SHIP Waiver Request

All students registered for one or more hours of graded, on-campus coursework at the University of Denver are required to carry health insurance coverage that is effective August 1 for Law (semester) students and September 1 for Quarter students. Therefore, all students are required to participate in the DU Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) unless they provide proof of adequate alternate health insurance and submit a SHIP waiver request. The waiver is only available to students registered for the minimum graded credit hours (one for quarter and law students). It may only be filed online, and must be processed prior to the waiver deadline in order to decline SHIP coverage. See below for further details.

***The 2025 Spring Quarter Student Health Insurance Waiver Request process is now Open.***

***Email insurance@hcc.du.edu before the waiver deadline: April 18, 2025***

The 2025-26 Annual SHIP Waiver Request process will open by August 1, 2025.

Please note that, if approved, Student Health Insurance Plan waivers can take up to 5 business days to apply to your DU Student Billing account.

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

Adequate Alternate Coverage

The following guidelines are based on minimum requirements of student health insurance plans under health care law, American College Health Association 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 has to 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.
- Out-of-state Medicaid and most HMO plans do not provide out-of-network coverage. These plans (urgent or emergency only coverage) do not meet the SHIP waiver requirements.
- 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.

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

Waiver Request Instructions
***The 2024-2025 annual Student Health Insurance Waiver Request process is now CLOSED.***
2024-25 Law/Semester Waiver Deadline: September 6, 2024
2024-25 Quarter Waiver Deadline: September 27, 2024
The 2025-26 SHIP Waiver Request process will open by 1 August 2025.
Be sure to have your alternate coverage information handy, as you will be required to submit your insurance plan details for verification.
If approved, Student Health Insurance Plan waivers can take up to 5 business days to apply to your DU Student Billing account.
Please contact the HCC at 303-871-2205 or insurance @hcc.du.edu if you have questions concerning your waiver.

Sign in to MyDU and select the following options:
1. Student Resources
2. Records and Requests
3. Enroll/Waive Health Insurance. You will have the option of either accepting or requesting a waiver of the health insurance offered by the University of Denver. If you are covered by another health insurance plan and choose to waive participation in the University’s student plan, complete the form by the deadline listed above.
To confirm your alternative coverage is adequate, you will then 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 student will also receive email communications as the waiver request is being processed.
***If an eligible student does not submit a waiver request by the deadline, they will be auto-enrolled in the DU Student Health Insurance Plan.***
Make a Mistake?

If you waived OR accepted the SHIP or the Health and Counseling Fee (HCF) by mistake, please contact us before the applicable enrollment deadline at 303-871-2205 or insurance @hcc.du.edu.
After the applicable enrollment deadline, students who choose to waive the health insurance on an annual basis will not be able to opt back into the program during the year unless they experience a loss of coverage.