Frequently Asked Questions About Waivers 2012-13
- 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 E-Bill.
- 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?
- If I waive UC 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 UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC 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 UC SHIP
and don't wish to have the advantages of dual coverage, then you can
submit an online Health Insurance Fee Waiver form to discontinue your enrollment
in UC SHIP and receive a credit for the health insurance fee.
What are the requirements for waiving out of UC SHIP?
In order to waive UC SHIP, you must be enrolled in a private medical
health insurance plan that meets ALL of the following requirements:
- You must be enrolled in a medical health insurance plan through a
recognized company that has a claims office in the U.S. 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. Foreign insurance plans must have a policy written in English weith benefits expressed in US dollars.
- Your private insurance plan must provide:
- Hospital stays for meidcal, surgical and mental health conditions
- Doctor office visits for medical and mental health conditions
- Medications prescribed by a doctor.
- Medical services related to injury or illness caused by alcohol or drug use.
- Medical services related to injury from participation in all types of recreatinal or amateur sports
- A minimum of $400,000 in lifetime benefits; coverage per injury or illness may not be less than $400,000.
- An annual deductible of $7,500 or less.
- If you have a J-1 Visa, your insurance plan must provide at least $10,000 for medical evacuation each year and at least $7,500 for repatriation benefits.
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 student's policy identification number, the policy holder's relationship to the student,
and the summary of benefits.
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?
The Fall 2012 waiver deadline is July 15, 2012. See updated waiver information here.
If you need help determining whether or not you need to waive SHIP, click here.
What options do I have if my waiver is denied?
Waivers can be denied for several reasons:
- The waiver form was not completed correctly, or is incomplete.
- 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.
If your waiver application is denied, please follow the instructions provided in the waiver application. 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 submit your waiver form by the July 15 deadline, the UC SHIP
fee will not appear on your first E-Bill statement of the Fall semester.
If you submitted your waiver form after July 15 but before September 15, you will see a credit for the UC SHIP fee on the August or September E-Bill
however there will be a late waiver fee of $50.00 applied to your account
that you must pay. 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 October, 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 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 click here to download the form.
If I waive UC 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.
