Simmons College Health Center

Health Insurance While at School

State Requirements

  • Massachusetts law requires all full time students (9 or more credits) to carry health insurance
  • Students may be covered by individual or family coverage, or may participate in the College's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) offered through University Health Plans.  In the academic year '09-'10 for the first time the school plan will be provided by Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
  • To ensure compliance with the law, all full time students are enrolled in and billed for the school plan at the beginning of the academic year. 
    •  Although students wishing to be covered by the school Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan will be enrolled automatically, students will get insurance cards more quickly if they fill out the enrollment form on line 
  • Students wishing to substitute other individual or family coverage for the school plan must demonstrate comparable coverage by filing a waiver on line  or at the Student Financial Services' office at the beginning of the academic year.
  • It is the policy of the College that all international students be enrolled in the school plan to ensure accessible coverage
  • The law does not allow out of state Medicaid coverage as comparable insurance, although MassHealth qualifies
  • School insurance coverage is also available to
    • Students entering in January or the summer
    • Part time students and students wishing family coverage
      • Although schoool insurance is available to part time students and students wishing to purchase family coverage these students should also investigate market rate plans and subsidized plans offered through the Massachusetts Health Connector (www.mahealthconnector.org) which may be less expensive.  State law prohibits full time students from purchasing subsidized plans offered through the Connector

Comparing School Plan with Other Coverage :

Coverage Under the College Student Health Insurance Plan :  Blue Cross Blue Shield 

In academic year '09-'10 for the first time the College plan will be provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts.  The plan year begins August 15, 2009 and continues to August 14, 2010.  It is the most comprehensive plan that the College has ever be able to offer.  It includes the following :

  • Wide range of treatment and prevention services
  • No deductibles if care is provided in network (network is broad)
  • $15 co-pay for most visits if provided in network
  • 24 outpatient mental health visits annually ($15 co pay per visit)
  • Prescription drug coverage with co-payments based on "tier" for each prescription
  • Covers student wherever she/he is geographically located for the period enrolled
  • No overall plan maximum  

Click here to read the plan on line.

Comparing the School Plan with Other Individual or Family Coverage

Benefits to enrolling in the school plan: 

  • Offers a wide range of services at a reasonable cost ($1,500 annually for undergraduates; $2,450 for graduate students)
  • Modest co-pays if care is provided in network--network very broad
  • Facilitates speciality referrals
  • Is easily transportable during vacations/summer as Blue Cross/Blue Shield is widely known
  • Student enrollment in school plan may eliminate need for family, rather than individual or "employee plus one" coverage for parent(s)

Benefits of other coverage, such as coverage under your family's plan 

  • Saves extra cost of school plan if your family continues to need a family plan in any case
  • May provide you with option of continuing coverage after graduation

If you choose family or other individual coverage check with your insurer about the following

  • Be sure your plan will cover you in an emergency while at school or traveling
  • Know whether your plan requires prior approval before referral to a specialist (e.g., dermatologist) or diagnostic testing and where to call to get approval
  • Know the prescription benefits of your plan. If the prescription coverage requires you to lay out the money and get reimbursed, be sure you have a way of doing that (e.g., credit card)
  • Be sure you have the name, policy number and phone number of your plan. Know who the primary "insured" is under your plan (Mother? Father? Self?). Have a copy of your insurance card.

Site Contents

Simmons directions and large maps

Location

Residence Campus
(14) Health Center
94 Pilgrim Road
Boston, MA 02215

Contact

Phone: 617-521-1002

Hours

Call ahead to make an appointment. Same day appointments are available for urgent care.

During the academic year, the Health Center is open during the following hours:

Monday - Friday:
9:00am to 5:00pm

Closed Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays

To contact a health provider after hours for urgent care call Simmons Public Safety at 617-521-1112

Call the Health Center for hours during vacations and holidays, and during the summer months 617-521-1002