Health Insurance

In order to ensure compliance with Massachusetts’ mandate on health insurance coverage, all SSW students  taking 3/4 or full-time credit hours will now be automatically enrolled in and billed for the School’s health Insurance plan. Those students who have separate coverage may choose to waive enrollment.

About the plan:

The School's 2023-24 plan is effective June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024.

Benefits Overview

The student healthcare plan offers comprehensive benefits that include hospital room and board, inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures, labs and x-rays, chemotherapy and radiation, inpatient and outpatient mental health services, physician office visits, consultant visits, ambulance, emergency care and prescriptions. For complete details about coverage, limitations and exclusions, go to the Gallagher Students website and select My Benefits and Plan Information from the options in the left column.

Insurance Cost and Subsidies

For Students Beginning June 2024:

Insurance Cost: $7,388 (for 12- month period 2023-24; 2024-25, final figure TBA)
Insurance Coverage Period: 12 Months
Insurance Coverage Start and End Dates:  June 1, 2024- May 31, 2025
Subsidies (for students beginning June 2024): Students who can document that they are leaving state-funded Medicaid* Programs qualify for a $4,500 health care subsidy for each 12 month period. Documentation must be provided to Gallagher Insurance through waiver process no later than June 16, 2024; exceptions will not be made. The health care subsidy for the Final Summer (final 3 months) will be $1,000.

Total Cost After Subsidies:  Years 1 and 2 with previous Medicaid coverage: TBA; final 3 months - TBA
​Health Care Subsidies will be applied to student accounts within three weeks of the final waiver deadline, June 16, 2024.

*Medicaid coverage from MA, RI, CT, VT, and NH meet acceptable area coverage terms and will qualify for the insurance waiver if submitted by June 16.

Considerations When Waiving Coverage

Before waiving coverage you should review your current policy to be sure that it provides comparable coverage by considering the following:

  • Will your current plan cover medical care beyond emergency services (i.e. doctor's office visits; diagnostic testing, labs and x-rays; and prescription drugs)?
  • Does your health plan have doctors and hospitals in the Five College area and in your internship area?
  • Will your current plan cover inpatient and outpatient services in the Five College area and internship area?
  • If you are able to receive care, will you have to pay upfront and then seek reimbursement?
Instructions for Waiving Coverage
  1. Visit gallagherstudent.com/SmithSSW.
  2. Login using your Smith SSW email address. If you are a first-time user, you would have received an email from Gallagher with your temporary password. If you are a returning user, please use the password you previously created. If you do not remember your password, please select the ‘forgot password’ option and follow the instructions from there.
  3. Once logged into your Gallagher account, under the My Coverage Options box, click on the 2023-2024 Smith College SSW Student Blue Plan link (and the 2023-2024 Smith College SSW Dental plan link if you wish to voluntarily enroll in dental coverage).
  4. You should now see the Enroll and Waive buttons present on the left-hand side of the page.
  5. Select the appropriate button and follow instructions from there.
  6. Save your reference number.  Please note that receipt of this number only confirms submission, not acceptance of your form.