Student Health Insurance

Massachusetts Law requires that all Gordon-Conwell South Hamilton students enrolled in 6 or more credit hours (full or three quarter time) and Boston students enrolled in 9 or more hours have “suitable” health insurance coverage. To help our students meet this requirement, Gordon-Conwell offers a health insurance plan called the Student Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan. This plan is managed through University Health Plans.

If you are a South Hamilton student enrolled in 6 or more hours or a Boston student enrolled in 9 or more hours in Fall and/or Spring, you must participate in the Seminary plan or provide proof of another insurance plan deemed by the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance & Policy (DHCFP) as “comparable coverage” to the plan offered by the Seminary. To read the details on this law and DHCFP provisions, click here.

How much does the student insurance cost for 2010-2011?

Can students waive inclusion in Gordon-Conwell’s insurance plan?

Yes. If you are enrolled in 6 or more credit hours at South Hamilton or 9 or more hours at CUME, you will be automatically enrolled and billed the student only rate for that semester unless you submit a waiver form online before the waiver deadline. Students can waive inclusion only if they show proof of comparable coverage through another health insurance provider before this date.

When you fill out the waiver form, you must supply the following information:

1. Name, address, and telephone number of your current insurance company
2. Name of the policy holder
3. Policy number
4. Policy start and expiration date (if applicable) under which you are covered

If you are taking less than 6 credit hours at South Hamilton or less than 9 hours at CUME, you do not need to submit a waiver form because you will not be automatically enrolled. If you have already waived coverage for the 2009-2010 academic year or previous academic years, you still need to submit a waiver form for 2010-2011. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that Gordon-Conwell collect this information each year.

How do students enroll in the plan?

Click here to enroll for the 2010-2011 Academic Year. Please complete each relevant field and ensure that you are eligible for coverage. Contact Student Life Services to inquire about insurance enrollment and eligibility.

Who is eligible for student health insurance coverage?

Full-time or qualifying part-time students (South Hamilton: 6 or more credit hours; CUME: 9 or more credit hours) are eligible for the seminary plan. Students who drop below the credit hour minimums indicated above will not be included in the plan.

Can students enroll dependents on the plan?

Yes, you can add dependents not previously covered on the plan before the semester deadline. To enroll dependents, the student must also be eligible for insurance enrollment and must be enrolled on the insurance for the semester/year the dependents are enrolled. To enroll dependents for Fall 2010, click here.

Does the insurance cover dental or vision?

Generally, the student insurance does not cover dental or vision. However, optional dental and vision plans are available for purchase through University Health Plans. Click here for more information on dental and vision insurance, including costs and enrollment procedures.

If students miss the waiver deadline, will they be charged for the insurance?

Yes, enrollment and/or waiver forms must be submitted by the waiver deadline for your waiver to be effective. Your ability to waive inclusion on the student health insurance plan will no longer be available after this date. Your student account will subsequently be billed the student only rate if you do not waive coverage in time.

What if a student waived the student insurance coverage, but his or her health insurance coverage ends before the next enrollment deadline? Can that student enroll in the student health insurance after the enrollment deadline (i.e. sometime during the semester)?

Losing existing coverage is considered a qualified event. In this instance, yes you can enroll in the plan after the enrollment deadline provided you do so before 31 days after the expiration of your previous coverage. To complete this request, you must present documentation of your previous coverage and termination date (see pages 3-4 of the Brochure). Please contact Student Life Services for more information about eligibility with a qualifying event.

Questions?

Please contact Brian Fleming in Student Life Services at bfleming@gcts.edu or calling (978) 646-4062. Or, call University Health Plans directly at 1-800-437-6448 (Ext. 10).