As you prepare for the 2011-2012 academic year, we urge you to consider your health insurance coverage a priority. Massachusetts state law requires all students enrolled at least 75% of full-time credits to have adequate health insurance coverage. To read the details on this law and health insurance requirements, see the Massachusetts Division of Health Care document:

114.6 CMR 3.00: Student Health Insurance

To ensure compliance with the Massachusetts state regulations, Hampshire College students are automatically enrolled in and billed for the student medical insurance plan.

All students are charged for Hampshire College health insurance through Gallagher Koster. If you are covered under another plan and can provide your policy information, you may waive the College's insurance and your student account will be credited. Not all plans provide comparable coverage to the Hampshire College Student Medical Insurance Plan, such as out-of-state Medicaid plans, Commonwealth Care, certain HMOs, and managed care plans. Be sure to check with your insurance company before waiving coverage. Fees charged for the student medical insurance plan are not associated with the campus student health service fee.

Note: Short-term coverage (coverage that is not enforced for the entire academic year) is not comparable coverage.

You have the option to enroll in the medical insurance plan for the spring 2012 semester, even if you were not enrolled in the fall 2011 plan. Please visit the Gallagher Koster website at http://www.kosterweb.com/ for details.

Health Plan Waivers

If you wish to waive the student insurance (see instructions) you must do so by August 12, 2011 for the fall or by March 2, 2012 for the spring semester. All waiver requests must be made online at http://www.kosterweb.com/

If you do not process your online waiver application, your enrollment in the student medical insurance plan is automatic, and you will remain enrolled in and billed for the student insurance plan for the entire policy year.

If you have a valid waiver for the fall 2011 semester, a spring 2012 waiver is not necessary.

Waiving insurance in the spring semester only applies to the incoming first-year students or to students who are returning from leave. All others must petition Gallagher Koster Insurance at 800.457.5599 or http://www.kosterweb.com/ for a waiver.

Petition to Add Student Medical Insurance Plan

In the event students waive the student medical insurance plan coverage and then lose current coverage due to a qualifying event , (i.e. parent loss of coverage or the maximum age limit available is attained), students have the right to petition to add coverage within 31 days of the qualifying event. If the petition is received within 31 days of the qualifying event, there will be no break in coverage. For petitions received after the 31 days, the effective date of coverage will be the date that the petition is received at Gallagher Koster. If approved, the premium will not be prorated.

Insurance for Special Circumstances

• Foreign medical insurance coverage is not acceptable under Massachusetts law. Therefore, you cannot waive coverage unless you are currently enrolled in an U.S.-based insurance company comparable to the Hampshire College student medical insurance plan.
• Leave of absence students must request insurance through the College.
• Insurance is required for field study students, and can be waived if they have comparable coverage. The student will be automatically enrolled.
• Leave of absence and field study students are eligible to have coverage continue for a maximum of two semesters if they had insurance coverage the preceding term. If the insurance was waived the preceding term, they are not eligible for Koster's insurance.
• Leave exchange students (outgoing) are required to have insurance. Students can waive the insurance if their private carriers will cover them out of the United States. This must be approved via Gallagher Koster's waiver plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

In addition to the above resources, you may also find information you need in the Gallagher Koster FAQ document. (PDF)