90.24 - Student Health Insurance Requirement

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Last updated: August 2026

A. Purpose. The purpose of this policy is to ensure the health and wellness of students by setting forth requirements for student health insurance.

B. Scope. This policy applies to all students at the University of Idaho.

C. Policy

C-1. In general. At the University of Idaho, preserving our students’ health and wellness is paramount. Limited access to health services and the financial burden of healthcare can hinder a student's ability to achieve their academic goals. This policy was founded on removing as many obstacles as possible for our students to reach graduation.

C-2. Health insurance required. All domestic full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in 12 or more credits, graduate and law students enrolled in 9 or more credits, student athletes enrolled in 1 or more credits and all international students with sponsored government health insurance as part of their educational program are required to show proof of personal health insurance before they can complete enrollment of academic classes each semester. In each semester, if proof of health insurance is not provided, the student will be enrolled automatically into the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) and will be responsible for the associated charges.

C-3. Coverage requirements for all non-SHIP policies. All health insurance policies for both domestic and international students must adhere to the Affordable Care Act. In order to opt out of the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP), a student must provide proof of a health insurance policy that meets the following requirements:

a. The plan does not have any limitations or exclusions on pre-existing conditions.

b. The plan covers hospital stays for medical and surgical care and inpatient care for mental health conditions.

c. The plan covers doctors’ office visits for medical care and outpatient care for mental health conditions.

d. The plan covers prescriptions written by a doctor. Prescription benefits through a third-party vendor such as CVS Caremark, etc. . Discount prescription cards like GoodRX are not acceptable.

e. The plan provides access to a provider network within the Moscow/Pullman area  or physical location of study if student is not located on the Moscow campus. Coverage must be available for routine, diagnostic, urgent and hospital care. Coverage for only telehealth, urgent and emergency care is not acceptable.

f. The plan covers services related to injury from participation in all types of recreational sports, including intercollegiate athletics.

g. For J status visa holders the plan has a deductible of no more than $500 per accident or illness.

Note for J Status Visa Holders: The deductible requirement is based on federal insurance requirements for J exchange visitors. Students enrolled in family coverage plans with aggregate family deductibles greater than $500 should contact the Student Health Insurance Office prior to submitting a waiver request to determine whether their coverage satisfies J visa insurance requirements and SHIP waiver eligibility.

h. The plan covers maternity care, including prenatal care and delivery, with no pre-existing condition limitations.

i. The plan provides coverage for diagnostic services, including laboratory tests.

j. The plan does not impose any limitations or exclusions on payment for covered services.

C-4. Medical evacuation and repatriation coverage for students in J visa status. The University provides medical evacuation and repatriation coverage required by the Department of State for students in J visa status.

C-5. Policies not accepted. Travel plans, county medical service plans (i.e., Medicaid) outside the state of Idaho or Washington, fixed indemnity/limited benefit plans, short-term plans, and supplemental or reimbursement plans are not accepted as comparable coverage.

C-6. Effective dates of coverage. All plans must provide continuous coverage and meet one of the following requirements:

a. Students who are continuing enrollment without a break between semesters: The plan is effective on or before the first day of the semester and provides no break in coverage.

b. Students enrolling for the first time or beginning coverage at the start of a semester: The plan is effective on the first day of the calendar month following the first day of the semester.

c. Students who have experienced an involuntary loss of previous coverage: The plan is effective on or before the first day of the calendar month following the loss of coverage.

d. Gap in coverage: The plan must not have a gap in coverage of more than seven (7) days. If the gap in coverage exceeds seven (7) days, the student must provide proof of COBRA coverage for the period of the gap.

C-7. Audit. To ensure compliance, information provided by students is verified by a third-party auditor each semester. Students who are discovered to be uninsured or to have health insurance that does not meet the minimum requirements will be enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Program and the charge will be placed on the student’s account..

D. Procedure. For SHIP program procedure, including enrollment, appeals, and policy coverage, please see the Student Health Insurance Program website.

Version History

August 2026. Interim approved on August 14, 2026. Targeted revisions to student health insurance coverage standards, including clarifying unacceptable prescription discount cards, extending provider-network requirements to a student’s area of study when away from the Moscow campus, simplifying and aligned with federal rules regarding deductible requirements for J1 visa holders, replacing specific reimbursement-percentage thresholds with broader payment-limitation language, and clarifying that the university provides required medical evacuation and repatriation coverage for students in J visa status. The draft also revises the list of policies not accepted and streamlines audit language.

2023. Section C-3.g. revised to clarify deductible requirement for J1 visa holders.

2023. Complete rewrite.

Adopted 2005.