All students enrolled at least 75% of full time, who are not enrolled solely in short term courses or an online program, are required by law to be covered by health insurance. Therefore, students required to have insurance (matriculated undergraduate students enrolled in 9 or more credits and graduate students enrolled in 6 or more credits) are automatically enrolled in and billed for the Emerson Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).
Matriculated undergraduate and graduate students who are less than 75% of full-time, and not in a short term or online program, may submit a voluntary enrollment form to enroll in the SHIP. The form can be obtained by contacting University Health Plans at info [at] univhealthplans.comtitle="E-mail University Health Plans" or 800-437-6448.
Please Note: Health insurance charges are automatically removed when undergraduate and graduate students drop to fewer than 9 or 6 credits, respectively, within the first 45 days of the coverage period. Students must submit the voluntary enrollment form through University Health Plans by the deadline if they would like to remain enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan.
Coverage Period
The Student Health Insurance Plan coverage period is from August 1 through July 31. Coverage is effective August 1 through July 31 for students enrolled in the fall semester. Coverage is effective January 1 - August 31 for newly enrolled spring semester students.
The Student Health Insurance Plan is provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and administered by University Health Plans. For complete details on the policy, please visit University Health Plans.
Students entering during the summer semester for the Global BFA in Film Art will be enrolled in this plan from July 1 through July 31. Coverage for the following fall & spring semesters is from August 1 through July 31.
Waiving Health Insurance
Domestic undergraduate and graduate students
Students may waive the Student Health Insurance Plan and Charge by submitting an online waiver form confirming comparable coverage by September 17, 2019. For students enrolling for the first time in Spring, the last day is January 14, 2020. An insurance waiver must be completed at the start of each academic year for continued exemption.
After filling out the form, check your student account to see if your insurance has been waived.
Global BFA Students
Students must provide a letter from their insurance company confirming their policy is Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant and provides insured benefits for non-emergency services worldwide. This letter can be requested by calling the member services number on the back of the student’s insurance card and must accompany the completed health insurance waiver form.
Summer 2019 Global BFA in Film Art: the deadline to waive the student health insurance is July 2nd.
International Students
The Massachusetts student insurance regulation does not consider insurance carriers outside of the United States or coverage by foreign National Health Service programs comparable to a qualifying student health insurance program.
International students may choose to waive the Emerson College Student Health Insurance Plan if they have alternate health insurance with a U.S.-based carrier that meets Commonwealth of Massachusetts SHIP standards (Please read all waiver requirements listed below).
If you are already covered by a U.S.-based insurance carrier and you have ascertained that your coverage is comparable, you have the right to waive the required student insurance September 17, 2019. Please contact University Health Plans at info [at] univhealthplans.comtitle="E-mail University Health Plans" or 800-437-6448 to receive the paper waiver form. A review of your waiver and insurance coverage will be completed before your waiver is approved/denied.
Please review insurance plans carefully before purchasing a plan and waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan.
Students who use their Emerson-provided health insurance at any point are not eligible to waive afterward.
Waiver Requirements
The following are guidelines you should review before submitting a health insurance waiver:
- U.S. students with comparable coverage under another major medical insurance plan may submit a waiver.
- Veterans’ benefits that provide access to Veterans’ Administration healthcare facilities, TRICARE, and the U.S. Family Health Plan, a military coverage, are all acceptable to submit a waiver.
- Students who have out of area HMOs (for example Kaiser Permanente, Empire of NY, and others) may not have comparable coverage as these types of plans only provide coverage for emergency care or when provided by a network of clinicians not available in the Emerson campus area.
- Health and substance abuse must be covered as any other illness or injury. Injuries or illnesses that occur as a result of alcohol, illegal drugs, or self-harm must be covered as any other illness or injury.
- A student can waive the insurance if they are enrolled in a subsidized health plan through the Health Connector or MassHealth, excluding MassHealth Limited, the Health Safety Net, or the Children's Medical Security Plan. International students are required to have a U.S.-based health insurance. Foreign carriers with U.S.-based satellites are still considered foreign insurance and do not qualify for the health insurance waiver. International students who believe they have a U.S.-based health insurance that is filed and approved in the U.S. and compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may submit a paper waiver form with a copy of their insurance card. Please call University Health Plans at 800-437-6448 to receive the paper waiver form. A review of your waiver and insurance coverage will be completed before your waiver is approved/denied.
Full information about the insurance requirement can be found at the Massachusetts Student Health Insurance website.
Loss of Coverage Regulations
Because Massachusetts state law requires any student participating in at least 75% of the full-time curriculum to have continuous medical insurance, Emerson is responsible for ensuring its students have continuous medical coverage.
If a student waives insurance at the beginning of an academic year, then loses coverage, the student must notify University Health Plans at info [at] univhealthplans.comtitle="E-mail University Health Plans" or 800-437-6448 to purchase health insurance through Emerson. Prorated plans are available.
Premium Refund Policy
If you withdraw from school within the first 45 days of a coverage period, you will not be covered under the Student Health Insurance Plan and the full premium will be refunded, less any claims paid. (This refund policy will not apply if you withdraw due to a covered Accident or Sickness.)
After 45 days, you will be covered for the full period, and no refund will be allowed.
Exception: A Covered Person entering the armed forces of any country will not be covered under the Policy as of the date of such entry. In this case, a pro-rata refund of premium will be made for any such person upon written request received by University Health Plans within 90 days of withdrawal from school.