Health Insurance
Table of Contents
- Important Dates
- Student Health Insurance Plan
- Opt-In to the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
- Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) (Opt-Out)
- Health Insurance Waiver Questions
- Requirements for Waiving the Health Insurance
- Disqualified Alternate Health Insurance Plans
- Accepted Insurance Plans at Carbon Student Health Services
- Student Health Insurance Checklist (Comparison Chart)
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that all students, (undergraduate, graduate and Co-op), who are enrolled as three-quarter time or more credit hours per semester be covered by the student health insurance plan or a health insurance plan with comparable coverage.
The deadline to waive the student health insurance charge is ten days after the last day of the Add/Drop period. If students fail to complete the waiver by the Deadline to Waive date or the Appeal Deadline date, your charge will remain due and payable.
Please Note: Students only need to complete one waiver per academic year.
- For students whose first semester is Fall, your waiver request submission covers you for the academic year and you do not need to submit a waiver request in the Spring and Summer semesters.
- For new, returning and/or transfer students whose first semester is Spring, your waiver request submission will cover you for the Spring and Summer semesters.
For information about the health services provided to students on campus please visit our Health Services page.
For additional resources and information visit United HealthCare Student Resources.
Important Dates
Health Insurance Semester Timeline Students only need to complete one waiver per academic year. | |
E-Bill Online
|
Waiver portal opens |
E-Bill Due Date
|
Deadline to submit waiver to avoid holds and late payment fees |
Deadline to Waive | Ten days after the last day of the Add/Drop period |
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
A Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is available through Wentworth. The plan offers exceptional coverage at an outstanding value compared to most options available to students and provides reasonable premium rates for dependents. The SHIP is underwritten by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and administered by United HealthCare Student Resources.
- Coverage for the student health insurance plan starts on August 28 and ends on August 27 of the following year.
- The Health Insurance Waiver as well as plan coverage details including costs, benefits, exclusions, and any reductions or limitations, will all be available mid-June.
- All students who are enrolled for nine or more credit hours per semester (or registered for Co-op) will automatically be billed for the student insurance plan.
- Wentworth requires international students to be enrolled in the college plan (SHIP)
Opt-In to the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
Students who want the health insurance coverage offered through Wentworth must elect to opt-in. Once you access the portal, select the Opt-In button on the right side of the screen. Selecting to Opt-In must be completed by the specific deadlines communicated to the student via their Wentworth email address.
- To Opt-In to the health insurance, visit the link.
- After enrolling in the SHIP, students can set up "My Account" access where they can view the plan details, download an electronic ID insurance card and more
Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) (Opt-Out)
Students who have an alternate health insurance plan with comparable coverage in the state of Massachusetts may be eligible to waive (opt out of) the Wentworth Student Health Insurance Plan. To do so, they must complete the online waiver form by the deadline communicated to them via their Wentworth email.
- The Health Insurance Waiver Questions help UnitedHealthcare determine whether your current health plan qualifies you to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). It's important to answer these questions accurately, which may require checking with your current health insurance provider to confirm your plan's coverage details.
Health Insurance Waiver Questions – AY25-26
Are you an international student and hold an F1 or J1 visa?
Is your policy underwritten and/or administered by a United States-based company or a sponsored plan?
Are you receiving services from the Health Safety Net?
Are you enrolled in MassHealth Limited or the Children’s Medical Security Program?
Are you covered under a non-Massachusetts state Medicaid plan? (i.e., Husky Health, MaineCare, NH Medicaid, Rhode Island Medical Assistance Program, Green Mountain Care, Dr. Dynasaur, or Vermont Health Connect, etc.)
Does your individual health insurance plan or employer-sponsored health insurance plan provide coverage for health services, including preventive and primary care, emergency services, surgical services, hospitalization benefits, mental health care services, and ambulatory patient services in the Boston area as defined as Essential Health Benefits by the Affordable Care Act?
Does your insurance plan provide outpatient and inpatient mental health services with providers in the Boston area and/or telehealth providers while you are in the Boston area?
Does your plan provide coverage for prescription medications?
