Student Health Insurance
Health Insurance is Required
Colby requires all students, including students participating in Colby-billed programs (such as Colby at Bigelow Laboratory, Colby in Dijon, Colby in Salamanca, and Associated Kyoto in Japan), to certify proof of health insurance coverage on an annual basis. To meet this requirement, students must either demonstrate their own insurance coverage with a U.S. based carrier, or enroll in the Colby Student Health Insurance Plan (“Colby SHIP”), administered by the Wellfleet Insurance Company and serviced by Cross Insurance.
Colby Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
The Colby SHIP (also known as the “Wellfleet” plan) is a comprehensive major medical insurance plan that utilizes the national Cigna network of medical doctors and hospitals, and it is fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act. It is designed to align with services available through Colby health services at MaineGeneral College Health and Colby Counseling Services. For more information, students can review the summary of benefits, provider network, and exclusions.
All Students Are Billed
In July, all full-time, enrolled students in the fall will be billed for the $2,493 annual premium for Colby SHIP coverage beginning on August 1st, 2024 and ending July 31st, 2025. For students who will be enrolled in a college-billed program for the spring semester only, the spring health insurance premium of $1,448 will be charged on the student account statement for coverage beginning on January 1st, 2025 and ending July 31st, 2025. For students who already have comparable health insurance coverage with a U.S. based carrier, charges will be reversed upon the successful completion of the online waiver form.
Annual Enrollment or Waiver Process
All students must complete the online enrollment or waiver form each year in order to enroll in the Colby SHIP, or to waive coverage. The form is due by August 1, 2024 for the fall, and by January 1, 2025 for the spring. Students electing to waive Colby’s insurance coverage must provide proof of their own comparable coverage by submitting their current insurance information. The Colby SHIP premium charge will only be reversed when a student’s waiver request has been approved by Wellfleet. Details about the required coverage, benefits summary, and exclusions/limitations can be found online in the Wellfleet health insurance brochure.
International Students will be Automatically Enrolled
For the 2024-25 school year, all international students will be enrolled in Colby’s student health insurance plan and will be billed for the $2,493 annual premium. For this reason, international students will not be required to complete the online enrollment or waiver form. If you are an international student with a U.S. based health insurance carrier, and you believe you do not need the Colby SHIP, please reach out to the Assistant Director of Student Financial Services, Megan Aube at [email protected]
Resources & Information
Details about the required coverage, benefits summary, and list of exclusions/limitations can be found online in the Wellfleet health insurance brochure. Additional resources can be found below:
Who to Contact for Questions Related to: |
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Colby Student Financial Services 207-859-4132 Garrison-Foster, Room 126 |
Colby Student Wellness & Health Resources 207-859-4462 Garrison-Foster, Room 205 |
(877) 657-5030 customerservice@ studentinsurance.com |
(800) 537-6444 Lisa.Farrington@ crossagency.com |
Financial Assistance
Funds are available to assist a limited number of students in need each year who do not have coverage at home. Over 350 students received this assistance during the 2023-24 school year.
To be considered for possible assistance, students should complete their financial aid application by the April 30th deadline, and complete the online enrollment form by August 1, 2024 for the fall or January 1st, 2025 for the spring, indicating that they do not already have adequate or comparable insurance coverage. Student Financial Services (SFS) will review eligibility after the enrollment/waiver deadline(s) has passed. Any funding will be applied to students’ accounts soon thereafter.
Students who received assistance with the health insurance subsidy in prior years are ecouraged to complete all the steps outlined above for reconsideration. Please be mindful that receiving the subsidy in prior years does not guarantee that you will receive the subsidy again in subsequent years.
Frequently Asked Questions
A comprehensive list of frequently asked questions is available from Cross Insurance here: Colby Student Health Insurance FAQs