This page represents the beginning of a process regarding health insurance and federal mandates. You will find updates and information sessions by navigating through the sub-pages to the left.
Here is the announcement from July 10th, 2015:
On July 1, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit denied the College’s preliminary request for protection from the mandate that would force the College to provide morally objectionable products and services through its student health insurance plan (SHIP). In addition, Companion Life, the current provider of the SHIP, communicated that it believes it is compelled by Federal law to include in any renewal of the SHIP the abortifacient drugs and devices to which the College objects. As a result, and although the College will continue to seek relief in the courts, the College has been forced to quickly make difficult choices, and at this time, the College has decided not to offer a comprehensive SHIP that includes morally objectionable products or services. While the Federal Government does not require colleges and universities to provide health insurance to students, the College provided a SHIP because of the support and benefit it offers to students.
The current SHIP provided by Companion Life will expire on July 31, 2015, and will not be renewed. Because the College will not be offering a comprehensive SHIP, the College will no longer automatically bill students for a health insurance plan and there will be no online waiver for 2015/16 for students/families to complete. However, the College strongly urges students and families to participate in a comprehensive health plan that offers coverage similar that of the College’s previous SHIP.
At this time, the best way the College can honor its institutional convictions and care for students’ wellbeing is to provide health insurance information and product options as a resource to help students and their families make the best choice about healthcare coverage. Such information is available here on the Student Health Insurance website. Students and families will ultimately make their own informed decisions about the type of health plan in which they will participate. The College cannot accept financial responsibility for medical bills incurred by students that are not covered by insurance. Student Health Services (SHS) continues to provide affordable primary healthcare to all enrolled students regardless of their health care plan. Certain services provided by SHS will be charged to the student’s account while other services do not require such a charge.
The College understands that access to comprehensive healthcare can be pivotal to students’ academic success, and the College will be diligently exploring, over this next year, the options that may exist in light of the Federal Government’s requirements and the College’s convictions.
If you are currently insured through Companion Life (a/k/a Gallagher) insurance, please contact the company directly at 855.275.3700 if you have any questions regarding your plan and claims.
If you have further questions about the student health information and/or product options listed here, please email health.insurance@wheaton.edu or call 630.752.7429. If you have questions about a specific plan, please contact the company directly.