Student Health Benefit Plan
Massachusetts requires college students to have comprehensive health insurance.
The Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) sponsored by UMass Amherst offers coverage for the academic year through Consolidated Health Plans.
Students with comparable coverage may waive the SHBP using an online tool.
Those covered by Commonwealth Care are not eligible to waive the SHBP.
International students will automatically be enrolled in the SHBP. However, those already enrolled in an employer-based health insurance plan from the United States may be eligible for a SHBP waiver. Eligibility is based on federal and state guidelines for the minimum essential coverage required by the federal Affordable Care Act.
For more information, see the waiver eligiblity section below.
What does the SHBP offer?
The SHBP meets or exceeds state requirements. UMass Amherst has elected to voluntarily configure plan benefits to comply with regulations issued by the federal Department of Health and Human Services as required by the Affordable Care Act for fully-insured student health insurance plans.
Go to the Consolidated Health Plan website and select UMass Amherst from the drop-down menu for comprehensive plan information.
The SHBP family plan provides coverage for a covered student's spouse, same-sex domestic partner and/or unmarried dependent children under age 26. To purchase the SHBP family plan and enroll eligible family members, the student must be enrolled in the SHBP and have paid the Student Health Fee. A marriage certificate and birth certificates for qualifying dependents are required to enroll in the SHBP family plan.
What if I already have insurance?
The bigger question is … will your family’s existing plan meet your needs and state requirements? For example, your plan may have a high deductible that must be met before benefits begin, or it might not pay for prescription drugs or provide coverage when you're away from home or traveling abroad. And, some plans don't meet the state’s minimum threshold for coverage. Compare your plan to the SHBP to see which choice makes the most sense for you.
How do I enroll?
If you're taking five or more credits as a matriculated student in a day academic program, you don’t have to do anything. You’ll be automatically enrolled in the SHBP and the charges will appear on your tuition bill.
Students wishing to purchase the family plan, those taking fewer than five credits per semester, program fee students and those enrolled in a degree-seeking program through Continuing and Professional Education or University Without Walls must come to UHS Patient Services before the end of the Add/Drop period to register.
To purchase the SHBP family plan and enroll eligible family members, the student must be enrolled in the SHBP and have paid the Student Health Fee. A marriage certificate and birth certificates for qualifying dependents are required to enroll in the SHBP family plan.
Coverage dates
The SHBP provides coverage on an annual basis; effective dates for the 2013– 2014 coverage period are August 1, 2013 through July 31, 2014.
ID cards
Once you’ve enrolled in the SHBP, you'll receive an ID card. Keep this card with you and show it when you go for medical care. If you need care and haven't received your card, go to the Consolidated Health Plans website and choose the 'Online ID Card' option from the menu on the left.
Waiver eligibility
UMass Amherst may elect to allow students to waive participation in the SHBP.
Audits are performed; students whose waivers are rejected during an audit will have an opportunity to correct the information submitted. Waivers not accepted by the university will be recharged to the tuition bill.
If you waive coverage for the Fall semester, it is automatically waived for the Spring semester; you do not need to submit a second waiver request. Only new or transfer students need to submit the online waiver request for the Spring semester.
Waiver guidelines:
U.S. students with comparable coverage under another major medical insurance plan, including Commonwealth Choice, can waive the SHBP.
Closed network plans, which provide coverage through a closed network of providers not reasonably accessible in the area where the student attends school, are not eligible for SHBP waiver.
Veterans with benefits that provide access to Veterans' Administration healthcare facilities and those with benefits through the U.S. Family Health Plan, a military coverage, can waive the SHBP.
Mass Health plans are acceptable; however, enrollment is subject to state eligibility. Subscribers who have been disenrolled based on their student status should contact UHS Patient Services to enroll in the SHBP.
Commonwealth Care plans are not eligible for SHBP waiver; this includes the Health Safety Net Plan. This policy is determined by the Massachusetts Health Connector. Subscribers who have been disenrolled based on their student status should contact UHS Patient Services to enroll in the SHBP.
International students will automatically be enrolled in the SHBP. However, those already enrolled in an employer-based health insurance plan from the United States may be eligible to waive the SHBP. Students seeking a waiver must complete an individual insurance plan review before the end of the Add/Drop period. See the 'Waiving the SHBP' section below for instructions.
Waiving the SHBP
Instructions for U.S. students
SHBP online waivers for new and transfer students starting at UMass with the Fall, 2014 semester can be completed beginning July 22, 2013 and MUST be completed before midnight on September 16, 2013.
If you do not waive within this time period, you will remain enrolled in the SHBP and the full charges will be assessed on the semester's tuition bills.
Appeals should be directed to:
Student Health Benefits Coordinator
University Health Services, UMass Amherst
150 Infirmary Way
Amherst, MA 01003
Waivers submitted during the fall semester apply to the entire academic year. Only students beginning at the university as of the spring semester have the option to waive for that semester.
- Go to www.spire.umass.edu;
- Select the Health Waiver page link;
- Click the Online Waiver Site link; and
-
Complete and submit the waiver form.
or - Go to www.chpstudent.com;
- Start by Selecting UMass Amherst from the drop down box;
- Next click on the “Waiver” tab located in the center of the page;
- Enter your Student ID and Date of Birth, click “Continue”;
- Complete all information as directed; and “Submit”;
-
Your request will NOT be completed until you:
- Check the box confirming that your information is correct;
- Provide your electronic signature; and
- Click the Submit button.
A confirmation e-mail is sent within minutes of successfully completing the waiver request. Print and save this e-mail as proof of you waiver. If you don’t receive a confirmation
e-mail, call Consolidated Health Plans' customer service, (800) 633-7867, for help.
Instructions for international students
International students enrolled in an employer-based health insurance plan from the United States may be eligible to waive the SHBP.
To request a review, mail health plan documentation to:
Patient Services
University Health Services, UMass Amherst
150 Infirmary Way, Amherst, MA 01003
or
Submit documents via e-mail to patientservices@uhs.umass.edu.
UHS' Student Health Benefits Coordinator will review the health plan documentation and notify applicants of their status via e-mail. If approved, UHS will process a paper waiver allowing removal of SHBP charges from the tuition bill.
Insurance waivers must be completed before the semester's Add/Drop date to prevent enrollment and charges.
