Eastern Nazarene College
STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN

2023-2024 Policy Year

Insurance Requirement

Eastern Nazarene College is committed to promoting good health and meeting the medical needs of its students. An appropriate health insurance plan is critical in providing peace of mind knowing that students have access to comprehensive health care to receive the services they need in the event of a sickness or injury. It is also necessary to facilitate compliance with Massachusetts state law.  All students registered in semester-length courses, with an enrollment status of at least ¾ time, must participate in the ENC-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) unless they submit a waiver demonstrating that they are covered by a comparable plan. See the waiver process below for more information on comparable coverage. Students who do not take action to submit a waiver or enrollment form by the deadline will be enrolled in the SHIP retroactively to the policy effective date and responsible for the SHIP cost.

Insurance Cost & Coverage Periods 

	Annual Students 2023FA - 2024SP	Newly Eligible Spring Students Spring 2024
Coverage Dates	August 15, 2023 – August 14, 2024	January 01, 2024 – August 14, 2024
Cost	$2,400.00	$1,489
Deadline - Traditional Undergraduate	July 31, 2023	January 31, 2024
Deadline - Adult & Graduate Studies	August 31, 2023	March 31, 2024

Student Health Insurance Plan Highlights

The SHIP is an Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant plan insured by Wellfleet and includes access to Cigna’s national network of PPO providers. Students do not have to select a primary care physician, and referrals are not required. University Health Plans works with ENC to administer the SHIP and help with any enrollment, waiver, or general benefit-related questions. For specific benefit questions or claims, students should contact Wellfleet directly. A copy of the Wellfleet benefit information can be viewed or downloaded from this website. (See the sidebar on the left.)

Enrollment Process

Although students are automatically charged for the SHIP, student information is not transferred to Wellfleet until after the deadline. Students should submit an enrollment form as soon as possible to avoid difficulties accessing their health insurance benefits. Please allow up to 7 days after submitting the enrollment form for the student information to be active in the insurance company's database. We strongly recommend that students complete the enrollment process early, if possible, so they have time to research, decide, and activate their enrollment before coming to campus and before the start of the semester. Students who do not submit an enrollment (or waiver) form by the deadline will be enrolled in the SHIP retroactively to the policy effective date and responsible for the insurance premium.

Waiver Process

Massachusetts requires students to be insured by a plan comparable to the SHIP, filed and approved in the US, and compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A waiver (or enrollment) form is required each academic year. Before waiving, it is the student’s responsibility to compare the SHIP's cost, geographical coverage area, and benefits to their existing plan. Please allow 10-15 business days from the date of your waiver submission for the credit to be reflected on your student bill. We strongly recommend that students complete the waiver process early, if possible, so they have time to research and confirm their insurance coverage or change their decision prior to coming to campus and before the start of the semester.

Although your insurance plan may provide good benefits when you are in your home state or country, ensuring it will adequately cover you in this area while attending school is important. It is your responsibility to contact your insurance company and determine that it will meet the following requirements:

• Your plan must cover essential health benefits, including preventive and primary care (in addition to only urgent care or emergency services), surgical services, hospitalization benefits, ambulatory patient services, mental health services, and prescription drugs.
• The above benefits must be accessible to the student in the area near Quincy, Massachusetts.
• Your plan must be filed and approved in the U.S. and compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or be an Embassy Sponsored health plan.

If you are a new international student or a new non-U.S. resident, you are required to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) during your first academic year at ENC.

Returning students planning on using non-ENC health insurance are responsible for ensuring that their plan is effective on or before August 15, 2023 (Fall Enrollment) or January 1, 2024 (Spring Enrollment).

Coverage limits and network options must be comparable to or better than the ENC student health insurance plan. Comparable plans must also be filed and approved in the US and compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Plans available to international students only or plans such as ISO, Cigna Global, GBG insurance, HDL Global, Tigerless, PGH (United), PSI, Tokio Marine, International Medical Group, and Student Medicover, as well as any insurance plan or company marketed as “international” or “travel” are examples of plans that are not filed and approved in the US and are not compliant with the ACA. 

Any waiver may be reviewed, and if the plan does not meet the requirements, you will be notified and manually enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan. The charge for the Health Insurance will remain on your student bill.

Eligibility

If the student drops below the minimum credits within the first 31 days of classes, the student is ineligible for the SHIP. Coverage will be retroactively terminated, and premiums will be refunded (pending a claims review). If the student waives coverage, they may only voluntarily enroll later if they have a qualifying life event.

Termination

Once enrolled and eligibility is met, students cannot terminate the coverage period in which they are enrolled. An exception is granted for the spring coverage period if the student does not return to ENC for the spring semester or enrolls in MassHealth or a subsidized MA Health Connector plan prior to the start of the spring semester.

Qualifying Event Enrollment

Students who waived the SHIP during their initial eligibility may qualify for special enrollment rights if they have one of the following life events. The deadline to submit the qualifying life event enrollment form is 60 days from the event date, and supporting documentation is required. Examples of a qualifying event include:

• Loss of other coverage
• No longer living in the prior plan's service area

Sincerely,