Insurance Information for Graduating Students
Graduating students who enrolled in insurance coverage through the University will automatically have continued coverage until August 31, 2009. If you are interested in extending this coverage for up to a year, please read the following information.
An optional Continuation Plan is available for students whose University health insurance coverage ends on 8/31/09. To be eligible to participate in the Continuation Plan, you must have been enrolled in the Columbia Student Insurance Plan in your final term as a registered student (for most of you, Spring 2009).
The enrollment is managed by the Chickering Group. All enrollment information must be received by Chickering within 45 days after the expiration of the coverage under the Student Plan. Detailed information on the plan and rates can be found at www.chickering.com/columbiadirect.html.
The maximum length of coverage under the Continuation Plan is 12 consecutive months, through August 31, 2010.
Health Services/Primary Care Medical Services (PCMS)
Primary Care Medical Services (PCMS) provides comprehensive care for routine, urgent, and chronic medical needs for students. PCMS also provides sexual health, reproductive, and gynecological services, LGBTQ health care, immunizations, and referrals. Appointments are strongly encouraged, and can be made by calling 212 854 7426. For acute illness or injury (during PCMS scheduled clinical hours), students can also be seen on a walk-in basis in the Urgent Care Center. If the situation is urgent after scheduled clinical hours, please call the clinician-on-call at 212 854 9797. In the event of a medical emergency, you may also contact your nearest emergency room, or call 911. The emergency room nearest the Morningside Heights campus is the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Emergency Room. More information is available at: http://www.health.columbia.edu/index.html
Clinical Hours at PCMS (May 15th - August 31st):
Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 4:30pm
Wednesday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
"Early Arrival" Plan -- Medical Insurance Coverage (for Incoming Law students)
The Columbia Student Medical Insurance plan for incoming Law students does not go into effect until September 1, 2008. The University offers an additional insurance plan that provides supplemental coverage for the month of August, at an additional cost of $189. Unless you have other insurance through a non-University plan (COBRA, a family member's plan, etc.), you will not have insurance for the month of August unless you sign up for the "Early Arrival" plan. Enrollment begins on June 23, 2008. More information on insurance for students is available online, at http://www.health.columbia.edu/docs/csmip/overview/index.html and complete information will be included in the materials sent by Health Services in mid-June.
Summer Health Service program (for continuing students)
Health Services at Columbia provides year-round comprehensive health service. Each year, continuing students need to reenroll online; the 2008 enrollment period is June 25 – September 30, 2008. More information is available at: http://www.health.columbia.edu/docs/csmip/overview/index.html.
Go Ask Alice!
For health-related questions, please visit Go Ask Alice! at: http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/
Go Ask Alice! is the health question and answer Internet service produced by Alice!, Columbia University's Health Promotion Program, a division of Health Services at Columbia.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) offers free psychological counseling to all undergraduate and graduate students who have paid the Health Service Fee. Couples counseling is also available to Columbia students and their partners. Emergency consultations and crisis intervention are provided to students in acute distress, and psychopharmacological consultations are available as needed. To facilitate a free and open discussion of sensitive matters, CPS adheres to strict standards of confidentiality.
Students who are interested in meeting with a counselor should call the appointment line - 212 854 2878. CPS provides phone appointments with counselors, usually within one business day of your initial call. After this initial phone appointment, you may be scheduled for a regular in-person appointment according to the urgency of your needs. In the event of an acute psychiatric emergency, students may come directly to CPS without an appointment during scheduled clinical hours.
If the situation is urgent after scheduled clinical hours, please call the clinician-on-call. In the event of psychiatric emergency, you may also contact your nearest emergency room. The psychiatric emergency room nearest the Morningside Heights campus is the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center Psychiatric Emergency Room. More information is available at: http://www.health.columbia.edu/docs/services/cps/index.html
CPS Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 8am to 6:30pm
Friday: 8am to 4:30pm
The Law School is also fortunate to have a dedicated counselor from CPS, Dr. Maggi Walker, who is available to serve law students on Wednesday afternoons, from 4:00pm – 8:00pm. You can make an appointment by calling 212-854-2878 and ask to set up a first meeting with Dr. Walker. The office is located in Jerome Greene Hall, Room 934.
