Waiving UCSHIP

The University of California requires that all students have health insurance. UCLA assesses all students for a UCSHIP policy to ensure adequate coverage. Have your own health insurance plan? Learn more about how to waive out and receive a credit to your BruinBill.

Health Insurance is Mandatory

To fulfill this requirement, UCLA automatically enrolls all registered students in UCSHIP (UC Student Health Insurance Plan) at the start of a new academic year. Each academic term, the UCSHIP health fee is billed through BruinBill along with other UCLA fees.

If you are covered by an insurance policy that meets waiver criteria and do not want to utilize UCSHIP benefits, you can request to cancel UCSHIP enrollment by submitting an online waiver application with supporting documentation during a waiver period.

An approved waiver application will be valid for the remainder of the academic year. Each term you will receive a waiver credit to negate the billed amount.

Waiving UCSHIP is an annual process and must be completed each academic year to avoid automatic enrollment.

UCSHIP Health Fee

The UCSHIP Health Fee is a registration fee and cannot be removed from your BruinBill. If registration fees are not paid by the fee payment deadline, classes are dropped and late payment fees are applied. Students that do not receive an approved waiver application by the listed deadline date will be enrolled in UCSHIP and are financially responsible for the UCSHIP Health Registration Fee on their BruinBill for the term. Additional opportunities to Waive UCSHIP are available during subsequent terms.

UCSHIP Waiver Process is Annual

Waiving is an annual process for those who wish to opt out of UCSHIP.

UCSHIP is featured in the New Student Checklist each year for incoming freshmen students.

See the New Student Checklist

Academic Health Plans (AHP)

UCSHIP and UCLA have partnered with Academic Health Plans (AHP) to audit our health fee waiver applications. You can submit an online application through Academic Health Plans (AHP) Waiver System during a designated Waiver Period. You will receive email notifications from AHP during a Waiver Period if you do not have an approved waiver on file.

Your waiver submission is not a guarantee of approval.

All submissions are subject to audit to ensure the health plan meets Waiver Criteria.

• Additional information may be requested by AHP in order to approve your application. Failure to provide the requested documentation before the Waiver Period Deadline Date will result in a denied application and enrollment in UC SHIP for the upcoming term.
• We highly recommend adding “@ahpcare.com” as a safe sender to ensure you receive all communications from Academic Health Plans (AHP).
• Students can check status of their application at any time by signing into Academic Health Plans (AHP) Waiver System. It is the student's responsibility to monitor their waiver application status.

Stay informed: Turn on AHP notifications.

To receive text messages or include another email address that will receive future notifications from AHP, please follow these steps:

Text

1. Log in to the waiver site
2. Select the ‘Account Info’ tab
3. Scroll down to enter your mobile number
4. Select the ‘Opt in for Texts’ button.

Email

1. Log in to the waiver site
2. Select the ‘Account Info’ tab
3. Under “Personal Information,” add up to two additional email addresses.

The UC SHIP Waiver Process

You can submit an online Waiver Application with your Supporting Documentation through Academic Health Plans (AHP) Waiver System during a designated Waiver Period. All submissions are subject to audit to ensure the health plan meets Waiver Criteria. Only approved applications receive a Waiver Credit and avoid automatic enrollment in UCSHIP.

The UCSHIP Waiver Process ends when you receive a “Waiver Status – Approved” email from AHP.

Supporting Documentation

Academic Health Plans (AHP) will want to review any and all available supporting documentation you may have about your current health insurance plan to ensure it meets Waiver Criteria. At a very minimum, you will need an accessible electronic copy of the front and back of your current insurance card. If you have access to the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) document associated with your policy, include it with your application.

*An SBC may not be available for some Medi-Cal plans.

Waiver Criteria

All plans must provide unrestricted access to an In-Network Primary Care Provider (PCP) within 50 miles of campus.

If you have health plan that assigns you to a PCP or Medical Group and they are in excess of 50 miles of campus, contact your health plan’s member services department to notify them that you will be attending college in in Los Angeles, California.

Any changes made to your PCP or Medical Group assignment must in effect on or before your program start date to satisfy Waiver Criteria requirements.

Your coverage must meet all of the Academic Plan Year Waiver Criteria to be eligible to waive UC SHIP. For students classified as international, additional criteria applies.

2024-25 Academic Plan Waiver Criteria

**Travel Plans, Health Care Sharing Ministries (HCSMs), County Medical Service Plans (CMSP), and SIMNSA do not meet waiver criteria and are not eligible to waive UC SHIP enrollment.**

Waiver Periods

You can submit a Waiver Application through Academic Health Plans (AHP) Waiver System during a terms designated Waiver Period listed below

Summer (Quarter) Waiver Periods

Fall (Quarter & Semester) Waiver Periods

Winter (Quarter) & Spring (Semester) Waiver Periods

Spring (Quarter) Waiver Periods

*Includes new and returning students enrolled in UC SHIP participating Self-Supporting Programs (DNP, MSAUD, MAS, MASS, MENG, MFE, MSBA, MSE, MBA, MQE, MACS, MQST, MDSH)

Waiver Application

Students* within their designated waiver period can submit their application to initiate the audit process through the UCSHIP Waiver Application below.

Upon submitting your application, you will receive an auto-generated waiver confirmation code to verify receipt of your waiver submission. Please keep this code for your records. If you do not receive a waiver confirmation code, your request was not successful.

