SHIP is Boston University’s health insurance plan for students. It is offered through Aetna, a large national health insurer. SHIP may be the best—and most affordable—option for covering your healthcare outside of Student Health Services (SHS).
We automatically enroll all students who are legally required to have health insurance in SHIP. This includes all full-time, three-quarter time and all international students. Boston University has no financial stake in promoting this plan. Your premiums are automatically billed to your student account and included in the balance due annually, unless an online waiver is submitted by the waiver deadline each plan year.
Premium rates can vary depending on your program length. The standard annual rate for the 2024-2025 year for the Basic plan is $3,401 and the Plus plan is $4,567.
What type of health insurance do I have?
The Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) Aetna Student Health is offered through Aetna, a large national health insurer.
What are my coverage dates?
SHIP (Aetna) coverage for most students begins 8/15 and ends 8/14 each year. If you attend the Medical Campus, contact your program administrator to learn more about your rates and coverage dates.
How do I receive my insurance card?
You will not receive a physical health insurance card . You can easily access your health insurance information and view or print your insurance card online at bu.edu/shs/shipcard or at aetnastudenthealth.com/bu by viewing the Benefits Plan Design Summary, under the option View Your Insurance Plan Details.
Will I be charged for visits to SHS?
Services at SHS are available at no additional charge for students enrolled in SHIP. SHIP, along with your student health and wellness fee, covers all services at SHS including: primary care and mental health visits, physical exams, lab work, immunizations, some orthopedic devices, support for interpersonal violence (SARP), assessment and brief treatment for students struggling with substance use, and more.
Please note: Services performed outside of SHS will incur an additional cost. View a full list of your benefits in the Student Health Insurance guide.
What will I be charged for visits outside of SHS, including medications?
Medications will have a copay, and the price of the copay depends on the type of medication. Charges for visits outside of SHS will vary depending on if you have in or out of network care. After deductible charges can include copay and/or coinsurance. For detailed benefit information visit aetnastudenthealth.com/bu and view the Benefits and Plan Design Summary.
I still have questions, who can I contact?
If you still have questions, please review the Student Health Insurance guide.
You can speak directly with the SHS Insurance Department in the following ways:
You can call Aetna Student Health directly at 800-966-7772 or visit their website: aetnastudenthealth.com/bu.
SHIP offers three key advantages that make it ideal for a college student who is likely to want high-quality healthcare in the Boston area while keeping out-of-pocket costs as low as possible.
If you need to see a doctor, fill a prescription, or go to the emergency room, you’ll pay a fixed dollar amount when you use a network provider and the plan pays the rest. Copays keep your out-of-pocket costs predictable and manageable. For example, if you need to see a behavioral health provider, you will pay just a $10 copay for each visit—and you have unlimited sessions under SHIP.
You may also pay a deductible and coinsurance for certain visits, procedures, and diagnostic tests like x-rays. The plan has fixed coinsurance, but the amount you pay will vary.
You’ll find a wide network of participating providers in Boston. Many are affiliated with Boston University and are just a walk, bus ride, or few T stops away. Search the Preferred Provider Network directory here.
You also have access to Teladoc, an online health platform that provides 24/7 access to licensed doctors by phone or video. Students with SHIP can use this service for urgent primary care or behavioral medicine concerns whenever they arise. Learn more.
SHIP offers two coverage options: Basic and Plus. Aetna has a nationwide Preferred Provider Network, so even if you’re home for the summer or away from campus and need healthcare, you’ll likely be able to find a nearby network provider. Also, if you want to use an out-of-network provider, the plan will still pay benefits—but your costs will be higher.
All full-time, three-quarter time, and all international students are automatically enrolled in SHIP coverage. Part-time students may be eligible for SHIP coverage but will need to enroll. Online only students are not eligible for SHIP.
Depending on your insurance, you may be able to waive SHIP if you have other coverage that meets ACA requirements. We urge you to think before you waive SHIP. For many students, SHIP offers the most comprehensive coverage with the lowest out-of-pocket costs. See Waiving SHIP section below to learn more.
Dependent coverage is available only through the SHIP Plus option. Eligible dependents include your spouse and dependent children up to age 26. For more information about enrolling dependents, please visit the Dependent Coverage page on the Student Accounting Services website.
Depending on your eligibility, you may elect to have SHIP coverage for the entire year, Fall only, or Spring-Summer only, as follows:
Students will automatically be enrolled in full-year SHIP coverage and are not eligible to withdraw from coverage outside of the open enrollment period.
