Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

No. All currently enrolled George Mason University students are eligible to be seen at Student Health Services whether they have insurance or not. There is no charge to be seen by a healthcare provider, there are fees for supplies, immunizations, lab work,  medications, and some procedures.

Domestic Students & Dependents

You pay when you enroll online at the Aetna Student Health website.

International and INTO Students

You pay your health insurance premium through George Mason University via Patriot Web because the premium is charged to your tuition account. The insurance premium is due at your tuition due date.

Please note that the insurance premium is deducted from all payments received by the university before funds are applied to tuition and other charges.

Briefly stated, first you must meet your annual deductible ($200 for the plan year). This deductible is a cumulative total to any and all healthcare providers, outside of Student Health Services.  After you have paid your annual deductible, when you go to a “preferred or in-network provider” (a doctor that accepts the Student Health Insurance) then the Insurance Plan will pay 80% and you will pay 20% of covered healthcare costs.

For complete coverage and plan details, including the prescription medication copays,  please review the Student Health Insurance Summary of Benefits and Coverage. For questions, contact Customer Service or the Student Health Insurance Office (703-993-2826).

For more information about how health insurance works, visit our Health Insurance Resources webpage.

For a complete plan description, including covered services, read the current year Student Health Insurance Summary of Benefits and Coverage. If you have any questions about coverage, contact the student health insurance plan customer service.

In general, the plan provides extensive health coverage at a reasonable cost on and off-campus. There are deductible and coinsurance costs. It is a PPO plan, and provides coverage anywhere in the U.S.

Go to the Aetna Student Health website for George Mason University.

Select “Get ID Card” icon or log into Your Member website.

Follow prompts to print or get a digital ID card.

No. Domestic and international students and dependents must purchase the separate dental insurance plan during open enrollment periods if you choose to have dental coverage. Dental plan details are available on the student insurance plan website.

Yes, the vision plan is included in the student health insurance plan purchase. No separate purchase or enrollment is necessary.

Your insurance will terminate at the end of the health insurance term for your current plan enrollment.

Domestic students’ coverage will end August 15, regardless of fall or spring graduation.

If you are an International or INTO student and graduate in the fall semester, your health insurance will end December 31.  If you are an International or INTO student and graduate in the spring semester, your health insurance will end August 15.

Domestic Students

Yes. We recommended that you first contact your health insurance company.  Let them know that you will be a student at George Mason University and check that you will be covered in the Northern Virginia area. You may also want to contact your insurance provider to locate local doctors who accept your insurance.

You might also age-off your parent/guardian’s insurance while at Mason. If you are covered by your parent/guardian’s policy, please review it carefully to make certain you are still eligible for coverage throughout your college years. Read more about what to do if you age off or your parent’s plan or lose your insurance coverage.

International Students

International students (F-1/J-1 visa), who want to keep their insurance plan, should carefully read all insurance waiver criteria. Your insurance plan must meet all the requirements and you must submit your waiver by the waiver deadline.  If you meet all requirements, you can fill out the waiver application.  If you are not sure that your insurance plan meets the waiver criteria, contact the Insurance Office.

Note: All waiver applications will be audited.  Student Health Services reserves the right to make final waiver decisions.

Current students at George Mason University are eligible to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan if they fall into one of the below categories:

• Undergraduate students taking 3 or more credit hours per semester
• Graduate, master, certificate or non-degree students taking 3 or more credit hours per semester
• PhD or Doctoral students enrolled in a doctoral program.
• Students taking less than the required credit hours, but are completing their final course work to obtain their degree for the current academic year, are also eligible to enroll.

International and INTO students with a J-1 or F-1 visa will be automatically signed up for the plan by the Insurance Office.  Health insurance is required for all F-1 & J-1 visa students at Mason per University Policy #6002.

If you are a J-1 Visiting Scholar, please contact the Insurance Office for information.

Domestic Students and Dependents

Domestic students and eligible dependents, enroll online through the Student Health Insurance plan website during the Open Enrollment period.

Domestic students may purchase the plan until the final enrollment deadline.  If you experience a qualifying event outside of an open enrollment period which results in loss of coverage under another health plan, contact the Insurance Office regarding enrollment.

International and INTO students

International and INTO students are enrolled by the Mason Insurance Office.

Contact the Student Insurance Office for detailed information or questions.

Please check the eligibility criteria. If you age off your parent’s insurance or lose your coverage during an open enrollment period, you are able to enroll online.

If you have lost coverage or aged off your parent’s insurance plan after an open enrollment period, and have not lost coverage for more than 31 days, you may enroll in the Mason Student Health Insurance Plan. Learn more about qualifying events.

Yes.  If you have the university Student Health Insurance Plan, you can sign up your eligible dependents online during the open enrollment period.

If your dependent is arriving in the United States after the open enrollment deadline, contact the Insurance Office (703-993-2826).

No, students do not have to be enrolled in the student health insurance plan to enroll in the dental plan. Any eligible student can choose to enroll in the dental insurance plan.

The annual premium for the student health insurance plan can be paid in two installments. The first installment (fall) is due the date of enrollment. The second installment (spring/summer) will be charged to the account/method of payment, generally in December.

Submit your waiver before the waiver deadline. Once you have submitted your waiver application, check your Patriot Web account.  If your waiver application was approved, the balance of the insurance premium will be $0.

J-1/F-1 Visa students, click here for information about waiving the George Mason University Student Health Insurance Plan.

Yes. Visit the Insurance Waiver webpage for current deadlines.

If you do not submit a waiver, you are enrolled in the Mason Student Health Insurance Plan and you have to pay the premium charged to your Patriot Web account.

Please submit your waiver by the appropriate waiver deadline.