GA Coverage
There are many benefits to being a Graduate Assistant at WVU, including the
WVU Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan! Graduate Assistants (GAs) are offered
the WVU Aetna student health insurance plan at no or reduced cost. Learn more about
the plan and how to use it below, including links to important resources.
About the WVU Aetna Plan
- 2023-2024 WVU Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan Design and Benefits Summary - A Benefits Summary for the current plan year that describes what the plan covers and your responsibility for covered services.
- The WVU Aetna Student Health Members page - The Members’ page includes many helpful resources and plan documents, including a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) that provides an overview of your plan. Unsure of what a term used means? Any underlined word in the SBC is a link to that term in HealthCare.gov’s Glossary of Health Coverage and Medical Terms!
Enrolling In or Opting Out of the WVU Aetna Plan
GAs who are expected to work at least 20 hours per week are provided with the WVU
Aetna student health insurance at no cost, while GAs who are expected to work 10
hours per week have half of the WVU Aetna premium covered. If you meet minimum
eligibility requirements and do not opt out of the WVU Aetna student health insurance
plan by completing the online student health insurance waiver, you will be automatically
enrolled in the WVU Aetna plan.
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If you are a GA and would like to enroll in the health insurance plan offered
as part of your position: No action is required if you have
not previously opted out of the Aetna student health insurance for the current
semester or academic year. You will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna plan.
If you are assessed the student insurance fee, the fee will be credited back
to your student account near the start of the term. If you waived the Aetna
plan but now want to be enrolled in the plan, please email
SIO@mail.wvu.edu. However, see the information below about waiving or accepting
the Aetna plan.
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In order to receive the GA credit for the student health insurance on your
student account: If you are enrolled in the WVU Aetna plan and
have been assessed the insurance fee, you must have a GA position for the term
in WVU's employee system and be processed for payroll, be registered for the
minimum number of credit hours required to be a GA, and have a GA tuition waiver
in order for the GA student health insurance fee to be credited back to your
student account.
Once a valid GA tuition waiver has been processed, you will receive a credit
for the student health insurance fee, if it has already been assessed to your
student account.
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If you are a GA for the fall term but will not be a GA for the spring term and would
like to keep the Aetna coverage: If you will be eligible for
enrollment in the Aetna plan for the Spring semester, and did not waive the Aetna
coverage for the Fall or Spring semesters, then no action is required on your
part. You will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna plan and the student insurance
fee will be assessed to your student account. To be eligible to enroll in the
Aetna plan, you must be registered for at least 6 credit hours as a domestic
student or 1 credit hour as an international student.
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If you are a GA for the fall term but will not be a GA for the spring term and
would like to opt out of the Aetna coverage for the spring term: If
you have other health insurance coverage that meets the
minimum requirements at WVU, you may opt out of the Aetna student
health insurance plan by completing the Spring semester waiver by the published
deadline. If you do not complete the waiver by the deadline and are eligible,
you will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna plan for the spring semester
and assessed the student insurance fee. Please note that if you opted out of
the Aetna coverage by completing a waiver for the fall semester, there is no
need to complete the spring waiver, as you have opted out of the plan for the
entire academic year.
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If you are graduating in December or are not returning to WVU in the spring term
and are enrolled in the Aetna plan in the fall term: Your Aetna
coverage will terminate effective December 31st.
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Deciding between accepting or waiving the student health insurance provided to
GAs:
If you are covered by another insurance plan that meets the waiver criteria
described on the
Waiver Information page, you are encouraged to submit the insurance
waiver application by the posted deadline. Although being covered by the WVU
plan while you are a GA may not cost you anything, you will be responsible for
managing coordination of benefits between the two plans you carry if you have
claims (which can be complicated), and paying for the WVU plan provided for you
as part of your GA position represents a significant and potentially unnecessary
cost for the University.
- For additional information about Graduate Assistantships, please visit the Office of Graduate Education and Life.
Note:
If you are a graduate assistant and are offered coverage through WVU Student
Insurance at no cost to you and are found eligible for insurance by ACA guidelines,
you will only be able to enroll in one coverage through the University.
Using the WVU Aetna Plan
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How to Use Your Plan – Helpful information to know prior to utilizing your plan, including finding an in-network provider.
- Accessing your ID card – You can quickly and easily access your card here to download or print, or learn how to get a digital ID card via the Aetna Health app.
- Prescriptions – Find a pharmacy, ways to save, a Pharmacy Drug Guide, and other helpful information for the Prescription Drug Program that is included with the Aetna student health insurance plan.
- Student Health Well-being – Additional resources focused on holistic well-being such as emotional health, mental health, and financial health.
- Telemedicine – Learn how to access convenient virtual appointments.
Additional Information
- Dental and Vision Coverage - The WVU Aetna student health insurance plan does not include dental or vision coverage. If you’d like to purchase dental or vision coverage, you may want to consider providers such as Delta Dental, United Concordia, and Aetna. You may also want to consider reduced-cost dental services at the WVU Dental Clinic.
- Dependent Coverage – The WVU Aetna student health insurance plan is not currently offered to dependents of eligible students. Students seeking health insurance coverage for their dependents may want to explore options available to them at Healthcare.gov.