The Commonwealth of Massachusetts mandates accident and sickness insurance coverage for all full-time and 3/4-time students attending college in the state. Students must be enrolled in a health insurance plan which provides reasonably comprehensive coverage (see bulleted list below) for healthcare services.
There are 2 insurance plan options available to students:
- Enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan, BCBS of MA, offered by Wheaton College. This plan fulfills the state requirements by providing access to care in the Norton, MA area and coverage for diagnostic testing, lab services, prescription drugs, mental health services, inpatient and outpatient hospital services, and emergency services. If you choose this option, nothing more is required; the college automatically enrolls students in this plan.
- Continued enrollment in your current health insurance plan that provides coverage which is equal to that provided by the plan offered by Wheaton. If you choose this option, please submit an online insurance waiver form available in mid-July or mid-December (for students entering in January). Please note: There are specific deadlines related to online waiver submissions.
How does your health insurance plan compare to the college-sponsored Blue Cross Blue Shield plan?
Download a health insurance 2022-2023 Plan Comparison Worksheet (pdf) to determine which plan may be best.
If you choose to waive the Student Health Insurance plan offered by Wheaton, you are strongly encouraged to check with your insurance company to confirm that your plan provides in-network and out-of-network coverage for:
- Routine (not “urgent” or “emergency”) care in the Norton, MA area
- Sturdy Health Primary Care – Norton physician Dr. Mark Umphrey/Sturdy Memorial Associates
- Specialists in the Norton, MA area
- Diagnostic testing (at Sturdy Memorial Hospital or another local facility)
- Lab services (at Sturdy Memorial Hospital or another local facility)
- Prescription drugs
- Mental health services in the Norton, MA area
- Inpatient and outpatient hospital services in the Norton, MA area
- Emergency services/ambulance services
If you belong to an HMO, an out-of-state Medicaid, or a plan like Kaiser that does not provide coverage for the above services in the Norton area, you must participate in the Student Health Insurance plan offered by Wheaton or in another comparable insurance plan.
In order to waive enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan, an online waiver verifying enrollment in a comparable health insurance plan by a U.S. health insurance provider must be completed by the stated deadline.
All international students are required to enroll in the college-sponsored plan. The purpose of this policy is to ensure timely and quality health care while attending Wheaton College.
Students who do not complete and submit the online waiver will be assessed the full year premium.
Students do not need to enroll in the college-sponsored BCBS health insurance plan in order to receive health care at Sturdy Health Primary Care – Norton, Wheaton’s designated Student Health Center.
In most cases, if you choose to participate in the Student Health Insurance plan in addition to maintaining enrollment in your personal health insurance plan, your personal health insurance is considered secondary and the college’s student health plan is considered primary. The Accident Only plan (generally for athletes who need extra coverage to meet the NCAA guidelines) is always considered a secondary plan.
Health insurance information for new grads: Young Invincibles, Graduate Care through the Gallagher Koster Insurance Company, and HealthCare.gov