My incoming first-year is from the Ithaca area, has good insurance through parent’s employer. Plan is to apply for the waiver but wondering if there is any reason not to. Sounds like the students who waive it still have access to Gannett via the $350 annual fee.
If you have health insurance thru another provider, you can keep that and pay the $350 annual fee. If you enroll in the Student Health Plan administered by Aetna, you have to pay ~$2500 for coverage. See http://studenthealthbenefits.cornell.edu/benefits/requirements/ . I waive the SHP, and my D has used Gannett on a number of occasions. It has worked out well and seems to be the least expensive alternative.
We waived last year and again this year. We have very good insurance, so why pay the extra if she is covered in Ithaca? We made sure, however, that there were doctors in our network.
Both of my kids waived out of insurance until my younger daughter’s senior year when it was cheaper for her to have SHP and I pay for single insurance for myself instead of family.
That is correct - $350 health fee is still mandatory - in spite of health insurance waiver.
I have been pleasantly surprised by my son’s limited experience with Gannett. In my day, I walked down the hill to Ithaca to see a doctor and paid out of pocket.
He ended up needing PT last spring for a previously undiagnosed condition. All was handled well, with only a $10 copay/visit. Our copays are home are $25 for PT and $50 for specialist office visits, so overall, I am less resentful of the $350 health fee than I had been.
To answer your question, I see no reason to purchase SHP unless the incremental cost to cover your student on your own health insurance is greater than the cost of SHP.
D2 was on SHP last year because it was less expensive for her to be on than put her on my insurance. I was pleasantly surprised by how much it covered, even outside of Ithaca. The deductibles were a lot lower than my insurance. She was able to to go her doctor(s) at home (NYC) without additional costs.