Students pay the university’s student health fee to help support affordable and equitable access to high-quality on-campus health services.
2023-2024 student health fee
Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students studying on Cornell’s Ithaca and Geneva campuses pay the university’s student health fee (see FAQ below for specifics).
- The summer 2023 health fee is $126 (applicable to residential summer students not already covered by the academic-year health fee).
- The 2023-2024 academic-year health fee is $250/semester, charged to students’ Bursar bill at the beginning of each semester.
Students who pay the health fee have a $10 copay for most Cornell services (some services have no charge). See our Cost for Service page for details.
Health fee FAQ
Why does Cornell have a student health fee?
The student health fee, combined with other funding sources, enables Cornell Health to offer all students the same access to affordable on-campus care, no matter what health insurance they have (see How does Cornell Health's subsidy work? below). It also helps support campus-wide health initiatives that benefit the whole Cornell community.
Health fees are standard administrative fees at universities nation-wide. Among Cornell's Ivy Plus peers, those with exposed (listed separately) health fees typically range from $500 to $1,000 a year.
Who pays the student health fee?
Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students studying on Cornell’s Ithaca campus and Geneva campuses pay the student health fee, regardless of what health insurance they have. (See information for funded graduate students below.)
School of Continuing Education students taking 12+ academic-year credits or summer classes also pay the health fee (with the exception of Cornell employees).
Students in residential programs that are distant from the Ithaca / Geneva campuses will not be charged the health fee. If those students are temporarily in the Ithaca area, they can still access Cornell Health services and we will bill their insurance plan for those services. These students will be responsible for their copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles (as specified by their insurance plan). NOTE: If at the beginning of the semester your university status still indicates that you are studying on the Ithaca/Geneva campus, you will automatically be charged for the health fee. The charge will be removed from your Bursar bill once your enrollment / registration status is updated to reflect that you are studying away from campus.
Why am I being charged for the health fee when I'm on SHP?
Previously, Student Health Plan (SHP) members paid the equivalent of the student health fee through their SHP premium. Now, SHP members studying in Ithaca or Geneva will pay the health fee as a separate charge, with the health fee equivalent removed from their SHP premium. (See information for funded graduate students below.)
How does Cornell Health's subsidy work?
The student health fee is part of Cornell Health’s overall funding model that enables subsidized access to care when a student’s insurance (in- or out-of-network) does not cover services.
Cornell Health bills students’ health insurance plans as the primary payer for medical and psychiatry services received on campus (CAPS counseling is excluded from insurance billing). Remaining costs (copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles) for most services are capped at the $10 visit charge.
How does insurance billing work?
Cornell Health bills students’ health insurance plans as the primary payer for medical and psychiatry services received on campus (CAPS counseling is excluded from insurance billing). Remaining costs (copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles) for most services is capped at the $10 visit charge.
- Cornell Health limits students’ copayment for most services to $10 (some services have no charge) – even if your insurance plan denies a claim – and waives both coinsurance and deductible costs.
- Please note that students (or a parent, if they are the policy holder) may receive an explanation of benefits (EOB) from their insurance company indicating that these remaining costs (copayments, coinsurance, deductibles) are due for services received at Cornell Health. In most cases, Cornell Health covers these costs automatically (see our Cost for Service page for details) and the student / parent is not responsible for the charge(s).
EXCLUSIONS: The subsidy does not apply to pharmacy, travel medicine, immunizations other than the flu vaccine, and services outside of Cornell Health (e.g., lab tests that must be sent to an external lab). This means students are responsible for the costs that their insurance doesn't cover.
If we're billing insurance plans, why are we still charging a health fee?
Many students have insurance with a high "cost-share" (copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles), which limits the insurance plan's reimbursement, leaving the remaining costs as the student's financial responsibility. The health fee, as one of our funding sources, ensures that we have the resources to provide equitable access to campus health services for all students, regardless of their insurance coverage.
Is there any impact on funded graduate students?
Funded graduate students continue to be funded for health care. The total cost of health care (insurance + health fee) is included in the cost of attendance and is covered.
What if I have privacy concerns?
The practice of billing insurance plans may introduce privacy concerns for non-SHP members when an "explanation of benefits" (EOB) statement is sent by the insurance company to the primary policy holder after a claim. While the student is the primary policy holder for SHP, for many students with other insurance, the primary policy holder is often a parent or guardian.
Many insurance plans have provisions for adult dependents to receive their own EOBs when covered by a parent or guardian’s plan. Cornell Health will have a "privacy pause" available upon request, enabling us to delay submitting claims to give the student time to register with their insurance company to receive their own EOBs.
Can I get refund after I've paid the health fee?
Students whose status changes after paying the health fee may receive a refund if they ...
- are away from the Ithaca / Geneva campus for a full semester (100% refund per semester away from campus)
- take a leave of absence or withdraw from Cornell (refunds are prorated based on the university’s tuition adjustment schedule for withdrawals and leaves of absence)