Jeffrey Wade
All eligible registered students at the University of California are required to meet the university's health insurance mandate. All students are automatically enrolled in the Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) to meet this requirement. If you are overdue for medical insurance at UC Berkeley, you will need to enrol in SHIP and pay the associated premium. However, if you have comparable health insurance that meets the SHIP waiver criteria and do not wish to have dual coverage, you can submit an online waiver application to waive your SHIP enrollment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is SHIP? | SHIP is the Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan, a group plan comparable in benefit levels to group plans provided to employees. |
| Who is eligible for SHIP? | All eligible registered undergraduate and graduate UC Berkeley students, including international students, are automatically enrolled in SHIP. |
| When does SHIP coverage begin? | Fall coverage is from August 1 to December 31, and spring coverage is from January 1 to July 31. |
| How to waive SHIP? | Students with comparable insurance coverage can submit an online waiver application annually during the waiver period (July deadline for the academic year or January deadline for the spring semester). |
| What if my waiver application is denied? | You can submit an appeal within 10 business days from the denial date. |
| What if I lose my insurance coverage? | You will need to upload verification from your former insurance company stating the date your coverage ended. |
| What are the benefits of SHIP? | SHIP includes medical, prescription, dental, vision, and travel assistance services. It also covers services outside of UHS, such as hospitalization and off-campus or out-of-area care while traveling. |
| Can I use University Health Services (UHS) without SHIP? | All students can use UHS, whether they have SHIP or not. UHS provides medical, mental health, and preventive care services at moderate prices. |
Explore related products
![The Penalty [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91fZ8MEHZ4L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
SHIP waiver criteria and application
All eligible registered UC Berkeley students are required to have medical insurance that meets the university's requirements. All students are automatically enrolled in the Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) to meet this requirement. However, if you have comparable insurance and don't want to keep SHIP as dual coverage, you may submit a waiver application. To waive SHIP, you must be enrolled in a medical health insurance plan that meets all of the waiver criteria for the entire SHIP term.
The waiver criteria include:
- All plans must provide unrestricted access to an in-network primary care provider, in-network hospital, and full non-emergency medical and behavioural health care within 50 miles of campus or the student's place of residence while attending school.
- Plans with an assigned PCP must have one assigned within 50 miles of campus or the student's place of residence before the start of the semester.
The waiver period for the academic year is from May 1 to July 15. A new waiver application must be submitted before the start of each fall semester during the waiver period; approved spring semester waivers do not roll over. The waiver must be filled out annually during the waiver period (July deadline for the entire upcoming academic year or January deadline for the spring semester).
To submit a waiver application, you can follow these steps:
- Visit the University Health Services (UHS) Berkeley website.
- Under "Student Health Insurance Office (SHIO)", select "Request Student Insurance Plan (SHIP) Waiver Forms" and select "SHIP Appeal Form".
- Fill out the form completely and click the "Send" button.
- Once you submit the online waiver application, you will receive a confirmation immediately.
- If your online waiver application is denied and you believe your insurance meets the waiver criteria, you may submit an appeal within 10 business days from the denial date.
Ambulance Coverage: Understanding Your Medical Insurance Benefits
You may want to see also
Explore related products
SHIP fees and charges
All eligible registered students at UC Berkeley are automatically enrolled in the Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and charged a health insurance fee on their CalCentral account. SHIP is a comprehensive plan that includes worldwide medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage with nationwide networks. It also provides travel assistance services.
The premium for SHIP is charged to the student's CalCentral account. Students with SHIP pay a co-pay of $15 for a primary care visit, a co-pay of $25 for a specialty visit, a co-pay of $35 for an urgent care visit, and 10% of most fees at the time of service.
Voluntary SHIP plans are available for specific student groups, including concurrent enrollment undergraduates, filing fee graduate students, and students with a formal medical withdrawal status or approved pregnancy leave. These students are not automatically enrolled and must manually enrol in a voluntary SHIP plan.
Students who have comparable insurance and do not want to keep SHIP as dual coverage may submit a waiver application during the open waiver period. Graduate students with comparable insurance plans who were excluded from SHIP in previous semesters will now need to apply for a waiver if they do not wish to have dual coverage.
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will adjust a student's cost of attendance (COA) to include the cost of SHIP and add a fee waiver to their financial aid package. If a student is granted a SHIP waiver after their aid has been disbursed, their awards may be reduced to account for the waiver.
