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Student Health Insurance

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all Massachusetts Independent and Public Institutions of Higher Education ensure eligible students participate in the college’s student health insurance plan or a health plan of comparable coverage. This includes full-time students and part-time students who are participating in at least 75% of the academic requirements of full-time students as well as those students enrolled in a certificate or degree-granting program. (See policy: 956 CMR 8 View the policy information here.)

The BAC offers a student health insurance plan (SHIP) for students who need and are eligible for health insurance coverage. Learn more about enrolling or waiving the BAC offered student health insurance below.

Who Is Required to Have Health Insurance?

  • Students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, enrolled in six (6) or more academic credits.
  • Students enrolled in the onsite Master of Architecture, onsite Master of Interior Architecture, or onsite Master of Landscape Architecture program, enrolled in four and a half (4.5) or more academic credits.
  • Students enrolled in the Master of Design Studies Real Estate Development program, enrolled in four and a half (4.5) or more credits of onsite courses.
  • Students enrolled in a certificate program, enrolled in nine (9) or more academic credits of onsite courses.

Please note that students who do not meet the criteria above are not required to provide proof of health insurance and are ineligible to enroll in the BAC’s student health insurance plan.

How Much Does the BAC’s Health Insurance Cost?

Note: Fall only and Spring only pricing will be posted as soon as provided by the SHIP.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: SHIP regulations require BAC students to provide proof that you have a health insurance plan. Please complete a waiver at the Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk website, which constitutes "comparable coverage".

This means your health insurance/benefit plan must:

  1. Be underwritten by insurance carriers based inside the U.S. Insurance plans with coverage outside the U.S. and coverage by foreign national health service programs are not deemed comparable to coverage under a qualifying student health insurance program. Waivers that are not U.S. based will not be accepted, and you will be automatically enrolled in the student health insurance plan.
  2. Your plan must offer, "reasonable comprehensive coverage of health services, including preventive and primary care, emergency services, surgical services, hospitalization benefits, ambulatory patient services, mental health services, and prescription drugs"; and
  3. Offer services deemed, "reasonably accessible to the student in the area where the student attends school".
    See also, 956 CMR 8.05(2)(a), link noted in the first paragraph. https://www.mass.gov/doc/956-cmr-8-student-health-insurance-program/download.

The annual student health insurance plan begins on August 15, 2024, and ends on August 14, 2025

Undergrads:  $2,386

Graduates:  $3,597  

Coverage rates for “Fall Only” 2024 are available upon request only. Please email Student.Insurance@the-bac.edu.

All eligible students are automatically enrolled in the full academic year student health insurance plan’s coverage, once they are registered and are enrolled in the Fall semester classes.

If students are graduating in December, at the end of the Fall semester, but would like to request to have “Fall Only” student health insurance plan’s coverage, please notify the BAC immediately and by no later than September 15 of the semester in which you graduate. The BAC unfortunately will not be able to remove you from the full academic year student health insurance plan’s coverage once this date has passed.

For students registered for the Spring semester only, the coverage will be January 15, 2024 - August 14, 2025.

Undergraduate: $1,389

Graduate: $2,090

How Do I Enroll or Waive Coverage?

Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to enroll or waive coverage.

You may waive the BAC’s health insurance by submitting a health insurance waiver form, and showing proof of comparable coverage by the academic semester deadline, noted on the Gallagher website.

If you do not waive this coverage, you will automatically be enrolled. (See how to waive coverage below.)

Please have your current health insurance ID card ready.

Immediately upon submitting your online waiver or enrollment form, you will receive a confirmation number. This will be proof your waiver or enrollment has been submitted.

What if I waived/opted out of the insurance, but lost my insurance coverage after the enrollment start date?

Many students lose insurance coverage for various reasons (with their company, when they reach the maximum dependent age under their parent’s plan, etc.) while still enrolled and studying full time at the BAC.

  1. Please go to the Gallagher website to fill out a plan enrollment form. 
  2. The insurance company must approve the change and notify us of the prorated fee.
  3. You will then pay the prorated health insurance fee to Student Services.
  4. All steps must be completed within 31 days of your previous insurance terminating. If the request is submitted after 31 days of losing prior coverage, the effective date will be the date the insurance company received the request.
Health Insurance Waiver or Enrollment Questions

Call Gallagher Inc. directly at 877.736.6648

Or email 
Student.Insurance@the-bac.edu