Columbia Health Care Services

What Columbia Health Care Services does

Columbia Health Care Services (dba "Columbia Health") is the student health and well-being services division of Columbia University, a private Ivy League research university founded in 1754 and headquartered in New York City. It provides integrated, multi-departmental health care — medical services, mental health counseling (Counseling and Psychological Services), health promotion (Alice! Health Promotion), disability accommodations, and sexual violence response — to Columbia University students across the Morningside, Manhattanville, Teachers College, CUIMC, and Barnard campuses. Technology infrastructure consists of a Patient Portal (secure.health.columbia.edu) for scheduling, secure messaging, immunization documentation, insurance enrollment, and records access; Zoom-based telehealth for in-state and (via WorkPlace Options) out-of-state students; and integration points with the university's Vergil name-management system, Aetna Student Health insurance administration, Impact Feedback intake forms, and Airtable workshop scheduling. Product line depth exceeds 37 distinct service programs including primary care, immunizations, travel medicine, gender-affirming care, reproductive health, nutrition, acupuncture, opioid-overdose and naloxone training, CPR training, wellness coaching, peer education (Go Ask Alice!, Well-being Advocates, GHAP Advocates), and 24/7 phone crisis support.

The business model is funded primarily by a mandatory, non-refundable Health and Related Services Fee charged to all enrolled students ($1,518/yr full-time, $760/yr half-time, $456/yr part-time for 2026-2027), which captures the full addressable market as a recurring subscription-style revenue stream. Secondary revenue comes from the optional Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan administered through Aetna (subscription recurring), voluntary dental and vision plans through Aetna, and per-visit transaction fees for non-covered services such as prescriptions, off-campus care, allergy injections, and specific vaccines (pay-as-you-go unit pricing of $100–$175 per clinical visit). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer on campus via the Patient Portal, phone appointments, drop-in hours, same-day care, peer education programs, and outreach events. Customer segments include a primary segment of all Columbia students and secondary sub-segments of LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, student groups requesting workshops, parents/families, and faculty/staff referrers. Columbia Health is not an investable standalone entity: it is an operating division of Columbia University with no external shareholders, no disclosed standalone financials, and no M&A or fundraising activity.

Name

Columbia Health Care Services

Legal name

Columbia University

Website

https://health.columbia.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1754

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Columbia Health Care Services is the student health and well-being division of Columbia University, delivering integrated medical, mental health, disability, and health-promotion services to Columbia students across New York City campuses, funded by a mandatory per-student fee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Health Services

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Health & University Primary Care Clinics (HLAFAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Primary Care & General Medical Services (EDALAFAA), Public Health, Immunization & Communicable Disease Services (EDALAFAK), Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

Keywords

• Student health services
• University healthcare
• Mental health counseling
• Primary care services
• Health insurance plans

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Health and Related Services Fee: Mandatory non-refundable fee paid by all students for access to health and well-being resources. Covers most on-campus services at no additional charge for full-time students.
2. Student Health Insurance Plan: Optional student health insurance plan administered through Aetna, providing coverage for off-campus care and additional services
3. Additional Service Fees: Fees for specific services not covered by the health fee: prescriptions, off-campus care, select vaccines, allergy injections, and venipuncture for non-full-time students
4. Voluntary Dental and Vision Plans: Optional supplemental insurance plans for dental and vision coverage through Aetna

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Columbia Health is the integrated student health and well-being division of Columbia University, delivering medical care, mental health counseling, health promotion, disability accommodations, and sexual violence response to students across the Morningside, Manhattanville, Teachers College, CUIMC, and Barnard campuses. Services are accessed through on-campus clinical facilities, a Patient Portal for scheduling and messaging, telehealth via Zoom, same-day drop-in care, and 24/7 phone support lines, with most services covered by a mandatory Health and Related Services Fee.

