International Student Services: Newly Admitted Students
MEDICAL CARE AND STUDENT HEALTH ISSUES
All international students are required to purchase the State University of New York Health Insurance Policy. We do not accept applications for a waiver of the insurance requirement.
The United States system of medical care may be different from that of your home country. In the U.S., you must pay for medical services yourself. There is no national health insurance and you cannot afford to be without medical insurance. For this reason, the College requires all full-time students and strongly urges all dependents to purchase the SUNY student health insurance in order to provide you with adequate medical insurance.
Most insurance policies purchased abroad are not comparable to the SUNY New Paltz insurance policy and do not provide adequate medical coverage. The University Health Insurance 2018 - 2019 covers pre-existing conditions and provides a comprehensive range of medical services including emergency care, diagnostic tests, and hospitalization.
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE
Please note that the health insurance policy is separate from the Student Health Center here on campus. The Student Health Center provides general health care for New Paltz students while the College is in session and promotes all aspects of maintaining good health, including prevention, mental health, and education. The Student Health Center may also provide you with a referral to a specialist that accepts the University Health Insurance policy if you need to see a doctor off campus. When the center is closed, on-call physicians are available.
HEALTH REPORT AND IMMUNIZATION RECORD
Before coming to the U.S., all students must mail their completed Pre-Enrollment Health Report and Physician’s Certificate form to the Student Health Center. The form may also be emailed to healthservice@newpaltz.edu. This form is included in this packet and can also be downloaded. This form must be on file at the Health Center before the start of the academic term. Otherwise, you will not be able to register for classes. Note that Health Center records are confidential and information from a student's chart will not be released without proper authorization. If the Pre-Enrollment Health Report and Physician's Certificate form have not been submitted to the Student Health Center you will not be seen by the Student Health Center’s Physician.
SPOUSE/FAMILY HEALTH CARE
It is extremely important to have health insurance for your spouse and children who will accompany you. Health insurance for your dependents may be purchased through the College at additional cost, or, alternatively, through private insurance companies which provide coverage for international students and their dependents. The University Health Insurance policy must be purchased within 30 days of your family’s arrival in the U.S. If you and your dependents are in J-1/J-2 immigration status, you are all required to have a comprehensive health insurance policy in order to maintain your immigration status. Because of the high cost of family health insurance, you are advised to figure the cost of health insurance for your family into your overall budget.
