United Healthcare takes over as student health insurance provider

United Healthcare will be the University’s student health insurance provider for the 2025-2026 school year, taking over from Aetna, which has been the provider since 2007.

All University students are required to be medically insured, but the University student plan is only required for students who do not have other, valid health insurance. Other insurance plans are considered valid if they are fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act, are effective for the entire year and provide coverage for in-network, non-emergent care within a 75 mile radius of the University.

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While UHC was selected for offering the lowest student annual cost compared to other health insurance companies, their radius of in-network providers is smaller than what Aetna’s was, meaning some students may find their providers to be out-of-network under the new plan.

According to Danielle D’Andrea Black, Student Health and Wellness associate director of marketing and communications, 3,843 students were enrolled in Aetna’s plan for the 2024-2025 who are returning for the Fall 2025 semester. This equates to approximately 15 percent of the University student body, both undergraduate and graduate students.

SHW is the health center which students can visit to access primary care at no cost per visit. The building houses a number of health offices, physical and mental, and is located just off Jefferson Park Avenue near University buildings and residence halls. Student health insurance is required to ensure that students are protected for any other costs which might arise, including any procedures performed or referrals to other physicians.

In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, Black said that the University vice president and chief student affairs officer oversees the student health insurance requirement, reviewing the current provider while evaluating other companies to select the best option for students for the following school year.

She said the University’s insurance broker, Haylor, Freyer & Coon, vets insurance providers along with U.Va. Procurement, and consults SHIC to make a recommendation on an insurance provider to senior university leadership.

UHC was ultimately selected for the 2025-2026 school year for having the lowest student price and bringing an “unmatched experience” to student health insurance according to Black. The UHC Student Resources program is the largest provider serving college students across the nation, and she notably said that 90 percent of claims are processed in 10 or less business days — though Black is not sure how this compares to Aetna’s previous plan.

However, despite the services, UHC’s radius of in-network coverage is eight percent smaller than that of Aetna’s, and some students’ medical providers are now out-of-network under UHC’s plan. Black noted that UHC’s coverage remains “robust,” but for the students experiencing changes in their coverage, there will be a 180-day Transition of Care period in which students can continue seeing their now out-of-network providers, with in-network benefits.

“Some doctors or specialists who were in-network with Aetna may not be in-network with UHC yet,” Black said. “UHC is actively working to expand their network to include more of those providers.”

According to Black, 92 percent of Aetna providers are still in-network with UHC and 94 percent of pharmaceuticals are also the same between the two plans, which she said should help students have a smoother transition.

“[We’ve] reached out to this group specifically, and we’re working to support any students experiencing challenges through our insurance office and the Transition of Care process,” Black said.

Overall, the UHC plan remains similar to the 2024-2025 Aetna student plan. Both have a $350 in-network deductible and a $500 out-of-network deductible, as well as a $5,500 in-network, out-of-pocket maximum and an $11,000 out-of-network, out-of-pocket maximum.

UHC officially takes over as the University student health insurance provider Aug. 1, with the contract lasting until July 31, 2026. The UHC annual plan will cost $3,989, higher than the most recently available price for Aetna insurance— $3,148 in 2021 — and students have the option to submit proof of other, current health insurance until Aug. 29.