Waiving Boston College Medical Insurance: What You Need To Know

how to waive boston college medical insurance

Boston College students are automatically enrolled and billed for the Boston University Health Insurance Plan, which offers comprehensive coverage for health services, including primary care, emergency services, hospitalization benefits, and mental health services. However, students who wish to waive this insurance plan and opt for alternative coverage can do so by submitting an online waiver form during the designated waiver periods. This form must be submitted by the deadline to avoid being enrolled and billed for the Boston University Health Insurance Plan. Students below 18 years of age must submit a written waiver form signed by a parent or guardian.

Characteristics Values
Waiver availability Waivers are available by mid-June each year
Waiver submission frequency The waiver must be submitted every year
Waiver deadline The deadline is indicated on the school website
Waiver form The form can be completed online or in writing, depending on the student's age
Waiver approval If approved, the credit will be applied to the student account within 1-2 business days
Enrollment Students must enroll in the Boston College Student Health Insurance Plan for the fall and spring insurance periods
Enrollment period The summer enrollment period is from May 10 to August 6, and the fall enrollment period begins on August 7
Enrollment cost The summer premium is $1,005
Enrollment action Students must log in to their Gallagher account and select the "Enroll" button
Waiver eligibility Students must have comparable coverage, including reasonable comprehensive coverage of health services

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Boston College's waiver form

Boston College requires all students enrolled in a degree programme to be enrolled in and billed for the student health insurance plan. This insurance is automatically charged for the fall and spring insurance periods. However, students can choose to waive this insurance if they have comparable coverage.

During the designated waiver periods, Boston College will post an online "Waiver" form. This form must be submitted by the deadline posted by the school. Students over the age of 18 must provide proof of this electronically through the College's Agora Portal. Students under the age of 18 must complete a written waiver form, which must be signed by the parent or guardian and the student. The form is available at www.bc.edu/medinsurance.

The waiver does not carry forward and must be submitted every year. Students are responsible for determining whether their current coverage meets ACA requirements. If Boston College becomes aware that the current plan doesn’t meet ACA criteria, the waiver request may be declined.

To enrol in the Boston College Student Health Insurance Plan, students can log in to their Gallagher account using their BC username and password. They can then select the “Enroll” button under the relevant plan and follow the prompts.

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Deadlines for waiver form

Boston College requires students to file a waiver for the fall and spring insurance periods. The waiver forms are usually available by mid-June each year. The exact deadline date for the waiver form is indicated on the school website, and students must submit the form by the posted deadline. Students who are 18 years or older must submit the proof electronically through the College's Agora Portal. Students under 18 must complete a written waiver form, signed by both the student and their parent or guardian.

Similarly, Boston University automatically enrolls students in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Students who wish to waive SHIP coverage must do so by the deadline. The waiver does not carry forward and must be submitted every year. Students can check their eligibility to waive SHIP coverage and find the waiver form on the Student Health Services website by selecting "Waiving SHIP".

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Gallagher account login

To waive Boston College medical insurance, you need to log in to your Gallagher account. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to log in to your Gallagher account and enrol in or waive the Boston College Student Health Insurance Plan:

  • Visit the Gallagher website or portal.
  • Enter your Boston College (BC) username and password.
  • Log in securely using your BC credentials.

Enrolment or Waiver

Once you have logged in to your Gallagher account, you can enrol in or waive the Boston College Student Health Insurance Plan. Here's how:

  • Navigate to the relevant section for the Boston College Student Health Insurance Plan.
  • For enrolment: Select the "Enroll" button under the appropriate plan and period (e.g., "2023–2024 Boston College Student Health Insurance Plan - Summer"). Follow the prompts to complete your enrolment. Note the associated premium cost and the specified enrolment period.
  • For waiver: If you wish to waive the insurance, refer to the Forms tab by mid-June each year to access the necessary waiver forms. Complete and submit the waiver to opt out of the insurance plan for the upcoming fall and spring periods.

Please note that if you are starting your program in the summer, you will not be automatically charged for summer insurance and do not need to file a waiver for that period. However, remember to file a waiver for the subsequent fall and spring periods if you have alternative insurance coverage.

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Comparable coverage

Boston College requires students to have medical insurance. Students who are enrolled in a health plan that is comparable to the student plan may waive the BC coverage through the Agora Portal if they are at least 18 years old. Students under the age of 18 cannot file an electronic waiver; they must submit a paper waiver form signed by a parent or guardian.

To provide proof of comparable coverage, a student will need to have information about their current health insurance plan readily available. The student's plan must provide reasonable comprehensive coverage of health services, including primary care, emergency services, surgical services, hospitalization benefits, ambulatory patient services, and mental health services, along with coverage for lab work, diagnostic x-rays, physical therapy, chiropractic care, and prescription coverage. These services must be reasonably accessible in the area where the student attends school.

A plan that provides coverage through a closed network of providers, not reasonably accessible to the student in the area where they attend school, for all but emergency services, does not qualify for a waiver. The student's plan cannot be an out-of-state Medicaid plan, or one of the following MA Medicaid Plans: Children’s Medical Security Program, MassHealth Limited, and Health Safety Net. MassHealth plans other than those listed are acceptable for a waiver.

In addition, the student's plan should be compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It should cover services in Massachusetts and near campus and should not limit coverage to the student's home state or restrict coverage to emergency services while in Massachusetts.

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Waiver approval

To waive Boston College's medical insurance, you must complete and submit a waiver form by the deadline. This deadline is typically by the end of the open enrollment period, which begins in mid-June each year.

If you are starting your program in the summer, you will not be automatically charged for summer insurance and do not need to file a waiver for that period. However, you must file a waiver for the fall and spring semesters.

The waiver form allows students to declare their intention to waive the student health insurance plan in favour of alternative coverage. This alternative coverage must meet specific requirements to qualify as comparable. Required services must be provided at a location within a reasonable distance to the Greater Boston Area. Health plans with a closed network of providers that are only accessible for emergency services are generally not acceptable.

If your waiver is approved, a credit for the amount of the SHIP premium will be applied to your student account within 1-2 business days.

It is important to note that even if you have other coverage available, you should carefully consider whether waiving the Boston College insurance plan is the best and most cost-effective decision for you. You can find valuable information to help make an informed decision on the Boston College website.

Frequently asked questions

During the designated Waiver periods, Boston College will post an online "Waiver" form. Log on to www.bc.edu/medinsurance and complete this form. You must submit it by the deadline posted by the school. If you are under 18, you must complete a written waiver form signed by a parent or guardian.

The waiver forms are available by mid-June each year. The deadline for the fall enrollment period is August 7.

If your plan meets all of the coverage requirements, you may apply to waive enrollment in the Boston University Health Insurance Plan online. However, if your current plan doesn’t meet the criteria, Boston University may decline your request for a waiver.

The requirements include having access to a range of health services, including primary care, emergency services, surgical services, hospitalization benefits, and mental health services. The services must also be reasonably accessible in the area where the student is attending school.

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