Annual verification of insurance

Calvin University uses a "hard" waiver system, meaning all undergraduate students who are enrolled in 6 or more credit hours must provide proof of PPACA compliant copmprehensive health insurance and submit a signed waiver to opt out of the United HealtCare Student Plan. If your insurance plan changes, you must update your current health insurance coverage information. Failure to submit a signed waiver may result in a registration hold and default enrollment in the university-sponsored plan.

Please note, while students may waive out of the United HealthCare Student Plan with an alternative PPACA plan, such as out-of-state Medicaid and Medicare Disability Plan, we do not directly bill those insurances in our office. The waiver must include a letter from your plan stating that they meet PPACA requirements and cover emergencies in the state of Michigan..

United HealthCare Student Plan Waiver Form

Requirements to opt out of the United HealthCare Student Plan

In order to be eligible to waive the United HealthCare Student Plan, the student’s existing insurance plan must meet the following 6 requirements.

  1. Coverage includes effective dates spanning the entire period for which the waiver is requested: August 15th through August 15th of each year.
  2. The student health plan covers a full year and begins on August 15th. For those starting/transferring in January, there is a prorated student health plan option.
  3. Plan must cover Repatriation and Medical Evacuation, or coverage should be purchased separately to supplement the health plan used to waive out of the United HealtCare Student Plan.
  4. The plan must be approved as a health insurance plan by the State Insurance Department (Travel Policies, Disability policies, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Only Policies, and other limited benefit polices are not acceptable).
  5. Plan must be PPACA compliant, meaning that the plan must be based in the USA and it mut be an individual or group insurance plan meeting the requirements of PPACA: a). Unlimited Maximum Benefit for covered medical expenses. b). Coverage for essential benefits (with no dollar limits), as defined under the PPACA. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Pharmacy
    • Mental health services on parity with medical services
    • Maternity benefits
    • Preventive care with no cost-sharing for Preferred Providers
    • Coverage for pre-existing condition with no waiting period
    • Pediatric dental and vision coverage through age 18
    and c). Maximum preferred provider total out-of-pocket expenses cannot exceed $8,700 per member ($17,400 per family). This amount may be adjusted annually to reflect the current maximum out-of-pocket allowed by the state of Michigan Bureau of Insurance.
  6. International students who are not receiving health insurance as a dependent in the USA by a parent’s US employer, students with J Visas, and American-born students living abroad, and domestic students without health insurance are not eligible for the Proof of Insurance Waiver. Note, there are no PPACA compliant plans based in the US available to international students. Many offshore plans take the name of a US based plan and pretend to offer adequate coverage. Additionally, Michigan Medicaid is not available to international students or domestic students with a permanent residence outside the state of Michigan. Overseas plans and emergency travel plans are not accepted.

Notice regarding other waiver exceptions:

I.  Coverage provided under an employer-sponsored group plan that is PPACA compliant as described above may be acceptable. In this case, it is necessary that the insured also verify they have a supplement in the employer’s clause regarding Repatriation and Medical Evacuation coverage.

II. A plan provided to sponsored students (for example: Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission, Kuwait, etc.) that is backed by the full faith and credit of the student’s home country may be acceptable.  Apply for a waiver at least 2 weeks prior to the start of classes. Waivers requested by the appropriate deadline will be reviewed, and a determination made regarding comparability to the USG Plan, and if determined to be comparable or better, will be accepted.

III. A plan provided by a pre-approved United States Cultural Exchange Program, e.g., Fulbright Programs, etc. may be acceptable. Apply for a waiver at least 2 weeks prior to the start of classes. Waivers requested by the appropriate deadline will be reviewed, and a determination made regarding comparability to the USG Plan, and if determined to be comparable or better, will be accepted. Do not purchase any plans prior to approval. This purchase will not waive requirement to purchase the student health plan.

Waiver requests submitted after August 15th will not be approved. The regulations for “Hard Waiver” schools require that all students are enrolled in the student health plan or have proof of PPACA domestic coverage.

Health insurance for international students

Unlike health care costs in many countries, health care in the United States is very expensive. To provide affordable and easy access to medical care while you are studying in the United States, Calvin University requires all international students to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (United HealthCare Student Plan).

The most common problems with other insurance you may purchase includes paying out of pocket first and then being reimbursed for charges later; paying a high deductible every time you go off campus for medical care; exclusion of mental health benefits; etc. These plans do not meet criteria to waive out of the student health plan.

For this reason, all international students are required to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan in order to meet the university’s minimum insurance standard. Do not purchase other travel insurance or other emergency-only plans. They are not considered comparable, and do not meet Calvin University’s minimum insurance guidelines.

There are international students who may have plans that meet PPACA requirements. If that is the case, those international students ARE REQUIRED to send a request to waive out of the student health plan and turn in a detailed summary of their plan information to Health Services by midnight on August 14th. All requests to waive the student health plan will be denied if there is not a waiver request on file in Health Services and a copy of the detailed alternative plan presented prior to this date.

Please DO NOT purchase any alternative plans until they have been approved, unless you are seeking a supplemental plan to an otherwise authorized plan.   

Calvin University does not accept the following insurance plans: PSI, ISO, LIG, AIG, Hanwha, Samsung Fire, KB, or Dongbu.

Insurance requirements for Canadian students

We recognize that Canadian students have provincially subsidized health care administered by their own government as long as they remain physically present in their province for a minimum number of days each year, (typically 153-183, varies by province).

Students who chose to remain in the US over the summer months in any given year, may be required to purchase the student health plan. Ontario and other provinces offer a written approval from the Ministry of Health that will extend services for students studying abroad. This letter or proof of must be submitted to request a waiver. In provinces without coverage outside of Canada, enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan (United HealthCare Student Plan) is required.

It is important to note that Canadian Health Insurance will not cover any preventative care in the US and will only consider reimbursement if the treatment is not elective and is considered medically necessary. An application for coverage is required for urgent and nonurgent medical treatment outside of Canada.