Insurance

The University requires all graduate students to have adequate insurance. There are two levels of insurance that students can choose through the University: basic and comprehensive. The Astronomy Department pays for the cost of the basic level of insurance, whereas the comprehensive costs $800 more spread over the two semesters. Comprehensive insurance, as the name suggests, provides you with smaller co-pays, larger percentage of coverage on medical expenses and more.

Between September 1st and September 30th of each year, you must choose which insurance policy you want. If you do not choose during this time, you will be defaulted to basic coverage. You *cannot* enroll in comprehensive after September 30th, so don't even try. In order to enroll, please visit ​this page.

Added by Cameron.

If you are ensuring a dependent through the University, be savvy. Often, the New York state coverage (child health plus) is cheaper, and our thrilling salaries as graduate students make the monthly payments reasonable. The department does share the premiums of a dependent, but it (in the past) has been more expensive out of pocket (and frankly, not great). If you do go on the University insurance with a dependent, be warned. The renewal is NOT on the calendar year, but twice (once in Sept, and once in January). And, as of last disaster, they did not send any sort of reminder or renewal notice. NOTE: This is extra confusing because this split enrollment DOES NOT occur the first year (which starts whenever the baby is born until the following september). So you won't see it coming. Which makes it extra awesome.

Added by Sarah.