Requirements for Waiving the Health Insurance
- To waive the health insurance, visit the waiver link. For assistance, visit the tutorial for waiving the insurance.
- The waiver is required to be completed each academic year.
- The waiver must be completed by the semester's due dates of August 1 for fall, December 1 for spring and April 1 for summer to avoid holds and late payment fees.
- Students must either enroll in the Student Health Insurance or complete the online waiver by the semester's due date (10 days after the end of the Add/Drop period) for which the charge is applied. Once the waiver is completed and approved, a credit with the description "Health Insurance Waiver" will be added to the student's E-Bill.
- Failure to complete the online waiver by the deadlines will result in a mandated health insurance charge. Students will then be responsible for paying any outstanding balance in full.
Disqualified Alternate Health Insurance Plans
- MassHealth Limited, Health Safety Net, and Children's Medical Security Plans do not provide coverage that meets the Massachusetts state requirements for student health insurance. Students who use these types of plans to fill out the health insurance waiver will be denied.
- Out-of-state Medicaid programs are also not accepted.
- Health insurance plans based outside of the United States are not accepted.
Please direct questions regarding the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and waiver process to the Center for Wellness at centerforwellness@wit.edu.
Please direct questions regarding the billing process to the Student Accounts Office at studentaccounts@wit.edu.
Accepted Insurance Plans at Carbon Student Health Services
Insurance Company | PPO | HMO/POS | CDHP | Medicaid | Medicare Advantage |
| Mass General | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Aetna | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| BILH | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Cigna | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| BCBS of MA | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes (HMO/PPO) |
| Harvard Pilgrim | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Hooray Health, LLC | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Humana | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Kaiser | All plans excluding Medicaid and Medicare | ||||
| Medicare | Part A/B applicable only | ||||
| Partners Direct | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Prime Healthcare | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Tufts Health Plan | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Sana Benefits | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| United Healthcare | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MassHealth | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A |
** Carbon Student Health Center accepts all PPO plans, | |||||
Click here to view a PDF version of Accepted Insurance Plans at Carbon Student Health Services.
Student Health Insurance Checklist (Comparison Chart)
The comparison chart below was created to help students and families compare their current health insurance plan with the coverage provided through Wentworth’s Student Health Insurance Plan (UnitedHealthcare Student Resources). It is strongly encouraged that all students and families review this information to ensure they have sufficient health and mental health coverage that is accepted by providers in the Boston area.
| Insurance Plan Offerings | Wentworth SHIP | Your Plan |
| Insurance benefits will be paid at 100% for Covered Medical Expenses incurred when treatment is rendered at the Carbon Student Health Center | ✔ | |
| No deductible using preferred providers / $250 deductible out-of-network providers | ✔ | |
| Low co-pays on prescription drugs, office visits and medical emergencies | ✔ | |
| Health insurance plan is provided by a company licensed to do business in the United States, with a U.S. claims payment office and contact information | ✔ | |
| Will be active for an annual duration (August 28 - August 27) | ✔ | |
| Provides access to Boston based doctors, specialists, hospitals, and other health care providers | ✔ | |
| Provides access to preventative care services such as physicals, vaccines, and other preventative care needs | ✔ | |
| Is NOT an out-of-state Medicaid plan | ✔ | |
| Is NOT an HMO without an away-from-home rider | ✔ | |
| Is NOT a catastrophic care only plan | ✔ | |
| Provides coverage for reproductive health services | ✔ | |
| Provides coverage for inpatient hospitalizations, surgery, ambulance services, and emergency room treatment in the Boston area | ✔ | |
| Provides coverage for mental health services, including inpatient and outpatient treatment, substance abuse services, and psychiatric services | ✔ | |
| Provides prescription drug coverage with reasonable co-pay tiers | ✔ | |
| Has unlimited annual and lifetime benefits (no maximum dollar limit) | ✔ | |
| Provides coverage in both Massachusetts as well as other U.S. states for when students are home on breaks | ✔ |
Click here to view a PDF version of the Student Health Insurance Checklist (Comparison Chart)