SHIP Waiver Request

Alternate Coverage Requirements

The following are based on minimum requirements of student health insurance plans under healthcare law, American College Health Association (ACHA) Standards for Student Health Insurance Plans, benchmarked subsidized plans available in the health insurance marketplace, and our experience in serving DU students. 

New school year health insurance coverage submitted for review must be in effect as of August 1 for Law (semester) Students and September 1 for Quarter Students.

Additionally, alternative plans must:

• have in-network non-emergency care providers in the Denver area.
• meet the essential coverage as defined under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
  • Emergency and non-emergency medical care
  • Inpatient and outpatient hospitalization
  • Covers mental health as any other illness
  • Preventative care covered at 100% with no cost to the insured
  • Covers pre-existing conditions
  • Covers prescriptions
  • Provides a US IRS 1095 B or C form indicating that you met the mandate for continuous coverage.
• be US-filed and approved ACA-compliant plan.
  • International, travel, and short-term limited benefits and/or coverage plans are not accepted.
  • A number of health insurance plans marketed solely to international students are often not filed in the US and have limited benefits and/or coverage periods that do not meet the DU SHIP waiver requirements.

 

Out-of-state (non-Colorado) Medicaid and most HMO plans do not provide out-of-network coverage. As they typically cover only urgent or emergency care, these plans do not meet the SHIP waiver requirements.

 

Benefits provided by DU's comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) exceed the minimum requirements for student health insurance plans under healthcare law.

 

• Common waiver request issues

  To approve a SHIP waiver, we must be able to confirm that the student has currently active insurance that meets the alternative coverage requirements above. 

  These are some of the most common reasons that prevent us from confirming coverage, and thus approving waivers:

  • Data entry errors on the web form:
    • Name of insurance subscriber (the actual policy owner/payor, often a parent) and student are swapped.
    • Relationship to subscriber
      • should be Self if is student's own plan (also for Colorado Medicaid plans)
      • should be Child if the insurance is provided by the parents
    • Please use student "Member ID" as the "Policy Number."
    • Month and day reversed. In the US, the month is entered first, followed by the day: MM-DD-YEAR
  • Image of something other than an insurance ID card is submitted. 
    • Government ID, prescription discount cards, and other images (insurance company logos, kayaks, cats) don't provide the needed confirmation of current, adequate medical insurance.
  • Image of insurance ID is blurry or unclear. Please make sure your lens is clean, lighting is good, and all information on the card is readable.

   

  Even with clear submissions, we sometimes need additional information. Our most common follow-ups are to verify that: 

  1. the student is covered by the submitted policy (if the policy is, for example, in parent's name), 
  2. the coverage is in effect as of required date (8/1 for Law, 9/1 for quarter students), and/or 
  3. the policy covers non-emergency care in Denver (many out-of-Colorado HMO plans do not).

   

  In these cases, we may request additional information, such as letter of coverage from the insurance company (naming student as insured and for what dates), or a copy of a matching policy document (such as Summary of Benefits) to demonstrate the required coverage details. You can request these from the insurer member services, and/or can often find/download/request them on your plan's website.

   

  In all cases where a waiver is denied, the student will receive a Secure Message through the DU MyHealth portal explaining why we were not able to approve the request. The student can reply with requested information, or contact the HCC to reset the waiver portal for a new submission.

  We’ll also send waiver approval notifications via MyHealth. (And it may take several business days after approval for the premium to be credited from your central Student Billing account.)

  Students’ @du email account will receive a notice to check your MyHealth whenever new messages are sent. Don’t wait to check MyHealth messages, and respond promptly when needed!

• Waiver Request Instructions

  ***The 2025-26 SHIP Waiver Request process is now open for fall-registered students.***

  NOTE: Student must be registered for fall classes before the online systems will offer SHIP decision options, as some details are based on enrollment status.

  Be sure to have your alternate coverage information handy, including your insurance card, as you will be required to submit your insurance plan details for verification.

  Please contact the HCC at 303-871-2205 or insurance@du.edu if you have questions.

   

  After you have registered for fall classes, sign in to MyDU and select the following options:

  1. Student Resources
  2. Records and Requests
  3. Accept or Waive Health Insurance.

  The online system will then offer any applicable options for health fee and insurance.
   

  To confirm your alternative coverage is adequate, you will be asked to affirm the following questions:

  1. Does your plan have in-network non-emergency care providers in the Denver area?
  2. Does your plan meet essential coverage as defined under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA)? This includes:
     • Emergency and non-emergency medical care
     • Inpatient and outpatient hospitalization
     • Plan covers mental health as any other illness
     • Preventive care covered at 100% with no cost to the insured
     • Plan covers pre-existing conditions
     • Plan covers prescriptions
     • Plan provides a US IRS 1095 B or C form indicating that you met the mandate for continuous coverage

   

  So that we can verify the coverage, you must then provide the following information about your insurance plan:

  • Insurance Company Name
  • Insurance Member ID
  • Insurance Group Number
  • Insurance policy holder First Name
  • Insurance policy holder Last Name
  • Student's Date of Birth
  • Policy Holder Relationship to Student
  • You will need to upload the front and back of your insurance ID card. OR other proof of coverage (eg full Insurance Certificate, available from your plan website/member services).

   

  An email confirmation will be sent to student within 48 hours. Keep a copy of the confirmation for your records.

  The waiver decision is not instantaneous; and the student will also receive email updates as the request is being processed.

  The SHIP premium is billed to all eligible students' central DU Student Billing account, and then removed/credited if waiver is approved. If approved, waivers can take up to 5 business days to apply to your DU Student Billing account.  

  ***If an eligible student does not submit a waiver request by the deadline EACH SCHOOL YEAR, the charge for DU SHIP will remain to ensure they do have adequate health coverage.***

• Make a mistake? Or change your mind?

  If you waived OR accepted the SHIP (or an applicable Health and Counseling Fee decision) by mistake, please contact us before the applicable waiver deadline at 303-871-2205 or insurance@du.edu 

  After the applicable deadline, students who waived SHIP on an annual basis will not be able to opt back into SHIP during the academic year unless they experience a qualifying loss of other coverage. (See our "Off-term enrollment" section on SHIP page.)