College of the Holy Cross
STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN
2023-2024 Academic Year
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that all students enrolled at least three quarter time must participate in the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) or be covered by a health benefit plan with comparable coverage. Minimum benefit levels and services that are required by the SHIP are set forth in the Qualifying Student Health Insurance Program (QSHIP) regulation (Massachusetts Health Connector). Click on “About”, Click on “Policy Center”. And, finally, click on “Student Health Insurance Program”.
If you are covered by your family’s insurance plan, we encourage you to compare the costs, coverage, and benefits of the student health insurance plan to those of your existing plan before making any decision about your health insurance. Please consider the following in making your decision:
- Out of state HMO/EPO plans provide minimal coverage for out-of-network services potentially leaving the member responsible for large medical bills.
- Some plans only cover emergency care when out of the network.
- Many plans do not cover referrals made by Health Services or only cover them after a high deductible or co-payment; the Student Health Insurance Plan can help cover those expenses.
The College has partnered with University Health Plans (UHP) and Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) to provide student health insurance for the 2023-2024 academic year. Insurance coverage is provided through BCBS with UHP providing administrative support for enrollment and customer service for insurance questions.
Insurance coverage for the 2023-2024 academic year is from July 25, 2023, through July 24, 2024. The cost for this policy is $2,844.00. All students are billed for the SHIP to ensure compliance with the QSHIP law. Students with comparable coverage must complete a waiver no later than August 15, 2023 to have a credit equal to the cost of the insurance charge posted to their bill. We also offer a second semester policy for those students who do not enter the College until January. The cost for this policy is $1,614.00 and runs from January 1, 2024 through July 24, 2024.
If coverage is not waived by August 15, 2023, students will be enrolled in and billed for the Student Health Insurance Plan. International students who are not studying remotely may not waive participation in the SHIP and should complete the enrollment form to expedite the processing of their insurance card. Students who do not have comparable coverage may expedite the processing of their enrollment in the SHIP by completing the enrollment form. This permits the College to facilitate your enrollment in the plan before the waiver deadline. If do you not complete this form, your information will be added to the insurance plan system after August 15, 2023.
In order for students to submit a Waiver of Health Insurance or to complete the Enrollment of Health Insurance, the student will need to access the University Health Plans web site via one of two methods:
- Go to www.universityhealthplans.com and select “College of the Holy Cross”, or
- Go to http://holycross.edu/bursars-office/ and select “Health Vision, and Dental Insurance”.
- The student will need to know their Holy Cross ID number and their Holy Cross email address (available in late May)
A summary of the insurance benefits, directory of the provider network, and FAQs can be found on the University Health Plans website. UHP is available to manage the enrollment and answer general questions about the insurance plan. To speak with a representative, please call (800) 437-6448 or send an email to info@univhealthplans.com . If you have specific questions regarding the benefits, please feel free to contact Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts at (888) 753-6615. If you have questions about your tuition bill, please contact the Office of the Bursar, College of the Holy Cross, at (508) 793-2521.