<p>Okay, so I’m a rising sophomore at Boston University. I’m listed as independent and have full tuition coverage…except for books and the campus medical insurance. When move in day approached, BU gave me a rude awakening when they told me that I had to pay them $1000 up front for my campus medical insurance. I don’t have any that works in MA (my mom has me on hers still in FL because legally she can’t release me from it until I’m 24 so she didn’t have a choice [I’m estranged from my family…if you’re curious just find my other posts from last year]). I think it doesn’t work in MA, at least, but assuming that it didn’t I had to pay because I had to move in. I had to borrow it from a close family friend and it all got paid off as I said it would (jobs, scholarship money went toward it). I don’t want to go through the same thing this year with money. I asked the school before classes ended this spring if there was a way for me, who obviously is not able to pay for their school (it’s 50k+ a year and this year they increased tuition as per usual) out of pocket as an independent to get this fee covered. I mean it’s cash, this can’t be covered by a loan (which they also factored into my tuition…but luckily it’s only like 40k max I’ll have to pay when I graduate which is less than a year there, so I’ll cut my losses). The lady said they can’t, but there has to be something out there to help me, right? They also don’t pay for my books. This is something that also has to be alleviated because they can really run you in the hole pretty fast. It could be $400-$500 a year because some books don’t sell on websites. BU really sucks you dry for whatever money they can - they make you pay for everything. There are no free services and a majority of kids who go there don’t care because they’re rich enough to go there in the first place. I just feel like there has to be more help for me somehow that I’m not getting. Maybe not from the school, but somewhere else like an outside scholarship or grant fund that doesn’t force me to jump through hoops in a big pool of competition for a dollar. Any ideas?</p>
<p>If you have “comparable coverage” ([Comparable</a> Coverage Student Accounting Services Boston University](<a href=“http://www.bu.edu/studentaccountingservices/resources/medical-insurance/comparable-coverage/]Comparable”>http://www.bu.edu/studentaccountingservices/resources/medical-insurance/comparable-coverage/)) you can request a waiver so that you don’t have to buy the BU plan.</p>
<p>That’s the problem, she does not have comprable coverage. She can’t use her coverage in MA she is probably tied to a HMO instead of a plan that lets you go out of network.</p>
<p>I have a “choice HMO” on United Health Care. Does that cover? I don’t think so, but I’m not sure. But yes, assuming that it doesn’t because I’m thinking it doesn’t, that’s the problem so you’re right sybbie.</p>
<p>First if all, you need to find out whether it DOES cover you in MA before you fork over another $1000 without knowing. If it’s your mom’s coverage, ask her to call the health insurance company and find out if she’s covered in states other than FL. A lot of national health plans have networks outside of their states; my dad’s is a PPO plan, but it’s in GA and I live in NY and it works just fine. Don’t assume anything; call them first to be sure.</p>
<p>I think not paying for your books is pretty standard. Do you work during the summers? A summer job should allow you to save up the $1500 you need to cover health insurance (if your mom’s insurance really doesn’t work in MA) and books every year. Most small scholarships are for freshman, but you could look at Fastweb.com because most of their scholarships are a few thousand dollars here or there that can help cover your health insurance. I find it odd that BU doesn’t allow you to use loans to cover the health insurance, because almost everywhere else does.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why you would think there would be any non-competitive, merit-based scholarship programs that will just give you money. There are always more students who want or need the money than there are funds, so you’re going to have to compete. Unless you are eligible for need-based grants from the government or your home state that you can use at BU, and I feel as though if you were, you’d know about them already.</p>
<p>Of course there aren’t any free services…people’s time costs money, and the resources they use to provide you those services cost money too. Why would they give you anything for free?</p>
<p>kerissak, you can go to myuhc.com and sign up for a user name and password. (Any individual covered by a UHC healthcare plan can get one. You don’t need to be the primary on the account. You will need to have your plan ID and member number from your UHC insurance card to register.)</p>
<p>Once you are able to sign into your plan, you can get the details of your coverage and see if you do have healthcare coverage in MA. Sometimes even HMOs have reciprocity agreements in place for OOS coverage. Another possibility would if you (personally, not you mother) may be able to add additional coverage which would extend your healthcare coverage to MA for less than the cost of insurance at your university.</p>
<p>If you are independent, have no job, you might meet the criteria for coverage under Medicaid or Massachustts health coverage if you are not covered by your mother’s policy in FL.</p>
<p>I agree that BU has no responsibility to provide for you for anything. They seem to be generous as it is. It’s a private school and pays for what it pleases. No one is ENTITLED to getting ANY of their expenses covered by a school.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Unless you are in an opportunity program or you have a scholarship that gives you a book stipend, you have to pay for your own books. Even students who are getting full need packages, have to pay for their own books. This is the main reason why students have summer work contibutions, so that they can have “start up” money for books and supplies when the school year begins.</p>
<p>You must have health insurance. If the school believes that your mom’s insurance does not provide adequate coverage (you could be “under insured”, maybe there is a low amount that they will cover for a hospital stay or maximum benefit they will cover), the school will require you to purchase their policy. </p>
<p>You also need to ask the school why is it they beleive that your current coverage is not adequate.</p>
<p>I do not think that she is eligible for medicaid because she is in MA primarily to attend school and is not a resident.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback. I’m more concerned about the insurance. I appreciate everyone’s comments on the book issue - I am well aware that if I can’t get them paid for by the school or scholarships, I need a job or can use websites and stuff. It was just a matter of finding out if there was a way for the school to add onto my financial aid.</p>
<p>You need to check with United Healthcare. Many (if not most) insurance policies cover college students who are attending college in other states. Find out if your plan does. To be honest, unless it’s a very restricted HMO, I would guess you will be covered…but you need to find out. AND then you will need to get in writing what they cover so you can compare to what BU has.</p>