In May 2024, Deanne Poitras was hired as the new health insurance navigator at the Ithaca College Hammond Health Center. Poitras’s services became available during summer 2024, but are in full swing Fall 2024. Students can schedule an appointment with the navigator by calling the health center.

The health insurance navigator is available by appointment for any students or parents with questions about their health insurance plan. The navigator can guide students through their Student Health Insurance Plan and help them understand their family insurance plan. Poitras said health insurance is always changing, so she wants to help students understand the changes.

“I’ve been with Cayuga Medical Associates and the Cayuga Health System for four years now and I am passionate about students having the proper information for healthcare and for their health insurance,” Poitras said. “Healthcare is an ever-evolving system, and so is health insurance.”

During an appointment with Poitras, she can go through what the student’s plan covers and the costs of different visits to the health center. If a student has any difficulties after a visit, Poitras can also help the student figure out how to pay large bills or understand what their bill was for. Appointments can be in-person or on Zoom. Poitras said she never wants students to not visit the health center because they are afraid of a big bill or do not have insurance.

“I want the students to know that we don’t turn students away, regardless of their financial situation,” Poitras said. “It’s just a matter of how we handle the cost and expense and we have options.”

Hammond Health Center has a new Health Insurance Navigator page on its website, which has a description of the navigator’s role and general information that students and families use to get generic answers about insurance. Any specific questions can be directed to Poitras in an appointment.