Health Insurance
Academic HealthPlans, Inc.Headquarters
Complaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 33 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 15 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:03/25/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I applied for a waiver for my daughters school issued health insurance as we have coverage for her. It was denied because only the cardholders name was on the card. We did not know it was denied, though they claim to have sent emails. Only when we received insurance cards in the mail on 3/20/25 and then a charge of $1,861.00 on her bill did we realize the problem. Academic Health Plans is now saying they will not grant us a waiver since the 2/3/25 deadline ended, despite the insurance cards and charge not showing up until after the 2/3/25 deadline.Business Response
Date: 04/05/2025
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue.
We show that the waiver was granted an exception on 3/27/2025, the documents have now been submitted. We have attached the communications that were sent in the request to grant the exception below.
recipient_address subject_line event_type_name logged_timestamp
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 08/03/2024 10:16:51 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! delivered 08/03/2024 10:16:52 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! open 08/03/2024 10:31:27 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! open 09/13/2024 16:07:29 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! open 09/19/2024 00:33:41 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! delivered 09/19/2024 00:38:48 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 09/19/2024 00:39:13 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 09/27/2024 01:54:20 EDT
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 11/23/2024 20:34:49 EST
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 12/07/2024 20:45:39 EST
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 12/21/2024 20:52:25 EST
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 01/18/2025 20:38:04 EST
****************************** Enrollment and Waiver Deadline Approaching- TAKE ACTION TODAY! injection 02/01/2025 20:32:19 ESTWe sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/07/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
***** *********Initial Complaint
Date:03/11/2025
Type:Product IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Complaint Against AHP for Unfair Health Insurance Charge I am filing this complaint regarding AHPs refusal to waive a health insurance fee for my daughter, despite her meeting all stated waiver *************** daughter obtained health insurance within the waiver period clearly outlined on both the college and AHP websites. The waiver policy stated:If you do not want the Student Health Insurance Plan, you must decline or opt out of coverage by submitting a waiver. You may only opt out of coverage during the following Waiver Periods:Fall: 06/03/2024 - 10/04/2024 Spring/Summer: 11/04/2024 - 02/03/2025The policy further specified that in order to be approved for a waiver, students must submit proof of alternate health coverage before the deadline. My daughter did so before the deadline, yet the fee was not waived.When she inquired about the reason, she was told that her health insurance "SHIP" date should have been January 1. However, this date was never mentioned in any of the publicly available waiver guidelines for undergraduate students. I requested written documentation or screenshots showing where this requirement was communicated, but none were provided. In contrast, I provided screenshots and video evidence of the *** and school websites, confirming that no such date was listed.Despite multiple attempts to resolve this issue, I received no response, and $1,500 was ultimately taken from my daughter for a service she does not need, as she already has full health insurance coverage elsewhere. This is an unacceptable business practice. *** has failed to provide written proof of this undisclosed requirement while still enforcing the charge. I am requesting a full refund of the $1,500 and a formal response explaining why my daughters waiver was denied based on an unlisted requirement.I expect AHP to address this matter promptly.Business Response
Date: 03/11/2025
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue.
Ticket ****** and ticket ****** are associated with the waiver in question. Tickets were addressed and waiver has been accepted 3/11/2025. The school will be notified of the approval.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/29/2025
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was enrolled at ***************** and was unaware I would be automatically enrolled in $800 health insurance. The main issue I have is this was not an issue during the spring semester of 2024. This only became an issue for fall. When inquired about this I was told I should have known and emails were sent. Its certainly a possibility I have missed them. Was simply told nothing can be done. I was able to prove I had health insurance from my job for winter. Just inquired why this wasnt an issue in the spring and they had no answer. When asked for a refund I was just told no. The health insurance was never used and I can prove I always had insurance. We exchanged some emails and after a few the company chose to ignore me. I would understand if I continually missed putting in my waiver but as a newer student who didnt have the issue the semester before I dont feel it would have been unreasonable to provide me with a refund. I unknowingly had this insurance with no insurance card or any way of using this insurance until it showed up on my tuition bill. Not even a letter in the mail. No options to call. The only option they gave me was to waive for winter. I never received emails on that waiver period being open so thankfully they waived it for winter. All I wanted was a refund on insurance that was never used and I was unaware of. I can happily provide proof Ive been insured all along.Business Response
Date: 02/06/2025
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue.
