Health Insurance Fee
Description:
Massachusetts State law mandates that all students who attend college full-time are to be charged a health insurance fee. Students may qualify to waive this fee.
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Rates:
The rate for the 2010-2011 school year is $1,372. (08/15/2010 to 08/14/2011)
The rate for coverage for the Spring 2010 term is $918 (01/19/2011 to 08/14/2011)
Brochure for 2010-2011
Rates for spouses and/or children are available upon request. Spouses and/or children need to be aded to the plan at the time of enrollment (Life changing events may allow for exceptions.)
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State Law:
- Massachusetts law requires that every student enrolled in a course load that is equivalent to at least 3/4 full-time enrollment participates in a qualifying student health insurance program or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage. The state has placed a mandate on colleges, under penalty, to enforce the regulation.
- Nine credit hours is considered to be 3/4 full-time enrollment criteria for undergraduate and graduate level students.
- Colleges are required to charge this fee on a yearly basis.
- All students who are enrolled in nine (9) or more credit hours will be billed automatically for health insurance coverage in the first semester that the academic criteria is met. For most students this will be the Fall term.
- The state of Massachusetts sets the minimum coverage requirements for the student health insurance programs.
- For students not covered by a personal or family policy, Nichols College offers a "Student Accident and Illness Insurance Program" through Consolidated Health Plan. Please note that this plan is NOT an all-inclusive health insurance program. You may access the full content of the state law at: http://www.mass.gov/.
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When You Will be Charged:
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How and When to Request a Waiver of Coverage:
Waiver Request:
The Waiver Request Form certifies that your family health insurance policy is comparable to the one offered by the College and meets the standards set by the State of Massachusetts.
- International Students: The state law mandates that Nichols College CAN NOT accept health insurance waivers if the health insurance carrier is based outside of the United States.
- To qualify for credit, a waiver form must be completed within the dates specified for each term.
- The premium charged is not refundable after the specified dates despite the existence of other coverage.
- The state law has defined the following as part of the regulation:
- Waivers may be accepted for students enrolled in MassHealth.
- Waivers may not be accepted for students enrolled in the Health Safety Net or Commonwealth Care.
Waiver Dates:
Online Waivers:
- Online Waiver requests may be accessed at https://www.consolidatedhealthplan.com/student_health/nichols_college.html/.
- You will be brought to the Nichols College CHP Page
- Choose Online Waiver Form
- You will be prompted with directions for DECLINING the insurance.
- Please enter your 7 digit student ID# (including leading zeros) in the section labeled Student Social Security Number in place of your social security number.
- Make sure that you enter a valid e-mail address. You will receive an email confirming that you entered a waiver. Save this email for your records. It is your only proof that you did enter a waiver. DO NOT mail the confirmation to Nichols College.
- Please be aware that automated "SPAM" or "Junk Mail" filters may place the confirmation e-mail into "Junk" or "Spam" folders. We have been advised that this is an issue with AOL email accounts.
- If for any reason Nichols College can not accept the waiver that was entered, we will contact you via your Nichols College email address.
Paper Waiver:
- Paper Waiver: If you can not access the link for the online waiver , the online waiver is not available, or are uncomfortable submitting your insurance information online, then you may submit a paper waiver form.
- This form must be completed and RECEIVED by the College by the stated waiver deadlines.
- The health insurance paper waiver can be downloaded from this link: Health Insurance Waiver.
Health Insurance Fee Reversal:
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Once or twice a week Nichols receives the waivers that were completed online from Consolidated Health Plans.
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The student accounts are then updated to reverse the health insurance fee.
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Students whose waivers cannot be accepted will be notified via email.
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How to Accept Health Insurance:
- Default: Coverage will assume to be accepted at the end of the specified waiver period if a valid waiver has not been completed for al full-time students. Part-time students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credits in order to be eligible to accept the insurance.
- Online Acceptance: May only be completed during specified time frames:
- Online acceptances are available during the same time frame as online waivers. See section When to Waive.
- Online Waiver requests may be accessed at https://www.consolidatedhealthplan.com/student_health/nichols_college.html.
- You will be brought to the Nichols College CHP Page
- Choose Online Waiver Form
- You will be prompted with directions for Accepting the insurance.
