Health Insurance
The state of Massachusetts and Brandeis University require that full- and three-quarter-time undergraduate students have health insurance that meets the state regulations. Students who have comparable health insurance coverage of their own must provide documentation of this insurance to the Brandeis Health Center each year in order to be permitted to register for courses. Medicaid, Medicare and Commonwealth Care (except for the State of Massachusetts, MASSHEALTH and Commonwealth Choice) do not meet the state regulations. Comparable coverage must be provided through carriers which are based in the United States.
Undergraduate students may select the university-sponsored Qualifying Student Health Insurance Plan (QSHIP), or arrange comparable coverage through another insurance carrier. Students who do not provide the Health Center with documentation of another carrier will be automatically enrolled in the QSHIP, per state law. Do not wait to be automatically enrolled as there is a delay in coverage.
Students must provide the Health Center with this information every year. Please include a photocopy of the front and back of your insurance card. Insurance information is due by June 30 prior to the academic year starting in August.
Qualifying Student Health Insurance Plan (QSHIP)
The QSHIP is a preferred provider organization (PPO) plan. It provides you with a higher level of coverage when you receive medical care by physicians who are part of the plan’s network of preferred providers. The plan is designed to be used with the Health Service Fee, which allows covered students to use the Brandeis Health Center as their primary care facility.
Download the QSHIP brochure. (PDF)
Reporting Your Insurance to Brandeis
All undergraduate students are encouraged to select or report insurance coverage online in the Sage self-service system. If you report your information on Sage, you do not need to complete the Health Insurance Selection/Reporting Form (PDF). Please make a photocopy of the front and back of your insurance card, and send it to the Health Center.
If you are unable to access Sage, complete the Health Insurance Selection/Reporting Form (PDF) to enroll or to waive QSHIP by providing your private insurance information. We prefer that you mail us the completed form, as it is usually easier to read than a fax. Please print clearly.
Please mail the form to:
Brandeis University Health Center
415 South Street, MS 034
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
If you must fax the information, please print clearly. Our fax number is (781) 736-3675.
If you have private insurance in another state, please call your insurer to make sure you have adequate and comparable coverage while in Massachusetts, and that they will cover you for non urgent visits while you are here at Brandeis. It is important even if you have private insurance, that you carefully evaluate your coverage before waiving the Qualifying Student Health Insurance Plan. Your own insurance must provide coverage equivalent to or exceeding that of QSHIP. Please consider the following questions before making your choice.
- Will your current plan cover expenses incurred in the Boston area, or services provided by the Brandeis Health Center but not covered by the Health Service Fee?
- Does your plan cover you as long as you are a student at Brandeis? Some plans terminate coverage as of a particular age or based on enrollment status. What if you take a leave of absence, or travel abroad?
- Does your plan provide worldwide assistance with locating qualified medical care and emergency medical transportation if you become ill or injured away from either home or campus?
- Does your plan cover prescription drugs?