Each academic year, students are required to enroll in CMU's student medical insurance plan or obtain a SHIP waiver. Students must take this action during their Open Enrollment period.
To qualify for a waiver, students must verify that they have active medical insurance that meets university requirements. Students (and families where applicable) are responsible for reviewing these requirements and verifying that their medical insurance meets them.
Waiver applications must be submitted prior to a student's Open Enrollment deadline. If approved, the student insurance charge will be credited back to the student's account. With an approved waiver, a student accepts full financial liability for any medical costs incurred. If a waiver is not approved (because the plan does not meet university requirements), the student must enroll in the CMU student medical insurance plan.
After Open Enrollments ends, late waiver applications will only be accepted for two weeks following the deadline and are subject to a $50 late fee.
Students who have extenuating circumstances and wish to request a waiver beyond the two-week late period must submit a formal appeal. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee that a waiver will be approved, but does allow a student's circumstances to be considered. If an appeal is granted and the waiver is approved, the student will be responsible for paying for the student medical plan premium for the months of enrollment. Waiver appeals are not accepted after 90 days from a student's Open Enrollment deadline. Contact UHS for late waiver requests and appeals.
Insurance Waiver Requirements
In order to waive CMU's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), all full-time students who are physically located in the U.S. must have health insurance that meets the following requirements:
- is provided by a company licensed to do business in the United States, with a U.S. claims payment office and a U.S. phone number;
- has unlimited annual and lifetime benefits (i.e., no policy maximum);
- will be in force for the duration of your time as a student for the academic year/semester (whichever applies);
- has a maximum deductible of $5,000 individual/$10,000 family. If the student’s deductible is greater than $5,000/$10,000, the student must have a Healthcare Savings Account (HSA) that will allow the student to seek needed medical and mental health care that covers all deductible expenses over $5,000/$10,000 (catastrophic health plans are not acceptable);
- covers all of the following with no session limits (a policy that covers only emergency/ urgent care in the location where the student is studying does not meet this requirement): routine, urgent and emergent care for both inpatient and outpatient medical care; mental health treatment; and alcohol and substance abuse treatment;
- Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans are acceptable only when the student is physically located in the provider network service area or has an “away from home” rider or guest membership that assures coverage commensurate with minimum requirements;
- Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plans are acceptable only when the student is physically located in the same state/area that provides the plan. (Examples: Acceptable: Student residing in FL and has FL Medicaid; Not Acceptable: Student residing in PA and has FL Medicaid); and
- provides coverage for pre-existing conditions with no waiting period or limitations.