Health Insurance

Western New England University requires all full-time students to have health insurance in accordance with Massachusetts state law (M.G.L. c. 15A, § 18).

Students will be automatically enrolled in the WNE student health insurance plan (SHIP). If a student has a health insurance plan that meets waiver requirements, they will be allowed to submit a waiver and opt out of the WNE sponsored insurance. Our carrier is Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA and is adminis­tered by Insurance for Students (IFS).

Students are billed annually and charges will appear on the student’s tuition bill.

Waiving the WNE SHIP requirement

To waive the SHIP, students must have:

• A U.S.-based plan that is fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act.
• Coverage that meets or exceeds the plan provided by WNE.
• Comprehensive coverage (not just emergency services) in Springfield, MA.

The following do not qualify to waive:

• Out-of-state Medicaid
• Out of state HMO, EPO, POS
• Short-term plans.
• Travel insurance

Eligible students must provide proof of comparable coverage annually by submitting their insurance ID card and plan summary of coverage by the specified deadline to avoid being automatically enrolled in the SHIP.

Insurance for Students (IFS) will process all waiver requests on behalf of WNE to ensure that stated coverage matches the requirements of M.G.L. c. 15A, § 18. Once a waiver has been granted, WNE is notified and the charges on the student’s bill will be removed.

International students are not eligible to waive and are automatically enrolled in the SHIP.

956 CMR: COMMONWEALTH HEALTH INSURANCE CONNECTOR AUTHORITY 8.05: continued (c) A School may not waive participation for: 1. Students determined to be receiving services paid for by the Health Safety Net or Students enrolled in MassHealth Limited or the Children’s Medical Security Program; 2. Students with coverage from insurance Carriers outside the U.S. and coverage by foreign National Health Service programs, unless the Student is studying in a foreign country and the Student's insurance provides coverage in that location; and 3. Students with a Health Benefit Plan that provides coverage through a closed network of providers, not reasonably accessible in the area where the Student attends School, for all but Emergency Services. (d) A School may establish additional criteria for plans to be considered comparable so long as the as the minimum requirements of 956 CMR 8.05(2)(a) are satisfied. (e) It is the responsibility of the Student seeking to waive participation in his or her School's Student Health Insurance Program - not the School in which the Student is enrolled - to determine whether the Student's Health Benefit Plan has comparable coverage as defined in 956 CMR 8.05(2).

Requesting a Waiver

1. Log onto www.insuranceforstudents.com/wne. Students may log in using their WNE single sign-on credentials.
2. Look for the “ENROLL or WAIVE” button.

If you are waiving the insurance, you will need the information found on your current health insurance ID card; please have that information available when you are ready to waive the program.

Deadlines for waivers

Waiver requests can be submitted beginning June 8, 2024. Deadlines are time sensitive, so please make note of them.

Have questions?

Contact Insurance for Students (IFS) toll-free at 1-800-356-1235 or by emailing Buddy@fhsmail.com.

In addition, you may email healthservices@wne.edu or call our Center for Health and Well-Being at 413-782-1211.

NOTE: This is an annual process for all students each year that they are at WNE.