-727-6042

Accepted plan options to waive the Emory University Student Health Insurance Plan:

Georgia Medicaid: https://medicaid.georgia.gov/

Amerigroup Medicaid: https://www.chooseamerigroup.com/

ACA marketplace plans: https://www.healthcare.gov
(Depending on personal income and other criteria, allowable subsidies and/or additional credits may be available)

United Healthcare: https://www.uhc.com/

Blue Cross Blue Shield: https://www.bcbs.com/

Cigna: https://www.cigna.com/