HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance is mandatory for:

• All full-time, domestic undergraduate students
• All international students (undergraduate and graduate). Information regarding international student health insurance can be found on the Office of International Student & Scholar Services website.

Don’t Confuse Health Insurance with the Student Health Fee

Each semester, as part of tuition, all registered students pay a student health fee that supports the Decker Student Health Services Center programs and services. Since the fee is pre-paid, you won’t be charged for office visits to the center, as well as many medications and other services (see Free or Fee for details). The student health fee doesn’t cover off-campus care, that’s why health insurance is so important.

Why You Should Have Health Insurance

Health insurance helps with medical expenses incurred by receiving medical care off campus. This could happen if:

• You visit an emergency room when the Decker Student Health Services Center is closed
• You go to a walk-in clinic when the Decker Student Health Services Center is closed
• Decker Student Health Services Center staff send you off campus for urgent care, stitches, X-rays, etc.
• You need to be hospitalized
• You need specialist care
• You need surgery

If you’re enrolled in a managed care plan in your home community, your coverage may not be adequate when you’re away from home. The University’s student plan often provides important support for high deductibles, out-of-network charges or charges from nonparticipating providers.

Waiving Health Insurance: Domestic Undergraduate Students Only

All domestic undergraduate students (full- and part-time) are automatically enrolled in the University’s Student Accident and Sickness Plan unless you waive this plan by submitting an online Health Insurance Waiver through BU Brain by the 6th week of classes. Instructions on submitting the waiver are available on this Student Accounts website. If you don’t submit the waiver on time, you’ll be responsible for paying for the insurance.

Because full-time domestic undergraduate students are required to have health insurance, either through your parents’ coverage or through a student insurance policy, your online waiver must identify the specifics of the alternate coverage before your enrollment in the University plan can be waived. Part-time students who do not have alternate coverage and who wish to waive the University plan cannot use the online process, and should instead contact Student Accounts at 607-777-2702.

If you waive the University insurance plan, we’ll assume you don’t need coverage in subsequent semesters unless you inform us that you do.

Before waiving the University plan, be sure your current coverage can be used for outpatient (laboratory and radiology) services and specialist referrals in the Binghamton area. Local systems include UHS and Lourdes Hospital. And if you’re waiving the student plan, make sure you understand about your insurance coverage and have important insurance information (contact information, plan and group numbers, etc.) on hand.