Rhinoplasty: What Medical Insurance Covers and What It Doesn't
You may want to see also
Other insurance options
The University of California, Berkeley, requires all students to have major medical insurance. The Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is provided to meet this requirement, and all eligible students are automatically enrolled. However, if you have existing coverage, you may submit a waiver application if you do not want to keep SHIP as dual coverage.
If you are an international student with an F1/F2 or J1/J2 visa, you are required to have health insurance to attend classes on campus.
- Private insurance plans: You can purchase a private insurance plan that fits your needs. Various websites allow individuals to shop for health insurance plans.
- Covered California or State-Exchange Plan: Covered California is the health insurance marketplace for California residents. You can shop for plans, get premium estimates, and apply online or by phone.
- Medi-Cal or Medicaid: Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program, offering free or low-cost health coverage for eligible residents. You can apply online or by calling Covered California.
- Kaiser Permanente: You can review different plans and apply online by providing your zip code, date of birth, and expected income.
- Blue Shield of California concierge service: Blue Shield has a dedicated service for UC Berkeley students transitioning out of SHIP.
- Tuition Refund Insurance: This insurance can help refund the cost of attendance if a student is unable to complete classes for covered medical reasons or in case of the death of the tuition payer.
- Travel Insurance: UC Berkeley provides travel insurance coverage for employees and students traveling on official University business. Students can also purchase this insurance for personal travel needs.
- Accident Insurance: The Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) provides accident coverage for camps and other programs held on campus.
Lower Blood Pressure: Tips for Life Insurance Medical Exams
You may want to see also
SHIP benefits
The Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is a comprehensive major medical insurance plan, providing medical, counselling, prescription, vision, and dental services. SHIP is specifically designed for college students, promoting overall well-being and financial protection, which play a role in the overall success of students during their time at UC Berkeley.
All eligible registered students at UC Berkeley may use the services of the University Health Services (UHS), regardless of their major medical insurance. UHS is a complete outpatient health centre for students, providing medical, mental health, and preventive care. Clinicians at UHS serve as the primary care provider or PCP for students. Services are supported by registration fees and are provided at moderate prices.
SHIP covers services at UHS, including primary care, and services outside of UHS, including hospitalization, off-campus or out-of-area care while travelling, and some specialty services not available at UHS. It also provides dental and vision coverage, and travel assistance services.
Students are automatically enrolled in SHIP, and the premium is charged to the CalCentral account. Students with SHIP pay a co-pay of $15 for a primary care visit, $25 for a specialty visit, $35 for an urgent care visit, and 10% of most fees at the time of service. SHIP is a group plan, comparable in benefit levels to group plans provided to employees by employers. It coordinates benefits with the primary plan, resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs during the school year.
To receive the maximum benefits, students with SHIP are recommended to visit providers within the Wellfleet network (Blue Shield of California PPO for services in California and Cigna PPO for services outside California).
Transitional Medical Insurance: Loss and Retention Factors
You may want to see also
SHIP reversal
All eligible registered students at the University of California are required to meet the university's health insurance mandate. All UC Berkeley students are automatically enrolled in the Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) to meet this mandate. SHIP premiums are charged as part of registration fees.
If you have comparable health insurance that meets the SHIP waiver criteria and do not wish to have dual coverage, you may submit a waiver application. To waive SHIP, you must be enrolled in a medical health insurance plan that meets all of the waiver criteria for the entire SHIP term.
If your online waiver application is denied and you believe your insurance does meet the waiver criteria, you may submit an appeal within 10 business days from the denial date.
If you previously submitted a waiver but have since lost coverage, you will need to fill out a SHIP Waiver Reversal Form and upload verification from your former insurance company stating the date your coverage ended. If your waiver reversal request is approved, the full SHIP premium will be assessed to your CalCentral account; the premium will not be prorated.
Medicare and Major Medical Insurance: What's the Difference?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
If your waiver application is denied after the deadline, you can submit an appeal within 10 business days from the denial date.
If you lose coverage, you will need to upload verification from your former insurance company stating the date your coverage ended.
SHIP is the Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan. All registered undergraduate and graduate students at UC Berkeley are automatically enrolled in SHIP to meet the University's health insurance mandate.
