Mandatory Insurance FAQ

The purpose of the health insurance requirement is to ensure that our students have adequate coverage in order to avoid unexpected medical bills. These costs can be prohibitive and lead students into debt and cause them to interrupt their studies. For example, the average cost of a 3-day hospital stay in the US can be around $30,000, and fixing a broken leg can cost $7,500. The American College Health Association notes that “SHIPs are an outstanding value for students due to robust and broad coverage, often at half the cost of comparable employee plans…SHIPs are uniquely designed for the lifestyles of college students.  Specifically, SHIP coverage accounts for the mobility of the student-patient population by remaining in place while a student engages in student travel or during anticipated breaks in the academic year.”  UMD’s SHIP is a platinum-level plan that covers students both in College Park as well as nationally through the insurance company’s provider network.  

Students who do not wish to retain the SHIP must file an online waiver each academic year to have the charge removed from their tuition bill. This is referred to as a “hard waiver.”  

The waiver website opens in mid-May and remains open until September 30th.  A waiver is required each academic year without exception.  The waiver must be submitted online.  Providing insurance information at the University Health Center does not substitute for the waiver requirement. Once the waiver is received and approved, the insurance charge is reversed on the student bill. If no waiver is received, the charge will remain on the bill and the student will be enrolled in the UMD-offered plan.  The premium is billed annually and provides coverage between August and the following July. (Students may also proactively enroll in the plan through the website.)

State law mandates that retroactive terminations are not available. The University must pay the applicable subscription charges for a member covered under the plan until the insurer receives the notice that the member is no longer eligible for coverage. This means that all waivers must be completed on time. If you do not waive coverage by the deadlines, you will be held responsible for all charges made by the carrier. There are no exceptions.

For a waiver to be approved, student coverage must be active no later than the first day of classes and the level of benefits provided to the student through a health insurance plan must be fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Coverage is considered comparable if it provides students with access to local providers and a range of services in the state of Maryland. Services include but are not limited to, preventive and non-urgent care, emergency care, surgical care, inpatient and outpatient hospitalization, lab work, diagnostic X-rays, physical therapy and chiropractic care, prescription drugs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Students who waive the UMD Student Health Insurance Plan are solely responsible for all medical expenses and bills incurred.

The American College Health Association notes that “[Student Health Insurance Plans] SHIPs are an outstanding value for students due to robust and broad coverage, often at half the cost of comparable employee plans…SHIPs are uniquely designed for the lifestyles of college students. Specifically, SHIP coverage accounts for the mobility of the student-patient population by remaining in place while a student engages in student travel or during anticipated breaks in the academic year.” UMD’s SHIP is a platinum-level plan that covers students both in College Park as well as nationally through the insurance company’s provider network. 

Email communications about the insurance requirement is sent directly to the student using the University email address. An initial email is sent by UMD and an email is sent by the Student Health Insurance Plan Administrators, Academic Health Plans.

Parents and families of undergraduate students are encouraged to communicate with their student about these important emails. It is also important for the party responsible for the student tuition bill to regularly check the bill for charges that may appear after the initial tuition and fees are posted so as not to overlook the insurance premium charge

In order to ensure coverage, UMD automatically enrolls undergraduates who are registered for six or more credits and full-time graduate students (enrolled for at least 48 units for the semester or 36 units for a 12-week term) in the university-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) each year they are at UMD. SHIP is a reasonably priced insurance plan and provides coverage comparable to other premium insurance plans on the market. 

• For Academic Year 2024-25, the annual premium is $2,494 and will be automatically posted to your student account. The premium will be split into two separate payments: Fall $1,045 and Spring/Summer $1,449. This will be charged to the student account for registered students who meet the criteria.
• The SHIP insurance carrier is United Healthcare. 
• You may begin using your insurance as early as August 1, 2024. 
• To learn more about the SHIP coverage details, visit: umd.myahpcare.com or see the attached SHIP Rate Card. 

Students can apply to un-enroll from the SHIP if they submit an online waiver by the deadline.

In order to be unenrolled from SHIP and have the insurance charge removed from your student account, you must provide proof of comparable insurance coverage (“a waiver”) ONLINE at umd.myahpcare.com. Comparable insurance must be compliant with the standards of the US Affordable Care Act (ACA) and will require approval.

• You may apply for a waiver as early as June 17 and no later than September 19, 2024. 
• If you submit a waiver and it is approved, the charge of $1,045 will be removed from your bill or refunded to you. 
• If you do not waive by the deadline of September 19, you will remain enrolled and will be responsible for paying the full premium amount. 
• You must follow the same waiver process every year you are at UMD, and you will receive notification annually. 

Review the full schedule of key dates and deadlines for SHIP auto-enrollment and waiver on the University Health Center website

The waiver website opens in mid-May and remains open until September 19th. A waiver is required each academic year without exception. The waiver must be submitted online. 

Providing insurance information at the University Health Center does not substitute for the waiver requirement. 

State law mandates that retroactive terminations are not available. The University must pay the applicable subscription charges for a member covered under the plan until the insurer receives the notice that the member is no longer eligible for coverage. This means that all waivers must be completed on time. If you do not waive coverage by the deadlines, you will be held responsible for all charges made by the carrier. There are no exceptions.

