A letter from Dean of Students Tony Nowak –
Dear Parent,
On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a comprehensive and far-reaching program designed to ensure everyone has access to affordable health insurance. A key component of the ACA is the requirement that effective January 1, 2014, all United States Citizens must have an ACA-qualified health insurance plan.
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design has decided to participate in the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Student Health Insurance Program (WSHIP). WSHIP provides students with many advantages – MIAD’s students are pooled with students from many other Wisconsin private non-profit colleges, allowing WSHIP to provide ACA-qualified insurance options with a broader network, more comprehensive coverage, and at a lower cost than most students will be able to obtain on their own; and with WSHIP, you and your student avoid the daunting task of having to navigate the insurance exchange websites to determine the best plan for your student’s needs.
WSHIP has three plans to choose from: Platinum, Gold and Catastrophic – each designed to meet your student’s unique budget and coverage needs. In addition, with all three options, students are able to receive services at Marquette University Student Health Center with no out-of-pocket cost – no deductible, no co-payment, no co-insurance – a benefit that is not available under any other plan. In addition, students enrolled in any of the three plans are also eligible to enroll in the Delta Dental Insurance Plan. This is the first time we have been able to offer dental insurance to MIAD’s students.
MIAD students have three ACA health insurance choices:
1. They can be covered by their parents’ plan until age 26.
2. They may purchase an ACA-compatible individual health insurance plan on the insurance exchange or directly from a qualified health insurance company.
3. Enroll in WSHIP.
As an institution of higher learning, MIAD will follow the law and require students to have an ACA-qualified health insurance plan while enrolled here. If your student is not covered by either a parent’s plan, or an individual plan, he/she will be automatically enrolled in the WSHIP Catastrophic plan. If your student has a chronic health condition requiring on-going treatment, he/she may opt to buy up to either the Gold or Platinum Plan to receive enhanced coverage. When students register for Spring Semester classes, they will be required to indicate whether they have alternative insurance or wish to be enrolled in one of the MIAD/WSHIP plans.
Please review the plan information your student received via email, and linked above, before registration (Friday, March 28) so you are able to make the choice that is right for you and your family.
Please know that MIAD and WSHIP stand ready to answer all of your questions, and provide you with the information you will need to select the plan option that best meets your needs and budget.
Sincerely,
Tony Nowak
Dean of Students