Yale Health Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage: Yale College Students on Medical Leave of Absence
Please note: This coverage is only available to Yale College students who are on an approved medical leave of absence. If you are not a Yale College student on a medical leave of absence, please see the Student Affiliate Coverage page.
When on a leave of absence, you are no longer eligible for Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. The Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage (UAC) is available to Yale College students on an approved medical leave of absence only. Enrollment in this coverage is not automatic and must be requested within 30 days of your leave approval. Please view our Leave of Absence webpage to understand how the timing of your leave affects your health coverage.
Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage
While enrolled in UAC, you will retain the same access to Yale Health as students with Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. When you are in the Yale Health service area, you will be using your Yale Health coverage. UAC also provides you with an additional layer of coverage through Aetna that covers primary and specialty care outside of the Yale Health service area. However, this Aetna coverage is only valid in the contiguous United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
- Yale Health Schedule of Benefits
- Yale Health Student Guide
- Aetna Schedule of Benefits
- Aetna Coverage Booklet
Note that the requirements of each plan differ, in both your financial responsibility and the way services are approved and managed. Coverage for services administered by Aetna requires you to select a primary care provider (PCP) from the Aetna network who will manage your care, including ensuring required referrals for services are placed and approved in accordance with plan guidelines.
For both Yale Health and Aetna-managed services, a referral is not a guarantee of payment and must be reviewed and approved by the coverage provider. Claims and referrals are subject to the terms and conditions of either plan administrator.
Please contact Aetna Member Services at 866-253-8886 to confirm that services for any care you are currently undergoing, or may undergo, are covered by this Aetna plan. When you are speaking to an Aetna representative, please provide them with this Control Number: 866203. This number will identify the specific cohort of students on this Aetna benefit.
*Note: Services for care received under Yale Health may not be covered or may not be covered at the same cost under Aetna, and you may have a cost-share payment responsibility.
Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage Plan Dates
| Date Registrar is Notified | Date Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage Terminates | Start Date of Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage, if Enrollment is Requested | End date for Fall Term | End Date for Spring Term |
| On or before the first day of classes | Coverage ends retroactively to the start of the insurance term* (Fall or Spring) | Coverage would begin at the start of the insurance term* | January 31st | July 31st |
| After the first day of classes | Coverage ends on the day the Registrar is notified of your Leave of Absence | Coverage would begin the day after Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage is terminated | January 31st | July 31st |
*The start of the insurance term is determined by your status as a new or continuing student for that academic term. Continuing students start August 1st for the Fall term and February 1st for the Spring term. Contact Member Services to know your insurance term dates for new students.
Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage Enrollment Process and Deadlines
To enroll, complete the Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage Enrollment Form and submit it to Member Services by the below deadline. If you are not eligible for funding, payment is required in full at the time of enrollment. Enrollment forms are accepted starting mid-June for the Fall term and mid-November for the Spring term.
| Leave Timing | Fall Term | Spring Term |
| First term of approved leave of absence | 30 days from the date you notify the Registrar of your leave, or September 15th, whichever is later | 30 days from the date you notify the Registrar of your leave, or September 15th, whichever is later |
| Subsequent terms of leave, if consecutive with the first* | September 15th | January 31st |
*Non-consecutive terms of approved leave are considered “first terms” regarding enrollment deadlines.
Navigating Your Aetna Coverage
After enrolling in Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage, you will receive an Aetna ID number from Yale Health staff. You can use this ID number to create an online account with Aetna to see all your plan details and more. You will need to establish care with an in-network Aetna primary care provider; you can find a list of in-network providers on the Aetna website. You can also get connected with an Aetna Patient Advocate by calling Aetna’s Member Services at 866-253-8886.
FAQs
When do I use Yale Health and when do I use Aetna?
Care received outside of Connecticut is administered by Aetna. Aetna requires an Aetna-affiliated primary care provider (PCP) to manage the care of students needing specialty and hospital services; mental health services may be sought without a PCP referral.
When you are within the Yale Health coverage area, your access to Yale Health and its services is identical to what they were under Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care coverage.
When you are outside Yale Health’s coverage area, you will be subject to certain additional out-of-pocket costs, as determined by Aetna. See the Aetna Schedule of Benefits and Coverage Booklet for more information.
How do I get connected with an Aetna PCP?
You can search for in-network PCPs through Aetna’s provider search. You can also get connected with an Aetna Patient Advocate by calling the number on your ID card for additional assistance establishing care.
If I do not purchase Affiliate Coverage, do I still have access to Basic Student Health Services?
No, if you are not in a degree-seeking program enrolled half-time or more, you are not eligible for Basic Student Health Services nor Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Unless you purchase Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage, you can only use the Yale Health Center on a fee-for-services basis.
How do I know if I have funding to cover the cost of Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage?
You will have to contact your financial aid office directly to inquire about funding for Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage.
Why is enrollment not automatic for Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage?
If you are not a student enrolled half-time or more in a degree-seeking program, the University does not require that you purchase hospitalization coverage.
If I enroll mid-term, is the cost prorated?
We do not prorate the cost for Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage; it is the same regardless of when you enroll. The only time cost is prorated is in the event of a newborn.
If you were enrolled in Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage and your leave was approved after the first day of classes, you are not eligible for a refund. However, if you enroll in Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage, the amount paid for Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage is applied to the cost of Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage.
Can I enroll my dependents on Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage?
The deadline to enroll dependents who were not previously enrolled in your plan is September 15th for the fall term and January 31st for the spring term. If you enroll in Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage after these dates, your dependents must have been enrolled in your Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage to be eligible for enrollment in Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage. Enrolled dependents receive their coverage under the same conditions and restrictions as the student. Eligible dependents include:
- Any child under 26 years old who is the biologic or legally adopted child of the student or enrolled spouse/civil union partner
- A child for whom the student or enrolled spouse/civil union partner can provide proof of court-appointed guardianship or custody
- Lawfully married spouse
- Civil union partner
The deadline to enroll your dependents is the same as your deadline to enroll.
Who do I contact if I have other questions, need support with enrolling, or need help navigating my coverage?
You can contact Member Services or your Student Health Care Navigator for more support.