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 2025-26 plan is effective June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. Information about costs can be found here:
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 the Summary of Benefits and Coverage document from the Plan Materials section.
It is your responsibility to determine whether your health insurance plan meets the regulations to waive SHIP. Smith SSW does not review plan details or policies to determine if your coverage is comparable and cannot provide consultation.
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?
- Is your plan ACA-compliant and does it include the Minimum Essential Health benefits?
- Does your plan comply with 956 CMR 8.05?
What kind of insurance do you have? [PDF]
Should you waive coverage, you will not be able to enroll in the School's SHIP plan until the next open enrollment period or with a qualifying life-changing event.
- Visit gallagherstudent.com/SmithSSW.
- 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.
- Once logged into your Gallagher account, under the My Coverage Options box, click on the 2025-2026 Smith College SSW Student Blue Plan link (and the 2025-2026 Smith College SSW Dental plan link if you wish to voluntarily enroll in dental coverage).
- You should now see the Enroll and Waive buttons present on the left-hand side of the page.
- Select the appropriate button and follow instructions from there.
- Save your reference number. Please note that receipt of this number only confirms submission, not acceptance of your form.
Students enrolled in coverage that does not qualify for a waiver* who must find alternative coverage while they are on campus for the summer terms may enroll in the School’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) through Gallagher Health or they may waive the SHIP plan by applying for and enrolling in MassHealth. Applications for MassHealth can be submitted prior to being in residence and are contingent on meeting eligibility requirements. At the conclusion of the summer terms students opting to enroll in MassHealth will need to reinstate insurance coverage in their home state.
The process of applying for and enrolling in MassHealth will need to be completed annually.