The student did waive for Winter and was approved. We received approval from the school to remove and refund her for Autumn. She is on the most recent list of refunds for the school.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/20/2024
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Subject: Request for Health Insurance Waiver and Refund.Dear AHP,I am writing as the father of a student at ****. My student has had continuous medical coverage through our familys health insurance plan for many years. In the Fall 2023 Quarter, my student uploaded both the front and back of our insurance card, along with all required information, to verify coverage. As a result, the health insurance waiver was approved for the entire academic year, and all refunds were issued.For the Fall 2024 Quarter, my student again uploaded the same insurance information (front and back of the card) for the current academic year. There have been no changes to our coverage, and it remains active. However, to date, we have not received any refund. We have confirmed with the insurance company that our coverage is still active, and no new information is available.Despite multiple attempts to reach *** via the call center, I have been unsuccessful due to long hold times, inaudible communication, and call disconnections. The Fall 2024 Quarter has just ended, and with the 2nd Quarter beginning in January 2025, we are now being charged again for insurance, with the threat of class registration being dropped if payment is not made.We believe that **** already has the same coverage information from the previous year, which was approved for the waiver. Therefore, we respectfully request that the health plan waiver be properly applied and that the full refund for the current academic year be issued promptly.Please resolve this matter as soon as possible by applying the health insurance plan waiver and ensuring the refund is applied to my students tuition bill.Thank you for your immediate attention to this issue.Business Response
Date: 01/06/2025
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue.
Waiver FALL Denial:
Student was automatically denied on 8/9/24 due to a return response from the Carrier of 'Inactive' coverage.
Student was sent an email on 8/9/24 informing of the denial.
Student had until 9/27/24 (waiver Fall close date) to appeal or contact AHP regarding the denial and to provide proof of coverage.
Student/dad reached out on 12/19/24 to inquire about the waiver. At this time, the Fall waiver was closed, and the Winter waiver period was now open. On ticket #******, the student was advised to wait a period of time as the Winter waiver had not yet been processed.
Student reached out again requesting a re-review of the Fall waiver. The student was directed to contact the school as the waiver had been denied.
Note - Student submitted a new waiver for Winter and the waiver has been approved for the Winter and Spring terms. The coverage was active at the time of the Winter waiver audit.
Supporting documentation is attached for the Fall waiver denial.We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/17/2024
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
The date of this transaction was from September 4, 2024 through the present.On September 4, 2024 I I enrolled in a class at ***************** as an online graduate student. The school requires health insurance coverage. I have my own health insurance coverage. The cost for the health insurance that ****** offers is $800 for three quarters (3/4 of a year). ****** has an opt out option. To access the opt out option you have to enter the portal of ****************** broker, Academic Health Plans. The insurance is underwritten by United Health Care. I attempted to enter the Academic Health Plans portal and followed the directions offered. I tried to enter on numerous occasions so I could submit the waiver. I was not able to gain access. I informed ***************** on numerous occasions that I could not gain access and asked for assistance. They did not assist or provide any information, the opt out deadline passed and I was billed $800 by Depaul. I have documentation of my contacts with ***************** which demonstrates my efforts to submit the waiver. I am now in a position where I owe $800 for health insurance that I did not want. I have not received any information from Academic Health Plans or United Healthcare about the policy. I cannot register for any classes because I have an unpaid balance of $800. Unless I pay this amount I will have to drop out of graduate school at ******. I am filing this complaint on Academic Health Plans and United Healthcare that apparently conspired with ***************** to defraud me of $800. If you provide me with an email address I will forward the email contacts with ***************** that demonstrate my unsuccessful efforts to opt out. I would ask BBB to assist in resolving this matter.Business Response
Date: 01/03/2025
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue.
I received the OK to refund and worked with the service team to process. I let the student know on 12/27 that their Autumn coverage will be removed and that the school will process the charge on their end after the new year. Refund was processed on our end on 12/30. I also informed the student that they will still need to submit a waiver for Winter while the period remains open until 1/17.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us
Initial Complaint
Date:10/31/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
my experience with your Healthcare provider. In early July I was told that I would have to sign a waiver, to have health insurance company provider that the ****************************, was providing for me, entering ***************. A 47 year old person I was getting asked about health insurance, when I have s had coverage since the age of 22. I thought all I had to do was just sign something saying I had my own health insurance What I thought was supposed to have been an easy ordeal, has turned out to be a nightmare. The company ***, though the University needed proof I had insurance, I had emailed them and told them I had my own coverage already. So through emails, even though I had asked for a phone call, I was unsure what proof they needed, even though the email had stated what they needed. So, I sent them a picture of the front and back of my insurance card that I carry in my wallet. They said this was not enough proof and needed the actually health insurance coverage forms/packet. Again I thought this was strange and unnecessary, as I had provided my insurance card as documentation. Multiple times throughout the two months, that I have been calling and emailing have they denied my waiver claim, due to more needed info and my deductible being to high?? One of the first times I called the University asking about this issue, the individual on the phone had stated that the person taking care of the health insurance calls had passed away. I was finally able to get a hold of someone from the University this month who gave me a phone number I could call to get through to an actual person and talk about my situation. I started this process in July and am still dealing with this now, after 25 emails and numerous phone calls not be this difficult to see that I already have health insurance and do not need to be charged $1900 for another Health Insurance, I am having financial and mental issues over this situation. Regards, ***** *****Business Response
Date: 11/19/2024
***** Wells received a denied waiver. Additional documentation was needed on 09/10/2024, and it wasn't ever received. The latest ticket from this student is ZD ******, which was responded to the student Upon further verification, I see that your waiver was last denied because additional information was requested, but no further documents were submitted. It appears that the documents initially attached to the waiver could not be opened, and we needed this information to confirm whether your insurance benefits met the waiver requirements"
The waiver deadline was 09/09/2024, and without the necessary documentation, we were unable to verify the insurance benefits for approval.
