School-Sponsored Student Health Insurance Program and Waiver Process

The Berklee SHIP is underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and administered by Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk (gallagherstudent.com/Berklee).

Click here to open the 2023–2024 Summary of Benefits document 

Also see:

Click here to open the 2023–2024 FAQ document

For more information on coverage details, please contact Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk Customer Service.

If you need to update your address, please use this form (login required) to notify Berklee College of Music or Boston Conservatory at Berklee of an address change.

You may waive (decline) participation in the Berklee SHIP if you can demonstrate coverage with a comparable insurance plan that is consistent with existing state and federal requirements. The insurance coverage requirements for waiving the SHIP are not internal policies set by Berklee.  

As insurance plans can vary, determining what constitutes comparable coverage in order to waive the SHIP is a complex process. Because of this, we contract with Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk to review all waiver submissions. Berklee defers to their decisions on matters related to waiver approvals and denials.  

For more information on what may be considered as a comparable insurance plan, visit the Gallagher Student Health website (gallagherstudent.com/Berklee) for Berklee, select "Frequently Asked Questions" (under plan details), and select the plan year that applies to you.  

Waiver Process

The waiver is completed online on Gallagher Student Health's website (gallagherstudent.com/Berklee). You must complete an online waiver for each new academic year during which you do not want the institution's plan. Verbal waiver requests, letters, and copies of insurance cards will not be accepted. Should your waiver be denied, information on how to appeal a waiver denial will be available directly to students in the denial email. All decisions made by Gallagher Student Health are final.  

For more information and to fill out the waiver form, visit the Gallagher Student Health page for Berklee, log in, and select "Waive."

Electronic ID cards are available online through the MyBlue app, which is available in the app store or on Google Play. You’ll need your Blue Cross Blue Shield ID number (not your Social Security number) to create your account. Your Blue Cross Blue Shield ID number is available in the "Account Home" section of the Gallagher Student Health website. 

If you are having difficulty logging in to gallagherstudent.com/Berklee, please contact Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk Customer Service.

If you need a replacement ID card, request one by logging in to bluecrossma.com/myblue or calling 1-800-253-5210. All ID cards are mailed by Blue Cross Blue Shield to the address on file with Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk.

A verification letter is a letter that provides proof of insurance coverage to any third party (e.g., doctor's offices, hospitals, other insurances). Verification letters are usually available between five and seven business days after your eligibility is confirmed.

The preferred provider network for the Berklee SHIP is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. A preferred provider is a doctor, hospital, or other health care provider that participates in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Blue Care Elect PPO Network. You receive the highest level of benefits under your health care plan when you obtain covered services from preferred providers. These are called your in-network benefits.

There are a few ways to find a preferred provider:

• Meet with your assigned case manager
• Visit the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts website at bluecrossma.com/findadoctor (enter the type of doctor you are looking for, choose "PPO/EPO" from the drop-down Network menu).
• Call the Physician Selection Service at 800-821-1388.

In order to find a BCBS participating provider outside of Massachusetts, you can search for a worldwide provider using the BCBS National Doctor and Hospital Finder.

Note: If a preferred provider refers you to another provider for covered services (such as a lab or specialist), make sure the referred provider participates in the BCBS Blue Care Elect Enhanced Value PPO Network in order to receive benefits at the in-network level. If the provider you use is not a preferred provider, you're still covered, but your benefits, in most situations, will be covered at the out-of-network level, even if you were referred by a network provider.

For more information on preferred providers, please visit Find a Doctor on the Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk website.

Gallagher Student Health offers students the option to enroll family members in the Berklee SHIP. This includes a spouse or children under the age of 26 who reside with the student.

As of June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution grants same-sex couples the right to marry in all states. Therefore, fully insured health plans in all states must consider same-sex spouses eligible for the same coverage as spouses of the opposite sex. (Note: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts plans currently do not offer coverage for domestic partners, regardless of gender.)

Enrollment of dependent(s) may take place at the time of the student's enrollment in the plan or after a qualifying event.

Qualifying events include the following:

• Marriage
• Birth of a child/children
• Divorce
• A dependent entering the country for the first time

If the student experiences one of these qualifying events, dependent enrollment must be completed within 31 days of the qualifying event. Applications received more than 31 days after the qualifying event will not be processed. Once a dependent is enrolled, coverage cannot be terminated unless the student loses eligibility.

For more information and to enroll a dependent, visit the Gallagher Student Health page, log in, and click "Enroll". For information about costs and other details, call Gallagher Student Health at 800-391-8057.

There is a pediatric preventive dental benefit and a pediatric preventive vision benefit available for students up to the age of 19 and their enrolled eligible dependents up to the age of 19. Please see the Berklee SHIP brochure for details.

A voluntary dental plan is available to all students for an additional cost. To enroll, go to gallagherstudent.com/berklee (Opens in a new window) and click on the "Dental Enrollment Form (Opens in a new window)" link. 

Students enrolled in the Berklee SHIP have access to discount programs available exclusively from Gallagher Student Health at no additional cost. These plan enhancements, called Gallagher Student Complements, include the UNI-CARE Dental Savings Program and EyeMed Vision Care. Visit gallagherstudent.com/Berklee, and click "Program Enhancements" for more information.

UNICARE-Dental Savings Program

Students enrolled in the Berklee SHIP have access to discount programs available exclusively from Gallagher Student Health at no additional cost. The Dental Savings Program (Opens in a new window) is a discount dental plan that is available through UNI-CARE and provides you with a wide range of dental discount services.

Coast to Coast Vision Savings Program

Students enrolled in the Gallagher Student Health Insurance Plan have access to a Vision Savings Program (Opens in a new window) that is available through Coast to Coast Vision. Coast to Coast’s network has over 20,000 independent providers and retail stores nationwide, including For Eyes Optical, Lens Crafters, Pearle Vision, Target Optical, JC Penney Optical and Visionworks locations. Students save 10 percent to 60 percent off eyeglasses, contact lenses and other retail eyewear items, as well as 10% to 30% off eye examinations at any participating Coast to Coast Vision provider and 40 percent to 50 percent off the national average on LASIK.

Gallagher Student Health also offers students the following insurance products:

• Voluntary dental insurance
• Personal property insurance
• Study abroad insurance
• Short-term medical insurance (ideal for graduating students, but not available to those staying in Massachusetts)

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Gallagher Student Health.

First Year Abroad Students

If you are spending your first year on the Valencia, Spain, campus, please see First Year Abroad health insurance information.

Continuing Students Studying Abroad

If you are a continuing Berklee student doing a semester abroad, please see health and travel insurance information for Berklee Study Abroad.  

A claim is a request for payment for services or treatment rendered under the terms of an insurance policy. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is responsible for processing claims for students who are enrolled in the SHIP. Their dedicated claims analysts and customer service representatives can address any questions you have on an outstanding claim or on how a claim has been paid.

To check on the status of a claim, go to Blue Cross Blue Shield Member Central, and log in to look up a specific claim or view a list of all claims submitted.

For additional questions regarding claims, call Blue Cross Blue Shield at 800-241-0803.

Learn more about Claims Company.

If you have questions about insurance terminology, please view the videos below provided by the Gallagher Help Center and the Understanding Insurance Terms document.

Health Insurance 101 - Coverage Types for College Students

Health Insurance 101 - Deductibles, Coinsurance and Copays

Health Insurance 101 - Using Your Health Plan

Health Insurance 101 - International Student Health