Student health insurance at UIdaho
Protecting your health and wellness at U of I
As a University of Idaho student, your health and wellness are a top priority. College students are typically among the most uninsured and underinsured groups in the country, which can create barriers to your academic success. To help you focus on your education without the burden of healthcare costs, U of I established a policy to ensure access to health coverage so you can worry less about the financial impact of caring for uninsured or underinsured individuals.
Student health insurance requirement
You’re required to show proof of insurance if you are a domestic, degree-seeking student and are enrolled in:
- 12 or more credits as an undergraduate student
- Nine or more credits as a graduate or law student
- One or more credits as a student-athlete
If you are an international student, you are required to show proof of personal health insurance before you can complete enrollment of academic classes regardless of how many credits you are taking. Proof of insurance must be completed every semester that you wish to attend University of Idaho.
If you do not complete your health insurance waiver and provide proof of insurance, you will be automatically enrolled in U of I’s Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) and the charge will be placed on your student account.
U of I’s Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP)
The Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at University of Idaho provides comprehensive medical health coverage. Administered by United Healthcare Student Resources (UHCSR), SHIP ensures access to healthcare services at the Vandal Health Clinic and within a wider network.
Submitting proof of personal insurance
If you are covered by personal or guardian insurance, you must provide proof of coverage to U of I. The insurance must meet Affordable Care Act regulations and university guidelines to qualify for an exemption from the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP).
Acknowledging the Health Insurance Requirement
When you select "Register for Class" for the first time in a registration cycle, a pop-up will appear notifying you of an outstanding action. You must acknowledge the health insurance requirement before you can complete the registration process.
How to complete the required acknowledgement during registration
When the outstanding action pop-up appears, click continue which will take you to the outstanding actions page.
Press continue and you will see instructions to click on each action item on the left to complete them. All action items must be completed before you will be allowed to register for classes.
You must click on the SHIP Action item to complete the action. When the SHIP action item is opened, you will see text appear in the right-hand window. Scroll down to the bottom of the text in the right-hand window to see a check box acknowledging that you have read and understand the Student Health Insurance Requirement. Check the box and hit save to complete the task and continue with registration.
Once you have acknowledged the requirement, you can either enroll in the university's Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP), submit your personal insurance information for verification or continue with registration.
- To enroll in SHIP, follow the instructions on the SHIP website.
- To submit your personal insurance information for verification, follow the instructions on the Personal Insurance website.
- To continue with registration, click continue in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
If you do not submit your health insurance information or complete SHIP enrollment during the course registration process, you MUST return to MyUI to complete the insurance process before the first day of classes.
IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR CONTINUING STUDENTS: Health Insurance Information Forms are only valid for one semester. As a continuing student, you must confirm your health insurance information prior to the first day of each semester. If you have a break in your academic enrollment you are required to complete a new Health Insurance Information Form when you re-enroll and every semester thereafter.
Medical insurance billing on student accounts
If you have not opted to use your personal health insurance or if you have not submitted your personal health insurance information for verification you will be AUTOMATICALLY billed for SHIP. This charge will appear under the heading of “Medical Insurance” on your tuition bill. If you have personal health insurance coverage and would like to opt out of SHIP, it is your responsibility to submit your personal health insurance information prior to the first day of classes to have the insurance charge removed from your tuition bill.
You may change your selection at any time PRIOR to the first day of the semester. Online Health Insurance Information Forms through MyUI are not accepted after the first day of a semester.
To get a credit on your student account and remove the charges for SHIP, you must provide proof of coverage.
Insurance requirement appeals process
If you are enrolled in SHIP due to a failed insurance verification or special circumstances, you may appeal the requirement.
Requesting an appeal
Submit a written request to the Student Insurance and Business Office at the Student Health Clinic with a clear, concise explanation of why you want an appeal and any supporting documents. You have the burden of establishing justification and providing supporting documentation necessary to demonstrate the request for an appeal. Special circumstance SHIP enrollment appeals may require input from an academic advisor or department.
Requests for an appeal should be sent from your official Vandal email to studentinsurance@uidaho.edu and should include your full legal name and Vandal number.
Reviewing appeal requests
Once a request for review has been submitted, the Student Insurance and Business Office will compile background information from your health insurance record including: SHIP audit log of communication and intercepts, verification process results and current enrollment status. This information will be forwarded on to the appeals committee for final decision.
Additional information and documents of coverage may be requested from you during the appeal process.
Decision and notification
An appeals committee meets monthly as needed to review requests for insurance requirement exemptions and exceptions. You will be notified once a decision has been reached on whether or not your appeal was approved.
Approved appeals are for one term only.
Contact Student Health Services
For questions about health insurance or SHIP, email studentinsurance@uidaho.edu.