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The fall 2012 deadline to waive the Student Health Benefit Plan was September 17, 2012.
The spring 2013 deadline to waive the Student Health Benefit Plan was February 4, 2013.
If you did not apply to waive coverage or could not demonstrate you have other eligible coverage by your applicable deadline, the Student Health Benefit Plan will remain on your tuition bill and you will automatically be enrolled in the Plan for the semester.
International students have other health insurance and waiver requirements, consistent with federal visa regulations, market availability and other educational factors. International Students are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Benefit Plan and are only eligible to waive out of it if enrolled in either the University-sponsored Graduate Assistant Health Plan or a United States-based employer-sponsored group health plan. Academic Health Center (AHC) students have a separate AHC student health plan and waiver procedure. Please visit www.shb.umn.edu for more information.
We get this question a lot. Not only do we want you to have the best health care plan possible, but we want you to understand what it does and how it works, too. But before we can talk about the waiver, we have to explain the University's mandate on health care insurance.
University Mandate
The University requires all students to have health care coverage to ensure they have access to medical care and can maintain good health, which is essential for academic success.
All students who are:
1) admitted to a degree program; and
2) registered for six or more credits per semester that count toward the automatic assessment of the Student Services Fee;
are required by the University of Minnesota to have health insurance coverage.
"But wait! Is the University requiring me to have health insurance just so it can sell me its own health plan?"
Not at all. The University wants students to have the health care plan that's right for them. Even though the University offers the Student Health Benefit Plan, students may waive the University-sponsored option and enroll in an alternative plan.
Waiving the University Plan
Eligible students* are automatically covered under the Student Health Benefit Plan unless they waive the coverage. If you can demonstrate that you have active health insurance coverage from another source as allowed under Minnesota law, you may apply for a waiver of coverage. If your waiver is approved, the Student Health Benefit Plan will be removed from your tuition bill. A waiver is valid for two years and must be must be re-applied for every two years.
*International Students are only eligible to waive the Student Health Benefit Plan if enrolled in the University-sponsored Graduate Assistant Health Plan or a United States-based employer-sponsored group health plan.
It's important to waive the University plan correctly: Providing deceptive information on the health plan registration screen is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and could result in student judicial action in addition to denial of enrollment in the Student Health Benefit Plan. Students who are automatically enrolled in the Plan will be charged the full, nonrefundable fee for the Student Health Benefit Plan at the start of each semester. Go here to learn more on how to waive the plan.
Office of Student Health Benefits
University of Minnesota
410 Church Street S.E., N323
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-624-0627 or 1-800-232-9017
Fax: 612-626-5183 or 1-800-624-9881
E-mail: umshbo@umn.edu
Waiver Request for 2012-13
Waiver Request for 2013-14
Information by Campus:
Crookston
Duluth
Morris
Rochester
Twin Cities
More Info
Choosing a Health Plan at Registration
Waiver Process
Frequently Asked Questions
