Student Health Insurance

Health Insurance for Students

According to Massachusetts State Law and Institute policy, every institution of higher education shall require all students enrolled in a certificate, diploma or degree-granting program to participate in a qualifying student health insurance program or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage as defined in 114.6 CMR 3.05(2).

If you are a student who will complete ALL coursework online and you are NOT a Massachusetts resident, you will need to complete an insurance waver found on the University Health Plans website, which provides a check-off verifying your online and out of state status.

Read more about tools and resources provided by the Massachusetts Health Connector which provides great information for students about Health Insurance coverage as required by the State of Massachusetts.

Health Insurance information must be complete by August 31 for Fall starts, December 31 for Spring starts, and April 30 for Summer starts. New students who have not declared health insurance information by the deadlines stated above will not be allowed to begin classes and access to D2L (online learning account) will be de-activated.

You have 2 options to satisfy the Health Insurance requirement:

Option 1 - Prove you already have health insurance that meets the minimum State standards.

Do this by completing an insurance waiver found at the University Health Plans website. For any questions about coverage standards, contact University Health Plans.

Important note: Insurance waivers are only valid until April 30 of each year. A new waiver must be submitted between April 1 and May 1 of each year to cover you for the next insurance year (Summer, Fall, Spring).

Waivers must be submitted according to the following schedule:

Admitted for Summer: Waiver period opens on March 1 and must be submitted by May 1. This waiver will be valid for the upcoming Summer, Fall and Spring semesters and will need to be renewed between April 1 and May 1.
Admitted for Fall: Waiver period opens on June 1 and must be submitted by September 1. This waiver will be valid for the upcoming Fall and Spring semesters and will need to be renewed between April 1 and May 1.
Admitted for Spring: Waiver period opens on December 1 and must be submitted by January 1. This waiver will be valid for the upcoming Spring semester and will need to be renewed between April 1 and May 1.

Option 2 - Enroll in the Institute’s health insurance plan.

Enroll yourself based on the following schedule:

Admitted for Summer: Insurance enrollment period opens on March 1 and must be enrolled by May 1. Your enrollment will be valid for the upcoming Summer, Fall and Spring semesters and will require re-enrollment for the next insurance year between April 1 and May 1.
Admitted for Fall: Insurance enrollment period opens on June 1 and must be enrolled by September 1. Your enrollment will be valid for the upcoming Fall and Spring semesters and will require re-enrollment for the next insurance year between April 1 and May 1.
Admitted for Spring: Insurance enrollment period opens on December 1 and must be enrolled by January 1. Your enrollment will be valid for the upcoming Spring semester and will require re-enrollment for the next insurance year between April 1 and May 1. Once you are enrolled, you will be covered through April 30. If you will continue your studies after the Spring semester, you would need to re-enroll by May 1 for the upcoming insurance year.

All new students are automatically billed for health insurance. This charge will be deleted if an insurance waiver is submitted. Remember – If you do choose the Institute’s plan, you must enroll yourself. Billing does not mean that you are enrolled.

You have 2 options to satisfy the Health Insurance requirement for the Institute:

Option 1 - Prove you already have health insurance that meets the minimum State standards.

Complete an insurance waiver which can be found at the University Health Plans website. Waivers are good for one insurance year (May 1 - April 30). You must submit a new waiver by April 30 each year that you will be an IHP student for the upcoming insurance year.

For any questions about coverage standards, contact University Health Plans.

Option 2 - Enroll in the Institute’s health insurance plan.

You will need to enroll for the 2025-2026 insurance year (May 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026) during the month of April even if you do not plan on taking any classes in the Summer semester of 2025. Enrollment deadline for 2025-2026 is May 1. Once you are enrolled, you will be covered through April 30, 2026. You would repeat this process in April of 2026 if you plan on continuing your studies after Spring of 2026.

All current students are billed for health insurance in the Summer term of each year. By submitting a new waiver by May 1, this charge will be deleted. Remember – If you do choose the Institute’s plan, you must re-enroll yourself each year by the May 1 enrollment deadline. Billing does not mean that you are enrolled.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Without proof of coverage while you are enrolled at the Institute, your student record will be placed on hold and you will not be allowed to attend classes or register for any subsequent terms. You will also be charged for the Institute’s Plan and will be responsible for the semester charge.

The Institute’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) 2025-2026

The Plan is carried by Commercial Casualty Insurance Company and administered by University Health Plans. The per semester premium rates are listed below. The per semester premium rates are listed below. This plan is billed by the Institute on your semester tuition statement three times yearly (Fall, Spring and Summer Semesters).

The 2025-2026 rate for this plan will be $2,966 per semester. This rate will be billed for each semester (4 months of coverage) of enrollment in the plan.

Enrollment in this plan is allowed according to the following dates:

Summer Coverage Period: Must be enrolled by May 1. Runs May 1 - August 31.

Fall Coverage Period: Must be enrolled by September 1. Runs September 1 - December 31.

Spring Coverage Period: Must be enrolled by January 1. Runs January 1 - April 30.

NOTE: New enrollments will be allowed up until the 1st day of a coverage period. Policy cancelations will be allowed only at the end of a coverage period. There are no exceptions to these guidelines.

Plan Highlights

MGHIHP partners with University Health Plans to evaluate multiple plan options each year. While the plan required many benefit changes this year, key benefits include:

Comprehensive coverage with low deductibles, copays, and co-insurance.
Access to a national network of providers through Cigna’s PPO
Ease of use with no primary care physician or referrals required

Benefit changes effective May 1, 2025 include:

Deductible: $250 in-network | $500 out-of-network
Co-Insurance: 20% in-network | 40% out-of-network
Out-of-Pocket Maximum: $9,200 in-network | $18,400 out-of-network
Physician Office Visit: $25 copay in-network | 20% coinsurance out-of-network (deductible does not apply)
Urgent Care Visit: $25 copay in- and out-of-network (deductible does not apply)
ER Visit: $50 copay in- and out-of-network (deductible does not apply)
Prescription Drugs:
- Tier 1: No change.
- Tier 2 & 3: 20% co-insurance (deductible not applicable)

For detailed plan information and to enroll for this option, see University Health Plans, Inc.

University Health Plans also offers optional Dental, Vision, and Renters Insurance plans for students. Please visit the UHP website for more information about these plans.

University Health Plans, Inc.

Health Insurance Inquiries: MGHIHP Call Center: 833-251-1706

For all other contact requests please visit: https://www.universityhealthplans.com/contact/

What happens after graduation?

Graduating students who are on the Institute's plan will end coverage based on the schedule below. It is important to note that this is a student health plan, and COBRA options are not available. If you need to obtain insurance coverage after your coverage end date for the Institute's plan, Healthcare.gov offers coverage options for recent graduates.

January graduates - Coverage ends on December 31 of the previous year.
May Graduates - Coverage ends on April 30.
September Graduates - Coverage ends on August 31.

Health Insurance Options

Ensure that you have no gap in coverage. You must purchase insurance in the state in which you will reside after graduation. It may take you several weeks to complete the enrollment process. Be advised that health insurance plans are regulated by state laws and not all state policies are the same.

If you plan to live in Massachusetts after graduation, you can get new coverage through the Massachusetts Health Connector. The Health Connector can help you compare plans, get information, and choose the plan that's right for you. Through the Health Connector, you'll find:

Health insurance plans with benefits like prescription drugs and visits to the doctor or hospital.
Dental insurance plans
Ways to get help paying for health care: tax credits and low- or no-cost ConnectorCare plans.

If you plan to live outside of Massachusetts after graduation, Healthcare.gov is an online tool with information on health insurance options throughout the United States. It is managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.