Section 18. Every full-time and part-time student enrolled in a public or independent institution of higher learning located in the commonwealth shall participate in a qualifying student health insurance program. For the purposes of this section, “part-time student” shall mean a student participating in at least seventy-five percent of the full-time curriculum. Such an institution may elect to allow students to waive participation in its student health insurance program or any part thereof; provided, however, that an institution permitting such waivers shall require students waiving participation to certify in writing prior to any academic year in which they will not participate in the institution’s plan that they are participating in a health insurance program having comparable coverages.
Each public and independent institution of higher education shall submit an annual report to the division of health care finance and policy detailing its procedures for complying with the provisions of this section; provided, however, that prior to the implementation of this section the division of health care finance and policy and the council shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means. Such a report shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the number of students lacking health insurance, the costs of the requirements of this section to the students and the public and independent institutions of higher education, and a proposed method for meeting such costs.
Any public or independent institution of higher learning failing to carry out its responsibilities under this section shall pay a penalty per student for every day during which the failure continues, equal to the penalty per employee per day imposed upon noncomplying employers by subsection (i) of section fourteen G of chapter one hundred and fifty-one A. Any penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the public responsibility account of the medical security trust fund established by chapter one hundred and eighteen F. Any institution which, in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to this section, relies in good faith on statements by students relative to their health insurance status shall not be liable for any penalty or for failure to comply with the provisions of this section caused by misstatements of such students.
The division of health care finance and policy, with the advice and consent of the council, shall issue regulations to define qualifying student health insurance programs, to establish procedures to monitor compliance, and to implement the provisions of this section.
Section 18. Every full-time and part-time student enrolled in a public or independent institution of higher learning located in the commonwealth shall participate in a qualifying student health insurance program. For the purposes of this section, “part-time student” shall mean a student participating in at least seventy-five percent of the full-time curriculum. Such an institution may elect to allow students to waive participation in its student health insurance program or any part thereof; provided, however, that an institution permitting such waivers shall require students waiving participation to certify in writing prior to any academic year in which they will not participate in the institution’s plan that they are participating in a health insurance program having comparable coverages.
Each public and independent institution of higher education shall submit an annual report to the division of health care finance and policy detailing its procedures for complying with the provisions of this section; provided, however, that prior to the implementation of this section the division of health care finance and policy and the council shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means. Such a report shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the number of students lacking health insurance, the costs of the requirements of this section to the students and the public and independent institutions of higher education, and a proposed method for meeting such costs.
Any public or independent institution of higher learning failing to carry out its responsibilities under this section shall pay a penalty per student for every day during which the failure continues, equal to the penalty per employee per day imposed upon noncomplying employers by subsection (i) of section fourteen G of chapter one hundred and fifty-one A. Any penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the public responsibility account of the medical security trust fund established by chapter one hundred and eighteen F. Any institution which, in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to this section, relies in good faith on statements by students relative to their health insurance status shall not be liable for any penalty or for failure to comply with the provisions of this section caused by misstatements of such students.
The division of health care finance and policy, with the advice and consent of the council, shall issue regulations to define qualifying student health insurance programs, to establish procedures to monitor compliance, and to implement the provisions of this section.
Section 18. Every full-time and part-time student enrolled in a public or independent institution of higher learning located in the commonwealth shall participate in a qualifying student health insurance program. For the purposes of this section, “part-time student” shall mean a student participating in at least seventy-five percent of the full-time curriculum. Such an institution may elect to allow students to waive participation in its student health insurance program or any part thereof; provided, however, that an institution permitting such waivers shall require students waiving participation to certify in writing prior to any academic year in which they will not participate in the institution’s plan that they are participating in a health insurance program having comparable coverages.
Each public and independent institution of higher education shall submit an annual report to the division of health care finance and policy detailing its procedures for complying with the provisions of this section; provided, however, that prior to the implementation of this section the division of health care finance and policy and the council shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means. Such a report shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the number of students lacking health insurance, the costs of the requirements of this section to the students and the public and independent institutions of higher education, and a proposed method for meeting such costs.
Any public or independent institution of higher learning failing to carry out its responsibilities under this section shall pay a penalty per student for every day during which the failure continues, equal to the penalty per employee per day imposed upon noncomplying employers by subsection (i) of section fourteen G of chapter one hundred and fifty-one A. Any penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the public responsibility account of the medical security trust fund established by chapter one hundred and eighteen F. Any institution which, in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to this section, relies in good faith on statements by students relative to their health insurance status shall not be liable for any penalty or for failure to comply with the provisions of this section caused by misstatements of such students.
The division of health care finance and policy, with the advice and consent of the council, shall issue regulations to define qualifying student health insurance programs, to establish procedures to monitor compliance, and to implement the provisions of this section.
