Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of MA is the claims administrator and insurance company for the Student Health Insurance Plan. BCBS is responsible for answering questions about insurance benefits, processing claims, and helping with online account access. If you have questions for BCBS, please call 888-753-6615.

University Health Plans (UHP) is the broker/plan manager and handles the enrollment and waiver process for the BCBS Student Health Insurance Plan. Please call UHP at 833-251-1725 if you have any questions about the enrollment and waiver process or if there are customer service issues with BCBS.

A PPO is a Preferred Provider Organization. It is a type of Preferred Provider Option health insurance plan that allows you to see any doctor or specialist of your choice. It does not require that you have a primary care physician. The BCBS Student Blue Plan is a PPO plan.

An in-network provider is one contracted with BCBS preferred Provider Option plan to provide services to plan members for specific pre-negotiated rates. An out-of-network provider is one not contracted with BCBS or the BCBS Preferred Provider Option plan. Typically, if you visit a physician or other provider within the network, the amount you will be responsible for paying will be less than if you go to an out-of-network provider. For example, BCBS might pay 100% of the contract rate minus your co-payment for an in-network doctor's office visit compared to only 80% for an out-of-network provider.

To find a list of participating providers in the BCBS network, please visit https://member.bluecrossma.com/fad.

If you see provider who is not part of the BCBS network, you will have to pay more out of your own pocket and will be responsible for any applicable co-insurance and any amount above the usual and customary fee for providers. It is to your advantage to see a preferred care provider to maximize your benefits.

BCBS is required to provide Form 1095-B, Health Coverage yearly to enrolled members for tax purposes. SSNs are not provided to BCBS when you are enrolled in the SHIP. Therefore, if you are a domestic student filing taxes in the U.S., or a parent/guardian claims you on their taxes, you should follow the instructions in the letter and report your SSN to BCBS. International students typically do not have SSNs or file taxes in the US and can disregard the notice. If you have any questions about the notice, please contact BCBS Member Services at 888-753-6615.

Tax forms are mailed by the end of January for the prior calendar year to your address of record on file with BCBS. To request a copy, please contact BCBS Member Services at 888-753-6615.

All ID cards are digital only. BCBS will not mail a physical ID card. To access your digital ID card, first look up your BCBS Member ID number using the Insurance ID Card link on the left-hand side of the page for your school at www.universityhealthplans.com. Then use that Member ID to register at https://member.bluecrossma.com/register. Important Note: Your Social Security number was not provided to BCBS. When registering, use your Student ID number.

Yes, you can download the MyBlue mobile app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You will need your BCBS member ID number to create an account or your username and password you set up when you first created an account in order to log in.

You should contact BCBS customer service at 888-753-6615 to request a mailed ID Card.

Yes. If you are scheduling an appointment with a provider, you should inform the office of the plan type that is on your insurance card.

Your Student Health Insurance Plan may require you to contact BCBS when you are being admitted to the hospital on an inpatient basis. Outpatient services, including day surgery and emergency room visits, may not need to be pre-certified. Please check your plan document by visiting www.universityhealthplans.com.

Yes. No matter where you travel as a student, you are covered under the student health insurance medical plan worldwide 24 hours a day. To learn more about the worldwide program and access BCBS's worldwide network of providers please visit www.BCBS.com/bluecardworldwide or call the BlueCard Worldwide Service Center at 800-810-2583 or call collect at 804-673-1177. In-network hospitals will directly bill BCBS for services. Office visits, prescriptions, or other outpatient services will have to be paid for up-front and then the member can submit a claim form to BCBS for reimbursement. Please visit www.BCBS.com/bluecardworldwide to download an international claim form.

If you are enrolled in the student health insurance medical plan, you may be eligible for additional traveling services through Chartis. You may be covered for accidental death and dismemberment, evacuation, and repatriation coverage. Please contact UHP at 833-251-1725 for additional info on coverage limits.

The BCBS Student Health Insurance Plan provides coverage for medically necessary treatment of substance abuse and mental illness conditions. Generally, the extent of coverage depends on whether the treatment is provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Please refer to you student health insurance plan document for specific details or call the BCBS Customer Service at 888-753-6615.

The BCBS Student Health Insurance Plan provides coverage for a pregnancy on the same basis as any other medical condition. Please refer to your BCBS student health insurance plan document for specific details or call BCBS at 888-753-6615.

Please refer to your health insurance plan document at www.universityhealthplans.com to check to see if your plan provides prescription coverage. Prescription information will be located on the left-hand side of the page.

You can go to any pharmacy that is part of the BCBS Management network. If you need to get a provider listing or inquire about a participating pharmacy, please contact BCBS Customer Service at 888-753-6615.

