Students who wish to enroll in the CMU SHIP due to a qualifying event or who need to make a change to their SHIP enrollment should email shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance.
Student Health Insurance Plans
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is our student health insurance provider; plans are available for Carnegie Mellon University undergraduate and graduate students and their eligible dependents. Medical (SHIP), dental and vision plans are available.
About the CMU Highmark Student Health Insurance Plans
2023-2024 Premium RatesCoverage August 1, 2023 - July 31, 2024 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dental Plan (optional) |
Vision Plan (optional) |
||
| Student Only | $2,577.00 | $207.52 | $59.52 |
|
Student and: Partner OR Child |
$5,097.00 | $348.52 | $116.16 |
| Student and: Partner AND Child | $7,629.00 | $522.52 | $172.68 |
| Student and Children | $7,629.00 | $522.52 | $172.68 |
| Student and: Partner AND Children | $10,161.00 | $522.52 | $172.68 |
Using Your SHIP Benefits
Find participating in-network health care providers
Search for in-network health care providers in any U.S. location.
- Medical Services: search the BCBS PPO network
- Dental Services: search the Elite Plus network
Search for covered medications
The CMU SHIP uses the Highmark Comprehensive Formulary, which is a full list of prescription drugs that are covered by the plan. Prescription drug copays are listed on the SHIP Summary of Benefits.
Mental Health Resources
The CMU SHIP offers a variety of mental health benefits for members.
Highmark Member Services
You can use your insurance member ID to register an online Highmark account at https://www.highmarkbcbs.com/home/, where you can access all of your insurance details, including benefits and claims, as well as digital insurance cards.
Accessing Your highmark member portal
Highmark member services phone: 1-800-241-5704
CMU SHIP Coverage While Traveling or Living Abroad
CMU SHIP (medical plan) members have access to a global network of healthcare providers through the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core program, should you need care while traveling or living abroad.
Global Core details [pdf]
CMU SHIP Emergency Travel Assistance
Members of CMU SHIP (medical plan) can access 24-hour emergency medical and travel assistance while traveling, through the AXA Travel Assistance Program.
Telemedicine through Amwell
Members of the CMU SHIP (medical plan) have access to telemedicine services through Amwell.
Highmark Member Discounts
CMU SHIP (medical plan) members have access to a wide variety of health and wellness discounts.
Fall 2023 Open Enrollment Period
New and returning fall semester students: July 5 - August 25, 2023
The open enrollment period for medical insurance corresponds with a student's first active semester at CMU each academic year. Each academic year, students must either enroll in the CMU SHIP or apply to waive it (if they have insurance that meets university requirements) during their open enrollment period.
By default, the medical CMU SHIP premium fee is posted on student accounts; the fee is reversed for students who apply for and receive an approved waiver during open enrollment.
Monthly Payment Option
Monthly Payment Option - Fall Open Enrollment Only
Nelnet Campus Commerce allows you to pay your insurance premium in nine monthly payments (September through May). If you already use Nelnet Campus Commerce to pay your tuition and fees, you can add your health insurance premiums to that plan. For details or to enroll in a health insurance payment plan, visit www.cmu.afford.com.
If you are paying for medical, dental and/or vision premiums with a Nelnet payment plan, please first enroll in these plans as instructed above in the Open Enrollment procedure. The monthly payment option is only available during Fall Open Enrollment.
For more information, call 1-800-722-4867 to speak with an Education Payment Counselor.
Apply for a Waiver
To qualify for a waiver, students must verify that they already have medical insurance that meets the university’s requirements. Waiver applications are only accepted during Open Enrollment.
Waiver applications submitted before the end of Open Enrollment will be processed as on-time waivers. If approved, the student insurance charge will be reversed on the student's account; if a waiver is not approved (because the plan does not meet university requirements), the student will be enrolled in the student medical insurance plan.
With an approved waiver, a student accepts full financial liability for any medical costs incurred.
Change or Cancel SHIP Enrollments
If you've enrolled in the medical SHIP:
- You can update your personal information and/or add eligible dependents to your plan during your Open Enrollment period.
- Outside of your Open Enrollment period, you can update your personal information, but can only add eligible dependents (to the medical plan only) if they've had a qualifying life event.
- Qualifying events are not required for removing a dependent from your medical plan. Unless the dependent cancellation is due to Medicaid enrollment, dependent enrollments must be cancelled before March 31 of the coverage year.
To make changes to your SHIP enrollment, please email us at shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance.
Please allow a several business days for processing. If you're enrolling a dependent outside of Open Enrollment, HUB International (the company processing CMU student insurance enrollments) will reach out to you to request documentation (i.e. birth certificate, marriage certificate) to complete your enrollment. Please note that you have 31 days from the qualifying event date to add your dependent to your plan.
Cancellations of the medical SHIP are only permitted in certain circumstances. Eligible students should email us at shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu when their university enrollment status has been updated to reflect an approved status (or have been approved for Medicaid) and we can assist. Students who cancel may be eligible to receive a pro-rated refund for the remaining months' premiums. The final deadline to submit a cancellation request form is March 31 and the insurance plan cannot be cancelled after April 1 (May, June & July cancellations are not permitted).
The option to join a new plan does not make a student eligible to cancel their current insurance enrollment.
Student dental and vision plans cannot be cancelled outside of Open Enrollment.