{"id":3825,"date":"2026-05-04T10:34:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T14:34:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/?page_id=3825"},"modified":"2026-05-18T11:22:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T15:22:25","slug":"guide-for-graduating-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/guide-for-graduating-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide for Graduating Students"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\" bu-callout aligncenter\"><\/p>\n<h3>Update Your Contact Info in Patient Connect<\/h3>\n<p>Provide a non-BU email and mailing address to ensure important healthcare documents aren\u2019t missed or delayed! Update your contact information with your current providers, which might include hospitals, clinics, and medical centers that you&#8217;ve visited in the last year. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/patient-connect-portal\/\">Visit Patient Connect now.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<h3>Consider Health Insurance Coverage<\/h3>\n<p><strong>If you have the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), your coverage ends on August 14th.<\/strong> You can use SHIP until then for your healthcare needs, but you cannot extend it.<\/p>\n<p>Now is the time to plan for health insurance coverage for your life after BU. Health insurance is an important tool for supporting your health and well-being, and it\u2019s also required in many states (including Massachusetts). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/insurance\/understand-your-health-insurance\/\">Learn more about health insurance.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>To stay covered and compliant with state health insurance requirements, explore these common options for health insurance plans:<\/p>\n<h4>Common Insurance Options<\/h4>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><strong>Family Plans<\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>If you\u2019re under the age of 26, you\u2019re eligible for coverage under a parent&#8217;s plan.<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019re married, a spouse may have a plan under which you could be covered.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<br \/>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><strong>Employer Plans<\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you\u2019re employed at a job that offers health insurance coverage, you can transition to your employer&#8217;s health insurance plan. Reach out to their Human Resources department to learn about offerings and enrollment windows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<br \/>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><strong>University Plans<\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you\u2019re continuing your education somewhere other than BU, you might have coverage options available through your new institution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<br \/>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><strong>Individual Plans<\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you\u2019re staying in Massachusetts, you can purchase an individual plan through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mahealthconnector.org\/\">Massachusetts Health Connector<\/a>. The Connector compares individual plan options and helps you purchase a plan that is best for you.<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019re moving outside of Massachusetts, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/HealthCare.gov\">HealthCare.gov<\/a> to find health insurance plans that work for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<h3>Transition Your Healthcare<\/h3>\n<p>Before you graduate or your health insurance coverage ends, make sure to get the care you need. Students with Aetna SHIP can receive medical care from SHS until August 14th. Graduating students without Aetna SHIP can receive medical care until graduation, or May 16th.<\/p>\n<h4>Healthcare checklist<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Address current healthcare needs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/about-us\/how-care-works\/make-an-appointment\/\">Schedule an appointment<\/a> to address any health concerns you may have.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/medical-care\/medical-referrals\/\">Obtain any referrals you may need.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Transfer Prescriptions<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you receive a prescription from SHS, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/patient-connect-portal\/\">contact a provider<\/a> to request a refill to ensure there is no gap in access to the medication. Each prescription is different, so talking to a provider will help identify your options.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0If you are moving, transfer the prescription to a local pharmacy to ensure you maintain access. Contact your local pharmacy for further instructions.<\/li>\n<li>If you are staying in Boston, you can continue to use your regular pharmacy until your prescription runs out.<\/li>\n<li>You will need to have your prescription(s) renewed by a new prescriber. SHS will no longer be able to provide prescriptions after you graduate (May 16th) or your Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan ends (August 14th). Connect with your new Primary Care Provider for further instructions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Select a new Primary Care Provider<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Once you\u2019ve enrolled in a health insurance plan for life after graduation, identify and choose a new Primary Care Provider. Most insurance plans have a directory you can search to find a provider.<\/li>\n<li>Schedule an appointment with the provider. Reach out early since wait times can be long for initial appointments.<\/li>\n<li>Transfer your medical records to your new provider.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><strong>Student Athlete Specific Information<\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\nIf you are a Varsity and club sport student-athlete, you should coordinate a transition plan with Athletic Training Services.<\/p>\n<p>The Athletic Injury Insurance policy is valid for 2 years (104 weeks) from the documented date of injury. Effective August 1, 2024, the NCAA provides a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncaa.org\/sports\/2023\/8\/17\/ncaa-post-eligibility-insurance-program.aspx\">Post-Eligibility Insurance Program<\/a> covering former student-athletes for up to two years (104 weeks) after they separate from school or voluntarily withdraw from athletics. The program covers excess accident medical expenses for athletically related injuries sustained during participation in an NCAA-qualifying intercollegiate sport.<br \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h3>Access Medical Records<\/h3>\n<p>There may be future circumstances when you\u2019ll need copies of your medical records from SHS.<\/p>\n<p>Students have the right to request copies of their medical records and can do so through our online form and electronic authorization. Medical records are kept for 20 years after a student\u2019s last visit or treatment at SHS.<\/p>\n<h4>How to Request Copies of Medical Records<\/h4>\n<p>For medical or mental health records:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Complete the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/authorization-for-medical-release-form\/\"> Authorization for Medical Release Form<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Within 3 weeks, you will receive copies of your records. You can choose to have them sent to you via secure email (DataMotion) or have them faxed to a specified location (such as a doctor\u2019s office)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For immunization records:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Log onto <a href=\"http:\/\/patientconnect.bu.edu\/\">Patient Connect<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Under the \u201cImmunizations\u201d tab, your record is available to view and print<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Consider Health Insurance Coverage If you have the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), your coverage ends on August 14th. You can use SHIP until then for your healthcare needs, but you cannot extend it. Now is the time to plan for health insurance coverage for your life after BU. Health insurance is an important [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15332,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":44,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3825"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15332"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3825"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3884,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3825\/revisions\/3884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}