Health Insurance
School Health Plan (SHP)
Each year, all full- and 3/4-time students, regardless of insurance status, must enroll in the qualifying SHP or waive the plan and report their own comparable health insurance coverage. This is required by Massachusetts Regulations to ensure that students have adequate coverage. The school is required to offer a qualifying health plan known as the SHP. Any 3/4 and FT students attending an on campus program can purchase this plan which meets Massachusetts, federal and visa requirements. All international students will be automatically enrolled in the SHP. The SHP becomes the student's primary coverage plan and the student is the subscriber.
For information about the SHP coverage, costs, enrollment or the waiver process please go to the University Health Plans website. For more information please email University Health Plans or call them at 800-437-6448.
Tools for Assessing Health Plans
The Health Center and the Student Health Advisory Committee have developed a Health Coverage Comparison Worksheet (PDF) to help with comparisons between the SHP and other options you may have. Please review these requirements to assure you have adequate coverage where you are attending school. You may need to purchase a rider, additional coverage or the SHP. It is important for you to consider that plans with high deductibles and co-insurances place you at risk for incurring significant out of pocket expenses well beyond the cost of the SHP. Please also consider potential mental health access needs and assure you have coverage in the area.
Student Financial Services has financial literacy modules called iGrad, including one on insurance.
Please note, health insurance plans marketed solely to international students are often not filed in the U.S., have limited benefits and/or coverage periods that do not comply with the Massachusetts Student Health Plan Regulations and the Brandeis University waiver requirements. ISO, PSI, Student Medicover and NYIS Insurance are examples of companies that do not meet the waiver requirements but market their plans to international students.
Additionally, Please note that federal and state guidelines prohibit international students with access to a School Health Plan from eligibility for publicly funded health insurance plans.
Obtaining Insurance Cards
Upon enrollment in the SHP, insurance cards will be sent to undergraduate student mailboxes, domestic graduate students' listed addresses, and international graduate students' department mailstops.
An insurance card is not always needed to access care, but you will need to know your insurance membership information. This can be accessed online at University Health Plans.
Submitting Claims for Insurance Reimbursement of Health Services
Brandeis University has asked the Health Center to bill for its services to offset the costs of health services. The school covers all co-pays for visits at the Health Center out of student fees.
Off-site services such as laboratory testing, specialty providers seen outside of the Health Center, and pharmacy services — even those delivered to the Health Center — are billed to patient insurance plans by these providers directly. Students will be responsible to these providers for costs not covered by their insurance.
It is the responsibility of the student to let the staff know if they have specific insurance requirements for laboratory providers, specialty providers, and pharmaceuticals. If a student has a concern regarding confidentiality of services related to billing they should bring that up with their provider at the time of the visit.