- Please enter your 7 digit student ID# (including leading zeros) in the section labeled Student Social Security Number in place of your social security number.
- Make sure that you enter a valid e-mail address.
- Please be aware that automated "SPAM" or "Junk Mail" filters may place the confirmation e-mail into "Junk" or "Spam" folders. We have been advised that this is an issue with AOL email accounts.
- You will receive an email confirming that you chose to ACCEPT the insurance.
- Accepting the insurance will stop the repeated reminders to you that you have not yet waived the insurance.
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Health Insurance Policy:
Effective Dates:
- Once the insurance is accepted, it is effective until the end of the period for which the premium has been paid.
- The coverage may not be terminated within the effective dates (see Policy brochure for specific exemptions).
- There is no refund of the insurance premium after the insurance has been accepted (see Policy brochure for specific exemptions).
- The 2010-2011 policy is effective from August 15, 2010 to August 14, 2011.
- Consolidated Health Plans is the company that provides the Health Insurance Coverage for Nichols College.
- Brochure
Information Shared with Consolidated Health Plans:
- Lists of students who have accepted the health insurance are sent to Consolidated Health Plans by Nichols College after the specified waiver dates have passed.
- The following information is sent to Consolidated health Plans for students who accepted the Health insurance:
- Last Name
- First Name
- Middle Initial
- Address (Street, City, Zip Code)
- Gender (Male/Female)
- Date of Birth
- Social Security Number
- Student Id number
Health Insurance Cards:
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Coverage for Club Sports/Intercollegiate Athletics
- Students participating in intercollegiate athletics are provided additional coverage for injury by a group rider purchased on behalf of the student by the College (including Club Sports).
- This policy is different from the Health insurance policy offered to students. Do not attempt to make claims via Consolidated Health Plan for injuries related to club sports or intercollegiate athletics.
- Claims for injuries in club sports or intercollegiate athletics should be reported to the Athletic department.
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Information Shared within Nichols College:
Please note that you may be asked to submit proof of health insurance to other departments within Nichols College.
- The Health Services department may require health insurance information and/or health related forms and documentation. Please refer to the following link for additional information on forms required by Health Services :
- The Athletic Department may also require the student to submit health insurance information and to complete other health related forms.
- The information submitted to these departments IS NOT TRANSMITTED to the Business Office. Submission of health insurance information to other departments within Nichols does NOT constitute submitting proof of insurance for the waiving of the health insurance fee. You will need to follow ALL of the above procedures in order to have the health insurance fee waived. See section How and When to Request a Waiver.
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FAQ's:
Who do I contact if I have questions regarding the health insurance?
- Answer: If you have any questions regarding the policy and the specific impact on your account, please contact Lisa Campbell, Director of Student Accounts, at 508-213-2283. If you have questions about what the insurance covers, does not cover, co-payments, etc., please contact Consolidated Health at 1-800-633-7867 or 413-733-4540. (Full Brochure)
What if I waive coverage and then I lose my current health Insurance?
- Answer: Per Massachusetts state law you have 30 days from the date you lose coverage to request to be added on the Nichols College Policy.
- You MUST be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credits at Nichols College in the term in which request to add coverage. Students enrolled in less than 9 credits are not eligible to be added to the Nichols College health insurance plan.
- Nichols College will need a copy of the official letter stating that coverage is being canceled and a request to add the student to Consolidated Health Plans policy.
- The request must be received within 30 days of the loss of coverage (can be requested prior).
- Nichols will forward the request to Consolidated Health Plans (along with the all the information listed in the "Information shared with Consolidated Health Plans" section.)
- Consolidated will notify Nichols of the pro-rated premium. Policy is added as of the loss of coverage date.
- Student will be billed for the added health insurance premium.
- The policy will remain in effect for the remainder of the policy term.
- All policies regarding accepted health insurance do apply.
What if I have coverage and forget to waive the coverage or Nichols College does not receive a waiver from me?
- Answer: You will be charged the health insurance fee. You will be unable to waive the coverage and reverse the fee after the deadline for waivers has passed.
How do I know if a waiver was received?
- Answer: The health insurance fee will be reversed on your statement.
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