Students who meet either of the two following requirements may be eligible to request Fall-only SHIP coverage:
If you’re only enrolled for courses during the Spring semester, your coverage will begin on January 1 and continue through the end of the plan year on August 14.
Depending on which SHIP option you choose, your costs will vary. Review page 10 of the Student Health Insurance Guide to see the costs for in-network benefits obtained through the Aetna Preferred Provider Network.
Check out the Aetna Plan Design and Benefits Summary and review detailed information under Plan Documents and Benefits for the specified year.
Boston University automatically enrolls all students who are legally required to have health insurance in SHIP. Most students will automatically be enrolled in the Basic option. If you are satisfied with this coverage, no action is required. You will be billed for the SHIP premium through your student account. Students who upgrade to the Plus plan are not automatically enrolled in Plus the following year and must choose to upgrade every year.
However, you must take action by the deadline if you wish to:
If you are not enrolled in SHIP and experience a qualifying life event, you may be eligible to enroll in SHIP. However, you must provide documentation within 31 days of the event in order to add SHIP coverage.
Qualifying life events include:
Your SHIP coverage rates depend upon your school and program.
Review the Aetna Plan Design and Benefits Summary for detailed information under Plan Documents and Benefits for the specified year, school and campus.
Are you a graduate student who receives a trainee stipend or research/teaching income? Read the SHIP FAQ’s to learn about the health insurance credit.
Premium rates can vary depending on your program length. The standard annual rate for the Basic plan is $3,401 and the Plus plan is $4,567.
If you’ve reviewed Your Health Insurance Decision Guide and decided SHIP is not for you, you may be able to waive coverage. However, international students may only waive coverage if they are enrolled in a plan underwritten in the US that meets the comparable coverage requirements.
If you have other coverage available, such as through a parent’s plan, you may be eligible to waive SHIP coverage. If you do so by the deadline, you will not be charged the SHIP premium.
To be eligible to waive SHIP coverage, you must:
Please see the Changing Your Automatic SHIP Enrollment section for more detailed instructions for waiving SHIP.
Note: The waiver does not carry forward and must be submitted every year.
Please download the Comparable Coverage Checklist to compare your current coverage to the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).
Required services (as listed in the above checklist) must be provided at a location within a reasonable distance of the greater Boston area. Health plans with a closed network of providers and accessible for only emergency services, such as out-of-area HMOs, EPOs, or Medicaid products, generally are not acceptable.
Note: You are responsible for determining whether your current coverage meets ACA requirements. However, if Boston University becomes aware that your current plan doesn’t meet ACA criteria, Boston University may decline your request for a waiver.
Even if your current coverage meets ACA requirements, SHIP may be a more affordable and convenient option. Read Your Health Insurance Decision Guide to make an informed decision about the coverage that is best for you.
If you decide to waive coverage, the Fall waiver must be submitted by September 20. If you are entering in the Spring, the waiver must be completed by January 31.
Follow these simple instructions to apply for the enrollment waiver:
To upgrade to the plus plan visit the MyBU portal and select “Student Health Insurance” from the left menu. Choose the “Change Plan Level” option to switch between the Basic/Plus plans (through open enrollment).
If you experience a qualifying life event after Open Enrollment, you may be eligible to enroll in SHIP. For more information, visit Boston University’s Student Accounting Services website.
Find all the information you need here in order to make an informed decision about SHIP, and to use your coverage well.
When you enroll in SHIP, our on-campus insurance advocates are available to assist with all SHIP-related matters. For questions regarding health insurance-related matters, billing, or to schedule an appointment simply access the Patient Connect portal, select “Messages,” and the “Insurance” messaging option.
Students can purchase dental insurance for themselves and dependents through Aetna. This plan is not administered by BU Student Health Services and must be purchased directly through Aetna at aetnastudenthealth.com/bu.
The Aetna Dental PPO plan covers dental services for both in-network and out-of-network providers. The cost for the 2024-2025 plan year is $452 and coverage lasts from 8/15 to 8/14. For students starting in the fall semester, the deadline to enroll is 9/20. For students starting in the spring semester, the deadline to enroll is 1/31. Please note that for spring start students, coverage lasts from 1/1 to 8/14 at the same cost, $452.
For questions about the Aetna Dental PPO plan, please contact Aetna customer service.
No problem! If you are enrolled in SHIP, you can quickly view and print your insurance card.
Is SHIP right for me? Work through this decision guide to explore your options and find out.