After the enrollment date in October (April for Spring waivers), appeals must be directed to Academic Healthplan who will render a final decision.

The Hard Waiver process has been reviewed and approved by the University of Maryland Office of the General Counsel and Division of Student Affairs

International students who are planning to purchase insurance before arriving in the US should make sure that their plan meets ACA (Affordable Care Act) standards. The plan must be filed and approved in the United States and must comply with United States law.  If you are unsure whether an insurance plan meets these standards, it would be best to budget for and be enrolled in SHIP.

The university has partnered with Academic Health Plans (AHP) to administer SHIP. They will email you instructions and reminders about the insurance requirement, upcoming charges, and the waiver process and deadline. 

These instructions will be sent to you directly from the AHP email address (info4students@myahpcare.com) to your UMD email address. Please don’t ignore these communications.

Questions should be directed to Academic HealthPlans Customer Service at help.ahpcare.com

Yes. Graduate assistants who are appointed by July 3, part-time students, non-degree-seeking students and students enrolled in certificate programs, exclusively online programs, and/or programs at the Shady Grove campus will not be automatically enrolled in SHIP, but they are eligible to purchase SHIP using the voluntary enrollment process.

Eligible graduate students include: 

• Students enrolled part-time (in at least one credit)
• Students enrolled in an exclusively online program
• Students enrolled in a certificate program
• Students enrolled in Shady Grove
• Students (full-time or part-time) who want to purchase SHIP for one semester at a time
• Graduate Assistants who do not want the State of Maryland Insurance Plan
• Students who have an approved Leave of Absence (documentation required)
• Students who have a qualifying event (documentation required)

Voluntary enrollment allows students to purchase a plan by semester. Voluntary enrollment also allows you to add dependents to your plan.  Payment will be required at the time of enrollment

Yes. Undergraduate students excluded from the waiver requirement can voluntarily enroll in the SHIP.  Payment will be required at time of enrollment.

Students who do not take any action to waive enrollment are automatically enrolled in the SHIP in early October after all deadlines have expired. For Academic Year 2024-25, the annual premium is $2,494 and will be automatically posted to your student account. You are responsible for paying the premium.

• The SHIP insurance carrier is United Healthcare. 
• You may begin using your insurance as early as August 1, 2024. 

If you intend to pay and be enrolled in SHIP you must go online and "enroll" to activate the plan so they can begin using it on August 1.

To learn more about the SHIP coverage details, visit: umd.myahpcare.com or see the attached SHIP Rate Card.

• Undergraduate students taking less than 6 credits do not have to complete the waiver.
• International students enrolled in the Maryland English Institute, MEI, program do not have to submit a waiver.
• Graduate students in the following categories:
  • Graduate Assistants who are appointed by July 31
  • Part-time students
  • non-degree-seeking students, and 
  • students enrolled in certificate programs, exclusively online programs, and/or programs at the Shady Grove campus will not be automatically enrolled in SHIP.

The above are eligible to enroll as voluntary. Payment will be required at the time of enrollment

You are responsible for all visit co-pays, deductibles, co-insurance and non covered services. Charges can be placed on your Bursar account or paid by cash, credit card, Health Care Flexible Spending Account, or Terrapin Express.

The UHC is able to bill many private insurance plans for office visits and covered medical services provided in our facility. It is recommended that you call your insurance provider to inquire about coverage, estimated co-pays, deductibles, etc. for services received at the University Health Center.

We cannot bill Medicare, Kaiser Permanente, and TRICARE Prime. You should contact your plan  (customer service) in advance and ask if they will cover your care at the UHC  while you are away at school. You are responsible for any non-covered charges.

The UHC providers are contracted with the PPO and EPO insurance products  of: 

• Aetna  

• United Healthcare 

• Carefirst/Blue Cross-Blue Shield and 

• Cigna 

We can also file State of Maryland Medicaid plans for our registered students only

Yes, we can file for you, however, we cannot bill government insurance  programs, such as Medicare and TRICARE Prime. Again, call the Customer Service phone number listed on your insurance card to see if your service will  be covered.

For a waiver to be approved, student coverage must be active no later than the first day of classes and the level of benefits provided to the student through a health insurance plan must be fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Coverage is considered comparable if it provides students with access to local providers and a range of services in the state of Maryland. Services include but are not limited to, preventive and non-urgent care, emergency care, surgical care, inpatient and outpatient hospitalization, lab work, diagnostic X-rays, physical therapy and chiropractic care, prescription drugs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Students who waive the UMD Student Health Insurance Plan are solely responsible for all medical expenses and bills incurred. 

Insurance plans must be active by the first day of classes and the waiver must be submitted by September 19, 2024. 

Once the waiver is received and approved, the insurance charge is reversed on the student bill. 

If no waiver is received, the charge will remain on the bill and the student will be enrolled in the UMD-offered plan. The premium is billed annually and provides coverage between August and the following July. (Students may also proactively enroll in the plan through the website.)