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Frequently Asked Questions About Waivers
- Why did I get charged for a "health insurance fee"
on my CARS statement? I didn't ask for health insurance.
- What do I do if I already have health insurance and
I don't need the insurance offered by UC Berkeley?
- What are the requirements for waiving SHIP?
- How do I apply for a waiver?
- What are the deadlines for submitting a waiver?
- What option do I have if my waiver is denied?
- I submitted a waiver but it hasn't appeared on my CARS
statement.
- Do I have to submit a separate waiver every semester?
- I submitted a waiver for the academic year and received
the credit for fall semester,but not for spring semester. What should
I do?
- I submitted a waiver but now I no longer have other
insurance. How can I get covered under the Student Health Insurance
Plan?
- I have already completed my waiver application.
How do I return to the confirmation page?
- If I waive SHIP can I still use University Health
Services at the Tang Center?
- I have a problem with my waiver. Who can I talk to
about it?
Why did I get charged for a "health insurance fee"
on my CARS statement? I didn't ask for health insurance.
As approved by a vote of UC Berkeley students, and ratified by the UC
Regents, it is an enrollment policy that all students must be covered
by major medical health insurance while attending UC Berkeley. All students
are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
and charged a health insurance premium (SHIP fee) as part of their registration
fees.
What do I do if I already have health insurance
and I don't need the insurance offered by UC Berkeley?
If you have other major medical health insurance comparable to SHIP
and don't wish to have the advantages of dual coverage, then you can
submit a Health Insurance Fee Waiver form to discontinue your enrollment
in SHIP and receive a credit for the health insurance fee.
What are the requirements for waiving out of SHIP?
You must be enrolled in a commercial or government-sponsored health
insurance plan that meets ALL of the following requirements:
- You must be enrolled in a medical health insurance plan through
a recognized private company that is owned, headquartered and operated
in the United States. Foreign insurance plans with U.S. affiliates/representatives,
travel insurance plans and reimbursement programs of any kind do not
qualify, including reimbursement arrangements or vouchers from home
governments or their U.S-based consulates.
- Your insurance plan must provide a minimum of $400,000 in lifetime
benefits.
- Your insurance plan must provide 80% coverage for hospitalization
fees.
- Your insurance plan must provide 80% coverage for professional fees.
- The annual deductible through your insurance plan must be no more
than $500.00.
- Your insurance plan must provide at least 15 days of inpatient mental
health services.
- Your insurance plan should provide worldwide coverage for all authorized
or emergency services.
- If you have a J-1 Visa, your insurance plan must provide medical
evacuation and repatriation benefits.
- Your insurance plan should have a network provider facility within
50 miles of the UCB campus.
How do I apply for a waiver?
An online waiver application is
available for Berkeley students. To complete the form, you will need
an active CalNet ID and details about your health insurance plan, including
the company name and phone number, group number, the policy holder's
identification number, the policy holder's relationship to the student,
and the name of a Bay Area health care facility covered by the plan.
You will receive a confirmation number upon completion of the form.
Print this page for your records.
What are the deadlines for submitting a waiver?
Fall Semester: All continuing students must submit a waiver application
during the Fall semester of each academic year. Waiver forms for the
Fall semester for new UC Berkeley undergraduate students and all continuing
students must usually be completed by July
15. Please note the waiver deadline for Fall 2009 only has been extended
to August 15, 2009. For waivers submitted between August
16 and September 15, the student's campus account will be charged a
$50 late waiver service fee. Absolutely no waivers will be accepted
after September 15.
New graduate students must submit waiver forms by August 31. For waivers
submitted between September 1 and September 15, the student's campus
account will be charged a $50 late waiver service fee. Absolutely no
waivers will be accepted after September 15.
Spring Semester: Waivers submitted for the Fall will be carried forward
to the following Spring semester.
New students starting in the Spring 2010 semester must submit waivers
between December 1, 2009 and January 4, 2010.
What options do I have if my waiver is denied?
Waivers can be denied for several reasons:
- The waiver form was not completed correctly
- Your commercial or government-sponsored insurance does not meet
the required minimum health insurance benefit levels established by
UC Berkeley.
- Your waiver form was submitted after the deadline.
You will receive a letter indicating the reason for denial. Waivers
that were not completed correctly may be resubmitted with the requested
corrections. The decision to deny waivers submitted after the deadline
or due to the inadequate benefit level of your health insurance plan
is final, and you will be automatically enrolled in SHIP.
I submitted a waiver but it hasn't appeared on my
E-Bill.
If you submitted your waiver form by the July 15 deadline, the SHIP
fee will not appear on your E-Bill. If you submitted your waiver form
after July 15 you will see a credit for the SHIP fee on the August or
September E-Bill. Please wait until you have received this E-Bill before
calling the Student Health Insurance Office about your waiver.
Do I have to submit a separate waiver every semester?
Academic-year waivers submitted in the spring and summer cover both
the following Fall and Spring semesters. In November, your Fall semester
waiver will be transferred automatically to Spring semester. The credit
will appear on the E-Bill sent to students in December.
If you submitted a waiver for the Spring semester only, then the following
Fall you must submit an academic-year waiver in order to continue to
receive the health insurance fee credit. Spring waivers are only good
for the Spring semester.
I submitted a waiver for the academic year and
received the credit for Fall semester, but not for Spring semester.
What should I do?
Contact the Student Health Insurance Office at 510-642-5700. It is helpful
if you have your waiver confirmation number on hand when you call.
I have already completed my waiver application.
How do I return to the confirmation page?
To obtain confirmation number or return to the confirmation page, click
here. You will be directed to CalNet authentication page before proceeding
to confirmation page.
I submitted a waiver but now I no longer have other
insurance. How can I get covered under the Student Health Insurance
Plan?
Contact the Student Health Insurance Office at 510-642-5700 and ask
for a Waiver Reversal Request, or download
the form here.
If I waive SHIP can I still use the University
Health Services at the Tang Center?
Yes, all registered UCB students can be seen at the University Health
Services, regardless of the type of insurance they have.
I have a problem with my waiver. Who can I talk
to about it?
Contact the Student Health Insurance Office at 510-642-5700.
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