Dear Student,
All Tufts students are required to have health insurance (it’s a Massachusetts state law). Accordingly, all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled half-time or more are automatically enrolled in and billed for the student health insurance plan at Tufts. If, however, you are covered by a separate policy through a U.S.-based insurance company that is comparable to the student health insurance plan, you have the option of waiving your student health insurance. If you are not sure if your insurance policy is considered comparable, please contact your insurance company. You can use the waiver questions as a guide. Please note that Health Service uses Quest Diagnostics as a reference lab, so you will need to ensure that your plan includes Quest as an in-network lab.
The waiver process is required every year a student is enrolled at Tufts. If you are covered by a separate health insurance policy for 2022–23 and would like to waive the student health insurance plan, please do so between June 1 and July 31. Failure to waive the student health insurance will enroll you in the plan starting August 20, 2022 through August 19, 2023. Please note: graduate students who have met tuition charges will not be automatically enrolled in the student health insurance and would need to contact studenthealthinsurance@tufts.edu to request enrollment without a gap in coverage.
How to waive the student health insurance plan
- Visit your SIS account.
- Click on the Bills & Balances tab to access the Health Insurance Waiver.
- Clicking on the Submit Waiver hyperlink will transfer you to the UnitedHealthcare Student Center where you will answer questions and provide your insurance policy information.
- Once the waiver is approved, a credit will be applied to your SIS account within one business day.
- If your waiver is denied, you can send an email to studenthealthinsurance@tufts.edu with the appeal reason for review and determination.
Please note: all waivers are subject to an audit process.
Can my parents complete the health insurance waiver?
If you would like a parent or other individual to complete the Health Insurance Waiver on your behalf, you can provide them with "invited viewer" access to your SIS account. You must grant access to both Bills & Balances and Insurance Waiver. For more information about this process, please visit the Registrar's Invited Viewer Access web page.
How to enroll in the student health insurance at a later time
If you have a qualifying life event and need to enroll in the student health insurance at a later time, you can contact studenthealthinsurance@tufts.edu with your request and a letter from your latest insurance plan showing your coverage termination date. You will be enrolled, and a prorated premium and health fee will be charged to your SIS account.
If you are keeping the student health insurance
If you do not waive or your waiver is denied, you can download your insurance cards on August 19 via the UHCSR website. The student health insurance provides coverage anywhere in the U.S. with a robust network of providers, as well as worldwide. Health Service is the primary care site. When services cannot be provided at Health Service, our office will assist you in finding a provider. For more information, please visit go.tufts.edu/studenthealthinsurance or review this informational document.
If you have any questions about the waiver process and the student health insurance, please contact the Insurance Coordinator, Ruth Aguila, at studenthealthinsurance@tufts.edu.
A note about Optional Tuition Insurance
While we are on the subject of insurance, we would like to remind you that Tufts offers an Optional Tuition Insurance plan that many of our families have found attractive.
The TRP works in concert with the Tufts University refund policy as published in the University Bulletin. Subscribers are eligible for a 75% refund of insured fees throughout the term even though the University refund schedule may have expired at the time of withdrawal. For withdrawals occurring during the first six weeks of the semester, the TRP benefits are coordinated with and reduced by the University's refund policy.
Participation in the Tuition Refund Plan is entirely optional, but we strongly encourage you to consider enrolling. If you wish to enroll online, please submit the application and payment by the first day of classes, September 6, 2022. Applications cannot be accepted after that date. Questions can be directed to Dewar at 617-774-1555 or to Health and Wellness at Tufts at 617-627-3350.
Best wishes,
Tufts Health and Wellness Business Office
