Coverage While Traveling
Last reviewed: 12/02/2022
All full-time students, international students, and students on the Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan have access to care at no added cost through our partners when they are away from campus, in the U.S. or abroad.
Medical
Email [email protected] your full name, date of birth, phone number (including country code), location, preferred language(s) and a brief description of your symptoms. Our partner Teladoc will call you back to connect you with a doctor. Available 24/7
Mental Health (international only)
Schedule an appointment online with WorkPlace Options and use “Columbia University” to log in. If you encounter any difficulty, please call 212-854-2878.
Students have a number of available benefits when traveling, whether for registered University travel or personal travel. Please explore the options below to learn about support when traveling.
Aetna Student Health offers a number of benefits available to students when they are traveling for non-University purposes.
Within the United States
If your travel is within the United States, please use the Aetna DocFind feature to identify an in-network provider.
If you are traveling within 50 miles of campus, be sure to request a referral from Medical Services or Counseling & Psychological Services prior to making an appointment.
If you are traveling more than 50 miles from campus, no referral is required.
Outside the United States
Aetna Student Health, through On-Call International, provides medical assistance services when traveling in a foreign country.
As Aetna Student Health does not maintain a network of providers outside the United States, students can select a provider of their choice in the country they are in and submit expenses for reimbursement to Aetna Student Health.
Reimbursement
When accessing services outside the United States, students will need to:
- pay out-of-pocket for services, and then
- submit receipts along with an itemized bill to Aetna Student Health for reimbursement.
Reimbursement for medically necessary care is covered at the in-network rate. For routine care while traveling (e.g. standard medical provider office visit), reimbursement from Aetna does not require prior approval or coordination.
Some services (e.g. medical evacuation, repatriation, etc.) are covered only when coordinated and arranged through On-Call/Aetna Student Health.
Available Travel Assistance Benefits through On-Call:
- Emergency Medical Evacuation
- Medical Repatriation
- Transportation to Join a Hospitalized Member
- Return of Minor Children
- Repatriation of Mortal Remains
- Accidental Death or Dismemberment
No other On-Call benefits are available to plans in New York.
To discuss coverage or inquire about benefits, please get in touch with On-Call:
- In the US: 866-525-1956
- Outside the US: +1-603-328-1956 (collect calls accepted)
Supporting the University mission often requires students to travel outside of the United States. Whether it be for research, conference presentation, study abroad, or other purposes, those participating in Columbia Travel have a support system at the University to provide the tools needed for diligent pre-trip planning and assistance in the event of an emergency abroad – including medical insurance for emergent illness and injury while abroad.
Students participating in Columbia Travel must follow the pre-departure requirements described in the International Travel Planning Policy. These requirements can include, but are not limited to, trip registry and a pre-trip itinerary review.
Please visit the Student section of the Columbia Global Travel website to register your trip, explore benefits, and more.