Finance | Health Insurance Subsidy

2023 - 2024 Medical Insurance Subsidy for Doctoral Students

For the academic year 2023-2024 (August 1, 2023 - July 31, 2024), Rice University will contribute $2,574 towards the cost of annual premiums for doctoral students who meet the eligibility requirements for the subsidy.

Open enrollment for Fall 2023 is July 1 - August 31.

Enroll Here

Eligibility

Students must meet ALL eligibility requirements to receive any of the subsidy:

• Full-time doctoral student
• Within the first eight years of graduate study at Rice University
• Enrolled in the Rice medical insurance plan
• Insurance costs are not covered by a third party or an outside fellowship

Full-time Doctoral students are eligible for the subsidy whether or not they receive other financial support from the university.

Other financial support covering medical charges will be applied first for eligible full-time doctoral students. The subsidy will cover any remaining balance on medical charges but not exceed the remaining balance.

Coverage and Plans

The medical insurance subsidy will increase to cover 82% of the premium. The net cost to students enrolled in the annual plan will be $565.00. The subsidy is available to full-time doctoral students within eight years of eligibility that begins with enrollment, and runs continuously. To receive the subsidy, a student must be enrolled full-time in a doctoral program and enrolled in the Rice medical plan. The subsidy and net cost for graduate students' spouses, domestic partners, and children are published below.

There are some slight plan changes for 2023-24. The out-of-network deductible will be $1,500, and the out-of-pocket maximum will be $6,500 (in-network) and $13,000 (out-of-network). Additionally, the office visit copay amount will be $25 for both in-network and out-of-network providers and another level of coverage for specialty prescriptions with a cost share of 25%.

Aetna members will continue to have access to telehealth consultations through Teladoc for 2023-24. Teladoc provides 24/7/365 access to a national network of U.S. board-certified physicians who can resolve many medical issues via phone or online video consultations. Teladoc doctors can diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication for various conditions, including sinus problems, bronchitis, allergies, sore throat, stuffy nose, urinary tract infections, etc. Log into your Aetna account via https://www.teladoc.com/aetna/ or call 1-855-TELADOC (l-855-835-2362), and a Teladoc physician is guaranteed to call back within an hour. Teladoc consultations are billed as regular office visits.

Qualifying Life Events

For information on qualifying life events, including the birth of a child, please visit Student Health Insurance-Qualifying Life Events.

To enroll in coverage due to a qualifying life event, please email studentinsurance@rice.edu.

Rice will prorate both the insurance premium and subsidy in the case of a qualifying life event.

Installment Plan

The payment plan will continue to be available for graduate students who enroll in the annual Rice medical insurance plan and receive at least $5,000 per academic year from their assignment(s) as an RA, TA, Fellow, or Instructor of Record at Rice. Qualifying students have the option to make monthly payments throughout the Fall and Spring semesters, beginning in September and ending in April. You can apply for this payment plan on the Student Health Insurance Payment Plan site.

Resources

To comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements, Rice offers qualified students the opportunity to participate in the Rice Employer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) through Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. Open enrollment for this option is July 1st - August 1st. To be eligible, students and employees must work thirty hours or more per week as determined by applicable regulations. Please note that scholarship toward your degree does not count toward the thirty-hour week. You can find more information here if you believe you are eligible for the Rice Employer ACO Medical Insurance plan.

Aetna Student Health does not mail out physical medical ID cards. To access your medical ID card or to request a physical medical ID card, please visit the Aetna Student Health Site for instructions. You can also learn more ways to save money on health care costs, marketplace alternatives, and other details regarding your health insurance plan at http://studenthealthinsurance.rice.edu/.

If you have any questions regarding insurance coverage, please contact studentinsurance@rice.edu or call 713-348-5544.

For questions regarding the subsidy, please contact graduate@rice.edu or call 713-348-4002.

Below is a summary of the 2023-24 insurance premiums, subsidies, and net cost to qualifying students after the subsidy:

*Premium is per child; however, no additional premium is charged if more than two children are covered. The doctoral medical insurance subsidy will be extended to both the first and second children.

2023-24 Memo: Health Insurance Subsidy for Doctoral Students