New School Student Insurance for Therapy (United Healthcare Student Resources)

Being a student at The New School should be about expanding your knowledge, connecting with others, exploring self-identity, tapping into creativity, and celebrating New York City – it shouldn’t be about the logistics of how to pay for therapy!

We’ve compiled information on mental health treatment for The New School students who have the Student Health Insurance Plan, also called SHIP, to make it easier for you to connect with and know how much to pay for a therapist.

What is SHIP?

SHIP is the Student Health Insurance Plan offered through The New School. The New School requires all students to have health insurance, whether that’s SHIP or another plan. Students are automatically enrolled in SHIP at the beginning of the year and must waiver out if they wish to utilize another insurance plan.

SHIP is part of the UnitedHealth Choice Plus PPO plan, managed by UnitedHealth StudentResources. For all students, the annual plan costs $2983, which is billed in two installments per semester.

Does the SHIP cover therapy?

Yes, SHIP does cover therapy! However, while SHIP covers a large portion of the therapy costs, it does not cover everything - so you will have some costs for treatment. How much you will pay depends on a few factors, read on to learn more about these factors.

How much does therapy cost with SHIP?

SHIP helps pay for both in-network and out-of-network providers. The insurance company, UnitedHealthcare, determines which therapists are in-network and which are not - so it’s important to check because SHIP offers more coverage for in-network therapists.

Here are your out-of-pocket costs per provider type:

In-network therapist: You’ll have a $15 copay each session with a therapist in-network with UnitedHealthcare - this is money that you pay each session. A note that there is a $150 deductible to meet before the insurance kicks in, meaning you will have to pay $150 out-of-pocket across all your healthcare before SHIP the $15 copay begins. It can also unfortunately be very difficult to find therapists in-network with UnitedHealthcare in New York City; luckily, you also have generous out-of-network benefits through SHIP. Read below for ways to expand your therapy options.
Out-of-network providers: For each session, you’ll be responsible for 40% coinsurance, meaning you will have to pay 40% of the session costs each session. A note that there is a $300 deductible to meet before SHIP starts helping you pay for therapy. However, SHIP does limit the out-of-pocket costs per year - so if you pay over $4500 across all healthcare before the end of the year, you will no longer be responsible for any costs.

Therapists and counseling centers often know the ins-and-outs of insurance - so be sure to confirm with them how much you’ll have to pay each time you meet.

What mental health conditions does SHIP cover?

There are many different mental health conditions that SHIP covers. Here are a few examples - (but this is by no means an exhaustive list!):

All therapists, in order to bill insurance, will need to assign you a diagnosis. If you feel uncomfortable with this information being shared, consider asking for a sliding scale method of payment, which takes insurance out of the picture.

What types of therapy does the SHIP cover?

Just as there are many different mental health conditions, there are many different therapy types. SHIP covers most types of therapy, including but not limited to:

As long as the treatment is diagnosis-based and the type is evidence-based, SHIP will cover it.

What types of therapy does SHIP NOT cover?

Similar to other parts of the insurance plan, SHIP will not cover anything that isn’t medically necessary.

SHIP will also not cover the following:

Does SHIP cover online therapy?

Yes, SHIP will cover any therapy sessions, whether in-person or online! Most therapists continue to utilize online therapy, and some aren’t yet seeing clients in-person.

Do I need to go through The New School’s Student Health Services mental health office before seeing an off-campus therapist?

No, you do not need to go through Student Health Services before finding a therapist. This means you can start your search for a therapist in NYC right away without having to wait for any school-related processes!

Does The New School’s Student Health Services provide any free counseling services?

Yes, any student at The New School (even those not on SHIP), can access therapy through the Student Health Services. For your first appointment, an intake counselor will determine if you might benefit from off-campus therapy based on your needs and their availability.

When should I seek off-campus instead of on-campus therapy?

There are many reasons why most students seek off-campus therapy:

Lengthy waitlists: Sometimes, due to high volume of students needing services, you may have to wait weeks or months before starting treatment
Short-term vs. long-term: Because of the short-term nature of therapy offered through Student Health Services, those who hope to build a long-term relationship with a therapist may prefer to find one off-campus
Specialized treatment: If you desire a specific, specialized type of therapy (such as Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy), this might not be available with an on-campus therapist. Instead, finding a therapist trained in this technique off campus is a better option

How many providers are there close to campus that take this insurance?

We at Zencare curated a list of therapists that take SHIP so you have quick access to vetted, qualified therapists across the city! Since there are many options to choose from, be sure to consider what’s important to you in a therapist.