Please update your personal information at your school first, then you can email the new information to info@univhealthplans.com or call UHP at 833-251-1725 to update so that your record can be updated with BCBS.

You can enroll in the BCBS plan after the enrollment deadline should a qualifying event (loss of other coverage) occur while school is in session, and you are actively attending classes. Examples of qualifying events include reaching the dependent age limit under a parent's policy, marriage, etc. You must supply written proof that your other coverage has terminated through a qualifying event. Once you have terminated coverage from your current insurance carrier, you have 60 days after your termination to enroll in the BCBS Student Health Insurance Plan.

Insured students who withdraw from school after the 31st day following the first date of eligibility of the policy period will remain enrolled in the qualified Student Health Insurance Plan for the full period for which the premium was paid. There will be no refund of premium.

Students who meet eligibility for Spring termination may be able to request the termination at the end of the fall semester policy period. Please contact University Health Plans by email info@univhealthplans.com or phone at 833-251-1725 to review your eligibility for early termination. Please note, no other early termination periods are available, eligibility and deadlines apply for spring termination requests.

Please refer to your BCBS student health insurance plan document at www.universityhealthplans.com or call UHP at 833-251-1725 to see if your plan provides dependent coverage.

The enrollment and waiver process is unique to each school. You may be able to change your decision if it is not past the enrollment/waiver deadline date. Please send an email with your name, school name, student ID and enrollment form confirmation number to info@univhealthplans.com requesting we remove your enrollment form so you can submit a waiver.

The process to submit a waiver is unique for each school. Information about your school’s waiver process can be found at www.universityhealthplans.com, select your college or university from the drop-down menu and click on the “Waiver Form” link, located in the left-hand side navigation menu.

Your school may require a waiver annually or each semester. Please carefully review the waiver form to confirm how long your waiver is valid through. You MUST complete a new waiver for each waiver period as required by your school.

International waiver requirements are unique to each school. Prior to purchasing any plan, please confirm the plan meets your school’s international waiver requirements.

Please email us at info@univhealthplans.com or call us at 833-251-1725 to update. If emailing, please include your new or updated insurance information.

The waiver process is unique to each school. Please refer to your waiver confirmation email for processing timeframe. Important: Some schools do not remove the charge for insurance but instead apply a credit for the same amount, cancelling out the insurance charge.

If you visit an In-Network BCBS Preferred Provider, the provider MUST file a medical claim on your behalf. The only time that you would need to fill out a claim form is if your pharmacy or provider does not participate with BCBS and bills you directly and you pay out of pocket at the time of service.

You can obtain a copy of the medical claim form or Rx claim form by visiting www.bluecrossma.org.

Other insurance may be responsible for paying the claim; the services may not be covered according to the exclusions listed in your Plan Document available online at www.universityhealthplans.com; the claim may not have occurred while you were covered; or the charges may be greater than what is Reasonable and Customary. A letter or explanation of benefits from BCBS will accompany any denial of claim.

You will be asked for a description of the accident, information on any other insurance coverage which you hold and perhaps a police report. A letter from BCBS will be sent to you requesting the pertinent information.

You can check the status of a claim that you or the provider has submitted by registering for a MyBlue Member Account online at https://member.bluecrossma.com/register or by contacting BCBS at 888-753-6615.

The BCBS Student Health Insurance Plan covers members for certain dental services until they reach the age of 19. Members 19 and over are not covered for any dental services under the medical plan.

Yes, a voluntary dental plan is available for MA students and their dependents. Please visit www.universityhealthplans.com, click on Additional Products & Services, and select Dental Insurance to learn more about the benefits and the enrollment process.

Yes, a voluntary vision plan is available for MA students and their dependents. Please visit www.universityhealthplans.com, click on Additional Products & Services, and select Vision Insurance to learn more about the benefits and the enrollment process.

No, even if you waive the BCBS coverage you are eligible for the MA Dental and MA Vision coverage. Enrollment is open to all students attending a College or University in Massachusetts.

Unfortunately, if the deadline has passed then the opportunity to enroll is no longer available. You may be eligible to enroll for the next coverage period when open enrollment begins. Enrollment is optional and not required by your school.

Your insurance will remain effective through the end of your school’s current policy period for which you are enrolled. (Example: your plan provides coverage through August 14th, and you have a May graduation date, you will remain enrolled through August 14th). Please note, if you are graduating after fall semester, your school may enroll by semester in which you will end coverage the end of the fall coverage period and not be eligible for spring coverage.

No, the plan is not available to continue once your plan ends. You must meet plan eligibility to be able to enroll.

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) is a federal mandate requiring employers to offer extension of health care benefits to their employees after termination of employment. The Student Health Plan is not an employer plan and therefore COBRA is not available.