Go Ask Alice!
For health-related questions, please visit Go Ask Alice! at: http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/
Go Ask Alice! is the health question and answer Internet service produced by Alice!, Columbia University's Health Promotion Program, a division of Health Services at Columbia.
Stressbusters are a team of students that relax Columbians by delivering free five to ten minute upper-body rubs at events and programs within the CU community. Stressbuster events may be requested online through the Health Services website. For more information, please contact Kelli Soto, Stressbusters Coordinator, at Stressbusters@columbia.edu.
Wind Down Wednesday is a weekly Stressbuster event open to the entire Columbia community on Wednesday from 4:00-5:00pm in the first floor lounge of Wien Hall.
Stress Management Workshops are available through the Alice! Health Promotion Program. In the workshop, students will identify personal stressors and physiological changes triggered by stress, identify and practice a variety of stress management strategies, and discuss ways to fit stress management into a demanding schedule. To request a stress management workshop or find out about Alice!?s other workshops, please visit the Alice! page on the Health Services website.
The Alice! Stress Initiative, a new program through the Alice!
Health Promotion Program gives students the opportunity to voice their
thoughts about student stress. A coalition of students committed to
understanding and addressing stress on campus is being formed by a community organizer who serves as a graduate student assistant at Alice! Students who are interested in being a part of this coalition may contact Meg Bradley at mab2210@columbia.edu.
Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University's health question and answer internet resource, contains a category related to emotional health and subcategory dedicated to addressing issues related to student stress.
In addition to the services listed above, students may also stop
by the Alice! office or make an appointment with a Health Promotion
Specialist to discuss stress management. The Alice! office is located in the Health Services suite on the 1st floor of Wien Hall.
Students struggling to keep up with assignments or to strike a reasonable work-life balance are welcome to consult individually at CPS. All CPS counselors are well versed in helping students negotiate academic stress.
In addition, there are staff with specific expertise in this area: Dr.
Yaniv Phillips specializes in helping students overcome procrastination, and Dr. Calvin Chin and Dr. Victoria Grosso help students more rationally manage their time.
Workshops and support groups
More information about these and other groups, are available via the CPS website. Note that, in general, students should contact the group
facilitator in advance of the first meeting to express their interest.
Overcoming Procrastination Workshop
Students interested in participating in a workshop designed to help overcome procrastination may contact Dr. Phillips at py2120@columbia.edu. The workshop will meet from 5:00 to 6:30 P.M. on four consecutive Mondays, beginning October 20.
Tolerating Stress: A Skill Building Group to ManageOverwhelming Emotions, Tolerate Distress, Improve Relationships and Increase Self-Care
Victoria Grosso, Ph.D. (vg2107@columbia.edu) and Patricia Swander, LCSW (pas2002@columbia.edu) host this support group Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00 pm. Start date TBA.
Mindfulness Group
Mindfulness is an increasingly popular means of stress reduction, by
cultivating greater awareness of unconscious thoughts and feelings that undermine physical and psychological well being. Facilitated by Addette Williams, Ph.D., alw65@columbia.edu. Day and time TBA.
Enhancing Your Relationship: A Workshop for Couples
A hands-on, sequential 3-session workshop designed to provide the practical tools for couples who wish to strengthen their relationship. Meets Mondays: Nov. 17, 24, and Dec 1, 2008; 5:15pm-6:45pm. To reserve a spot or for more information, please e-mail Dr. Yaniv Phillips (py2120@columbia.edu) or Dr. Wendy Greenspun (wg31@columbia.edu).
Other Support Groups of potential interest:
- Adult Children of Alcoholics Support Group
- Bereavement Support Group
- Gay Men's Group
- Group for Graduate International Students (This group will begin on
October 17, 2008 Lerner Hall, 8th Floor; No initial interview needed.)
- Students with Chronic Medical Illness
- Women of Color Support Group
- When the situation is serious:
Students in severe distress--and administrators and faculty trying to
support them--should be aware that we always have clinicians available to help, 24/7/365. During normal business hours, and 10-4 on Saturdays, we have staff on-campus. After-hours, students can reach our nurse triage service by dialing 4-9797.
