Massachusetts Institute of Technology Parent Guide
Health Care at MIT
What kind of medical care is available to students on campus?
MIT’s health care facility, MIT Medical, is one of the most comprehensive campus health centers in the country. In addition to primary and urgent care, MIT Medical offers care in many specialty areas and has on-site pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology services.
MIT Medical’s walk-in Urgent Care Service is open 7:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. seven days a week, and students can call (617) 253-4481 any time, 24 hours a day, to reach a clinician who can help assess the situation and give suggestions about what to do next. In emergencies, MIT’s ambulance service can transport students to a local emergency room.
What kind of mental health services does MIT provide to students?
MIT Medical’s Mental Health and Counseling Service provides evaluations, treatment (psychotherapy and psychopharmacology), referrals, urgent care, and consultations. We can help with everything from anxiety and depression to typical college-life adjustment issues like homesickness or stress. Students may be seen by appointment or during walk-in hours every afternoon. Clinicians are on call and available 24/7.
What health insurance plans are available to MIT students?
MIT offers two student health plans: the basic MIT Student Medical Plan and the MIT Student Extended Insurance Plan. The basic plan covers most services provided at MIT Medical, including primary care, urgent care, mental health, and many medical specialties. Its cost is included in tuition.
The extended plan, available for an additional fee, provides coverage for inpatient hospitalization, inpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment, surgical procedures, emergency room services, prescription drugs and more. To meet state requirements for comprehensive health coverage, all students are automatically enrolled in (and billed for) the Extended Plan unless they actively waive it and can prove they have other qualifying health insurance.
My student is covered by my health plan. Why should I get the MIT Student Extended Insurance Plan?
Coverage by a parent’s plan does not always guarantee reliable care for students outside the plan’s local area. Often, out-of-state insurers will not approve coverage for students to receive recommended care from Cambridge area providers. To avoid these gaps in care, about 70 percent of MIT students purchase the extended coverage, which is specifically designed to coordinate with the care provided on campus through the basic student plan.
I still have questions or concerns; who can I call?
More information is available on the MIT Medical web site. To discuss specific health concerns, contact Kristine Ruzycki, A.PR.N., B.C., Director of Student Health Services, at (617) 258-7068 or ruzy@med.mit.edu. Alan Siegel, Ed.D., Chief of MIT’s Mental Health Service, is happy to answer questions at (617) 253-2916 or sieg@med.mit.edu. For questions about insurance coverage, contact the MIT Health Plans Office at (617) 253-1322 or stuplan@med.mit.edu.
