Spring Semester Information

REQUIRED MEDICAL INSURANCE

Since 1989 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has required students enrolled in Massachusetts colleges and universities to have health insurance that meets benefit levels mandated by the Commonwealth. At Boston University, all students enrolled in at least ¾ of a full time course load and all international students are required to be automatically enrolled in one of Boston University’s student health insurance plans. As further described below, participation may be waived if a student provides written confirmation of enrollment in a medical insurance plan offering comparable comprehensive benefits in the Boston area.

To comply with state legal requirements, eligible students will be automatically enrolled in a BU student health insurance plan and their student account will include a charge for the applicable premium amount.  For students entering in the Spring 2016 semester, the insurance charge will be added to their Spring bill.

The University offers two tiers of coverage through its Basic and Plus plans, both provided by Aetna Student Health. Although the Plus plan has a higher premium, it offers lower copays and 100% coverage of many in-network services. The Basic Plan offers lower premiums, but has higher copays and offers only 80% coverage of many in-network services.

Important:

Students must be enrolled at the PLUS plan level to add eligible dependents. If you are enrolled in the Student BASIC plan and wish to enroll eligible dependents, you must upgrade to the Student PLUS plan by the open enrollment deadline of January 31, 2016. Students who elect to remain enrolled at the Student Basic level will not be eligible to add dependents during the Spring Policy Period, which runs from January 1 to August 22, 2016.

Basic Plan:

Most students will be automatically enrolled in the BASIC plan.

  • The Spring policy period rate for the BASIC plan is $1,244.
  • Important: Dependent coverage is not available to students enrolled in the BASIC plan. Students charged $1,244 for the Student BASIC plan in the Spring semester who do not upgrade to the PLUS plan by January 31 will not be eligible to add dependents to their plan for the 2015-2016 Policy Year.  

Plus Plan:

Students assessed $1,244 for Student BASIC coverage in the Spring semester may choose to upgrade to the PLUS plan.

  • The Spring policy period rate for the PLUS plan is $1,736.
  • The final deadline to upgrade to the Student PLUS plan for the Spring policy period is January 31, 2016.
  • Students enrolled in Student PLUS who wish to add their dependents, click here for instructions.

If you are already enrolled in a health insurance plan that provides comparable comprehensive coverage in the Boston area, you may be able to waive enrollment in a BU Student Health Insurance Plan.

Waiver of Enrollment:

New Part-time Spring Students (enrolled below seventy-five percent of a full-time course load):

  • New Spring part-time students and students returning from leave of absence in the Spring, who have not been automatically enrolled in the Student Medical Insurance Plan, click here for instructions on how to add medical insurance by the January 31 open enrollment deadline.

Students in the programs below are automatically enrolled in the PLUS plan. Please click on the link for your program for information on policy dates and rates:

Waiver of Enrollment:

If you are already enrolled in a health insurance plan that provides comparable comprehensive coverage in the Boston area, you may be able to waive enrollment in a BU Student Health Insurance Plan.