If you wish to appeal, please contact your school directly at ****************************.
The student did not reply to this. The student also contacted us on ZD ******, ******, and 697257. See attached waiver documents.We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services.
Initial Complaint
Date:10/02/2024
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was Forced to enroll in this Insurance, which I don't need. I already have my own health insurance, and a national insurance. They even force me to purchase from the time I wasn't arrived in ** yet....... I need a refund.Business Response
Date: 10/08/2024
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue.
The requirements for this school are that all registered Domestic and International students taking one (1) credit are required to have health Insurance coverage, either through this Student Health Insurance or through another individual or family plan. Students are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan at registration and the premium is added to the student's tuition fees unless proof of comparable coverage is provided. The school enrolled the student since they did not see that there was an approved waiver. The fee would have been on student's tuition bill through the school.After researching with the school, the student's waiver was approved on Friday 10/4/2024. The student will receive a refund of $889.00.
Thank you
Initial Complaint
Date:09/26/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This company automatically enrolled me in health insurance and charged me $1.581.40 through my financial aid. I had already completed a waiver because I have health insurance through my job. I missed an email saying that I had to prove to them that I already had health insurance and since I missed the email they signed me up for insurance I dont need and charged me a huge amount. This is an outrageous way to take advantage of students. They say I cant get the charges reversed even tho I wont use the insurance.Business Response
Date: 10/02/2024
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue.
School has all eligible students automatically enrolled in the student health plan, and premium is charged to their student account at the school. If the student has other health coverage, they are available to waive out of St. Martin’s student health plan between 7/18 and 9/16. The student submitted a waiver on 8/5, and received an email on 8/6, 8/13, 8/21, 8/28 that we were unable to determine the status of the alternative insurance plan and needed additional information. The student was enrolled on 9/24 due to there still being a pending waiver on her account. When the student called in, our service team relayed to student in both instances; the waiver period ended 09/16/2024. The online waiver system can no longer accept new waiver requests. Seems like the student may have reached out to the school and the school was able to make an exception. The student's waiver was approved on 9/26 by the client at the school. The school should work with the student on the refund.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services.
Initial Complaint
Date:08/15/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
In late July, I enrolled in Academic Health Plans health insurance policy through ********************** as the domestic partner of a graduate student. I did so under the impression that I would be losing my work-provided insurance. I paid the initial payment of $696 for the insurance premium, with coverage beginning on 8/15/24. Soon after enrolling, I was offered and accepted a new job with full health benefits. In light of this change, on 8/12/24 I contacted AHP to see if there was any way to cancel my policy and receive a refund, or at the very least avoid the future premium payments. They declined to resolve the issue. I understand that I agreed to the terms that bound me to paying for the coverage for the duration of the contract, but I believe there should be some way to get recourse in a situation like this. Or at least get a partial resolution. Especially because I reached out to fix this issue before the coverage even began.Business Response
Date: 08/26/2024
Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your concerns about your recent experience. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused.
The school sent in a request to cancel/refund the student's dependent. Here was that chain of events, and we processed a refund for him this morning:
8/19 - school requested that we cancel/refund student dependent
8/20 - Team clarified with school that coverage cancellation/refund was only for dependent, and school confirmed same day.Refund was requested.
8/22 - Refund approved.
8/23 - Refund processed this AM.Once again, we appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to improve our service.
Initial Complaint
Date:08/05/2024
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am a graduate student at *********************. I have medical coverage under my parents health insurance. I am only 24. I uploaded the front and back of my medical card to prove coverage as well as the benefits document that was requested. My ************* updated that document in 2023 and nothing has changed so that is the most updated information. I received an email back from AHP that my waiver request is being denied and they want a letter from my insuance carrier Allied. I called Allied and they told me the card is active and current and that the benefits coverage is the same as what I provided to ***** last year and there is no new information to give them. I tried calling AHP and sat on hold for over 3 hours and nobody picked up. I am now in my clinical rotations and seeing patients 8-5 every day and cannot call to get this resolved. You have my exact same information from last school year which you approved. Please approve this exact same health plan for the waiver. I need the insurance refund on my tuition billBusiness Response
Date: 08/09/2024
Dear ******* and BBB Representatives,
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take every complaint seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to understand and address your issue. To resolve this matter, we have taken the following steps:* Researched the waiver in question and the steps taken by AHP.
* We have initiated a refund in your tuition with the school on 8/9/2024.
* A research ticket of your call into AHP has been initiated to observe the hold time during the time in question. We will address accordingly once the information is received.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
********************* | Director of ****************** & Client Experience
Academic Health Plans
O: ************ | *******************
Academic HealthPlans, Inc. is BBB Accredited.
This business has committed to upholding the BBB Standards for Trust.
Why choose a BBB Accredited Business?BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.