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UC SHIP Waiver Information

All registered UC Davis students are automatically enrolled in UC SHIP at the start of each new academic year.

If you are already covered by other health insurance, such as through an employer, your parents coverage, Covered California, or Medi-Cal, you can submit a waiver application to waive your enrollment in UC SHIP, and not be charged the UC SHIP Fee each term.

A new waiver application must be submitted prior to the start of each new academic year. Approved waivers are valid for the entire academic year.

If you do not currently have other health insurance coverage, but obtain coverage later in the year, you can submit a waiver application at that time, and have it applied to the remaining terms in the academic year.

Waiver Deadlines

Waiver applications must be received by these dates in order to apply to the terms indicated:

2025 - 2026

Quarter Students

Deadline for Fall, Winter, & Spring Quarters
September 1st, 2025
Deadline for Winter & Spring Quarters only
December 1st, 2025
Deadline for Spring Quarter only
March 1st, 2026

Semester Students (Law & Vet)

Deadline for Fall & Spring Semesters
August 1st, 2025
Deadline for Spring Semester only
December 1st, 2025

Programs with a Summer Start Date

If your program begins during the summer term (School of Education-Teaching Credential Program, Master of Public Health, School of Nursing), your program will provide you the waiver deadline date to have your waiver applied to summer term.

How To Submit a Waiver Application

The online waiver portal is maintained by a third-party vendor called Academic Health Plan (AHP) on behalf of UC Davis. When you click on the waiver link you will be redirected to their site.

New users to the waiver portal will be required to register using your UC Davis student ID number.

You will be required to answer several questions about your current coverage, and provide pdf or jpg versions of your insurance ID card and plan benefits summary. You may also be required to provide proof of active coverage if AHP is not able to verify your coverage information.

The online waiver portal is currently closed. It will reopen as of June 1 for the 2025-26 academic year.

Waiver Criteria

You can find a list of the current waiver criteria here.

Waiver Denial

If your waiver application is denied, and you feel the denial was in error, you can file an appeal to have your application reviewed. To file an appeal, you will need to complete a Waiver Appeal form, and submit it to the Insurance Services office with all required documentation.

Cancelling a Waiver

If you need to cancel your waiver and enroll in UC SHIP, you can do so at any time during the academic year. Please note that the UC SHIP premium is not pro-rated for students who cancel their waiver during the term. Students will be charged the full UC SHIP premium for that term.

To cancel your waiver, simply complete and submit a Request to Cancel Waiver form.

Glossary of Insurance Terms

Copay
The flat fee you pay for covered services, usually due at the time you receive care. For example, you might pay a $15 copay to see a primary care doctor or specialist.
Co-insurance
The slice of a medical service you’re responsible for. For example, you might pay 20% of the cost for a particular service, and the insurance company or plan will pick up the tab for the remaining 80%.
Annual Deductible
The amount you have to pay toward medical costs before UC SHIP starts paying part of the bill.
Emergency
An illness, injury, symptom or condition so serious that a reasonable person would seek care right away to avoid severe harm or death.
Maximum Allowed Amount
The total reimbursement payable under your plan for covered services you receive from in-network and out-of-network providers. It is the claims administrator’s payment toward the services billed by your provider, combined with any deductible or coinsurance you may owe. If you receive services from an out-of-network provider, the provider will bill you the difference, if any, between their charges and the maximum allowed amount.
Maximum Out of Pocket
The maximum amount of money you’ll have to pay for health care in a year. After you meet the maximum, UC SHIP covers 100% of all eligible costs for the rest of the plan year.
In-Network
A group of healthcare providers and facilities—including doctors, hospitals, and labs—that contract with your healthcare plan to provide services at negotiated discount rates. You’ll usually pay less when you use a network healthcare provider. UC SHIP contracts with Anthem Blue Cross to provide access to its extensive network of hospitals and providers, including UC Family facilities and provider groups.
Out of Network
Health care professionals, hospitals, clinics, and labs that do not belong to the Anthem Blue Cross Prudent Buyer network. You’ll typically pay more and may need to file a claim for payment.
Customary and Reasonable
A Customary and Reasonable charge, as determined annually by Anthem Blue Cross, is a charge which falls within the common range of fees billed by a majority of physicians for a procedure in a given geographic region, or which is justified based on the complexity or the severity of treatment for a specific case. When a non-Anthem Blue Cross physician is used, the patient is responsible for payment of all charges in excess of the Anthem Blue Cross C&R payment.
Referral
Written authorization given by the student health center (SHC) to seek care outside of the SHC for medically necessary services.

UC SHIP Forms