School of Medicine Students

The below requirements apply to all VMCVM and VTCSOM students.

Note: if a VMCVM or VTCSOM student is in F-1 or J-1 visa status, an international student waiver MUST be submitted.

Insurance Requirements

1. The policy must have at least $500,000 each in coverage for medical, prescription, mental health, and substance abuse coverage benefits with no exclusion for club, intramural, or extramural sports.
2. The policy annual deductible must be $2,500 or less.
3. Medical expenses for pregnancy, childbirth and complications of pregnancy must be treated as any other illness under the policy, regardless of gender.
4. The policy must cover pre-existing conditions for the entire policy term with no waiting period. 
5. The policy must be valid from the student's first day of classes or mandatory program participation (varies by program) with coverage through July 31 the following year or, if graduating, the last day of the month of the student’s graduation. 

Exceptions

Note: Any student to whom an exception might apply MUST go through the waiver process and be granted an exception in writing from the Student Medical Insurance Office.

1. The student, the student’s spouse, or the student’s parent has a US employer that provides a health insurance plan that covers the student that is Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant. 
2. The student has a scholarship or is in a government sponsored program that provides a US health insurance plan for the student that is Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant. 
3. The student is enrolled in Virginia’s Medicaid program.

You will receive an email with a copy of your waiver submission.  The Student Medical Insurance Office has up to 10 business days to review your waiver. 

If your waiver is accepted, you will receive an email from smi@vt.edu stating that your waiver has been approved.

If your waiver is rejected, you will receive an email from smi@vt.edu noting the requriement that has not been met.  If you need clarification on what this means, please contact our office.  If your waiver is rejected due to lack of documentation, please work with your insurance provider to find the missing documentation and submit a new insurance waiver.

If you feel that your waiver has been rejected in error, or if you believe there is a reason you should be exempt from the university requirement, you can complete a waiver appeal form and submit this to the Student Medical Insurance Office for further review. You may request a denied waiver appeal form from the Student Medical Insurance Office.

After you complete the enrollment form, you will receive an email with additional instructions on how to purchase coverage for dependents, or purchase the optional dental coverage.

Within 10 days of completing the form, the charge for the cost of insurance will appear on your student account.

Please allow 3-5 business days for processing.  You will be able to log into your secure member site and print your ID card.  You also have the option to contact Aetna Customer Service and request a plastic card be mailed to you.

Steps to log in to the secure Aetna member site:

1. Start at aentastudenthealth.com 
2. Click Your Member Website  
3. Click Register 2x 
4. In place of a Member ID, enter your student ID number 
5. Finish answering questions and set up your username and password

All VTCSOM students are required to maintain health insurance to be enrolled at Virginia Tech. Beginning in the 24-25 academic year, VTCSOM students will no longer have to pay for cost of the insurance plan at the time of enrollment if choosing to enroll in the plan. The cost of insurance will be added to their student bill, one charge in the fall, and one in the spring. If eligible, the student can opt into one of the payment plans offered by the Bursar’s Office, which allows for paying the overall student bill in installments.

For VTCSOM students who choose to demonstrate proof of comparable coverage, the waiver process with the Student Medical Insurance office will remain unchanged. However, if a VTCSOM student has not met the insurance requirement, either by purchasing the Virginia Tech plan or by demonstrating proof of comparable coverage by the end of open enrollment, they will be automatically enrolled in the Virginia Tech plan, and the cost of Virginia Tech plan added to their student account. Payment for dental insurance and cost for dependent coverage will be due at the time of enrollment directly to Aetna.

The Student Medical Insurance Office will no longer place academic holds for non-compliance with the insurance requirement, but the Bursar’s Office will follow their standard collections procedures for non-payment of student charges, including the insurance cost, which can include holds.