Product overview

Columbia Health is a comprehensive university health services organization at Columbia University providing integrated, multi-departmental health and well-being services primarily for students. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected departments including Alice! Health Promotion (health education and workshops), Counseling and Psychological Services (mental health care), Medical Services (primary and urgent care), Disability Services (academic accommodations), and Sexual Violence Response (survivor advocacy). Supporting infrastructure includes the Student Health Insurance office, Immunization Compliance Office, and Patient Portal digital platform. The portfolio also includes specialized programs such as the Gay Health Advocacy Project (GHAP), Opioid Overdose Prevention with naloxone distribution, CUEMS emergency medical services, Wellness Coaching, and various community programs like Friend2Friend and Responsible Community. All services are funded primarily through the mandatory Health and Related Services Fee charged to students, with the Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan (administered by Aetna) providing additional coverage. Services are accessible through in-person visits, telehealth via Zoom, and the Patient Portal digital platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Services
• Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS)
• Alice! Health Promotion
• Disability Services
• Sexual Violence Response (SVR)
• Student Health Insurance Plan
• CPR Program
• Opioid Overdose Prevention Program
• Columbia University EMS (CUEMS)
• Wellness Coaching
• Health and Related Services Fee
• Go Ask Alice!

Quantifiable outcome

• Most vaccines provided at no cost to full-time students
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Columbia Mailman School of Public HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaborative partner in the Opioid Overdose Prevention Program, including naloxone training and fentanyl test strip distribution.
• Columbia School of General StudiesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaborative partner in the Opioid Overdose Prevention Program since its launch in 2019.
• WorkPlace OptionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency providing telehealth counseling services for Columbia students who reside outside New York State and cannot reach campus for appointments. Students access this service using code 'Columbia University'.
• Aetna Student HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance provider administering the Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan (Columbia Plan), an Aetna Open Choice PPO. Provides coverage for off-campus care and specialist services.
• Columbia University Emergency Medical Service (CUEMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CUEMS for no-cost CPR training to all students enrolled at Morningside and Manhattanville campuses. CUEMS is a free, confidential, 24/7 ambulance service.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NYU Student Health Center: NYU's student health and counseling services organization serving NYU students in New York City with primary care, mental health, and wellness programming — the closest geographic and operational peer to Columbia Health.
• Harvard University Health Services: Integrated campus health service for Harvard students and affiliates providing primary care, mental health, and specialty services via a mandatory health fee model — directly comparable to Columbia Health's structure and funding approach.
• UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center: UCLA's comprehensive student health center delivering primary care, counseling, and wellness services to UCLA students — comparable in offering integrated, fee-funded university health services at scale.
• Cornell Health: Cornell University's integrated student health service offering medical, mental health, and health promotion services funded by a mandatory health fee — closely mirrors Columbia Health's structure and service mix.
• MIT Medical: MIT's on-campus primary care, mental health, and specialty provider serving MIT students and affiliates — comparable in offering integrated student health services through an academic-institution structure.
• Vaden Health Center (Stanford): Stanford's primary student health center providing medical, mental health, and health promotion services to Stanford students — a comparable elite-university student health operation.
• Yale Health: Yale's campus-based health plan and clinical service covering primary care, mental health, and specialty care for Yale students — a peer Ivy League student health operation with a similar integrated-service model.
• Princeton University Health Services: Princeton's on-campus student health service offering primary care, mental health, and wellness programming through a university-funded model — directly comparable in scale and service breadth.
• University of Pennsylvania Student Health Service: Penn's student health and counseling organization providing integrated primary care, mental health, and wellness services to Penn students — a direct Ivy League comparable to Columbia Health.

Emerging players

• TimelyMD: Higher-education-focused telehealth provider partnering with universities to deliver on-demand mental health and primary care to students — comparable to Columbia Health's student-facing service mission and a potential partner or competitor for the out-of-state telehealth gap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFIqFn0G-5hqDfL0ecXR8gA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColumbiaHealth
• Instagraminstagram.com/columbiahealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-health-care-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia Health Care Services