UCSHIP Waiver Application

*Only registered UCLA students will have access to AHPs Waiver System. Third party access is not granted.

BruinCare & The Ashe Center

Before submitting your waiver application for audit, you will be asked if you would like to enroll in BruinCare. BruinCare is pre-paid access to core services at The Ashe Center. You are likely to seek medical attention at the Ashe Center because of its convenient and central location on campus.

BruinCare

Our Insurance Office

The Ashe Center Insurance Office is available to provide support to students experiencing difficulties with the waiver process. Please submit a Waiver Contact Form or call for assistance.

Note: During a designated waiver period, response times can take two (2) to three (3) business days. Insurance Office staff will not verify if a plan meets waiver criteria. Students must compare plan benefits against Waiver Criteria to determine if it is eligible to Waive UC SHIP.

Submit a Waiver Contact Form

Call The Ashe Center Insurance Office

Waiver Credits

This information is only relevant if you receive a “Waiver Status – Approved” email from AHP.

If you receive this email, you will receive a waiver credit for the current term and all remaining terms of the academic year.

Additional information about Waiver Credits:

• Waiver Credits will not appear the same day a “Waiver Status – Approved” email is received.
• Waiver Credits will not appear the same day fees are assessed.
• Waiver Credits will appear as a separate line item on your BruinBill. (e.g. FALL WAIVE USHIP)
• Waiver Credits will appear as a payment on your BruinBill. The payment amount will match the charge amount.
• Students who receive a “Waiver Status – Approved” email before a terms fee assessment date, will receive a waiver credit applied to their BruinBill within two (2) to three (3) business days AFTER fees have been assessed.
• Students who receive a “Waiver Status – Approved” email after a terms fee assessment date, will receive a waiver credit applied to their BruinBill within five (5) to seven (7) business days from date of receipt.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ)

I tried to submit a waiver application but I’m getting an error, why can’t I submit?

1. You are not the registered student. Only students have access AHPs Waiver System and the Waiver Application. Third Party Access is not granted. If you’d like to be included in notifications, reference the “AHP Notifications” of this page.
2. Your waiver period isn’t open yet. If you cannot access your application, it is during a waiver period and you were just assessed registration fees, your access to AHPs Waiver System will be granted within one (1) to two (2) business days.
3. You missed the waiver period. Contact the Insurance Services Office as soon as possible to discuss your options.

I submitted my waiver application and received a confirmation code, what do I do now?

Your application will be audited within five (5) to seven (7) business days. Please be sure to check your emails and review your Academic HealthPlans account for any notifications/requests from AHP for additional information in order to complete the audit in a timely manner.

I received a "Waiver Status - Submitted" email, what do I do now?

Your application will be audited within five (5) to seven (7) business days. Please be sure to check your emails and review your Academic HealthPlans account for any notifications/requests from AHP for additional information in order to complete the audit in a timely manner.

I received a "Waiver Status - Pending" email, what do I do now?

Your waiver application did not pass initial audit. Additional information is being requested and will need to be provided prior to approving your application. The comment in your email will indicate what information is needed. Failure to provide this documentation before applicable deadlines will result in UC SHIP enrollment for the term, making you financially responsible for the UC SHIP Health fee on your BruinBill.

I received a “Waiver Status – Denied” email, what do I do now?

Your health plan does not meet waiver criteria and is not eligible to waive UC SHIP. This means you will be enrolled in UC SHIP for the remainder of the academic year. If you confirmed that your health plan meets or exceeds this criteria and have supporting documentation that hasn’t been previously submitted, please re-submit your waiver application with new supporting documentation. If your waiver period is closed, contact the Insurance Services Office as soon as possible to discuss your options.

AHP is requesting a Letter of Coverage, why do they need that, what is it and how do I obtain one?

AHP will request a Letter of Coverage (Proof of Insurance) dated within the last 30 days if they are unable to verify your coverage is active. This documentation can be obtained by contacting your plans Member Services Department. Their number is typically on the back of your current insurance card. If you have a Patient Portal for your Health Plan, we recommend signing in to it and finding a page that would indicate your coverage is active. A screenshot of this would be sufficient information. It must include your name, member ID and the date.

Important Things to Note:

• The waiver application audit process cannot be expedited.
• All deadlines are strictly enforced by the Insurance Services Office at the Ashe Center.
• Your coverage must meet be active and satisfy all university waiver criteria requirements on or before your program start date.
• You must complete the UC SHIP Waiver Process each academic year to avoid automatic enrollment.
• The UC SHIP Waiver Process can only be started during Waiver Period.
• The UC SHIP Waiver Process starts with the submission of an electronic application through Academic Health Plans (AHP) Waiver System.
• The UC SHIP Waiver Process ends when a student received a “Waiver Status – Approved” email from AHP.
• Students who do not complete the UC SHIP Waiver Process do not receive a Waiver Credit.
• Students who do not complete the UC SHIP Waiver Process will be enrolled in UC SHIP for the term and remain financially responsible for the terms UC SHIP Health Fee.
• Students who do not complete the UC SHIP Waiver Process within the terms Waiver Period must contact the Insurance Services Office at The Ashe Center as soon as reasonably possible to discuss their options.
• If a student’s waiver is denied, an appeals form may be requested from the Insurance Services Office for reconsideration. Appeals forms must be completed and returned with all requested supporting documentation by applicable deadlines
• Those with third party access are unable to log onto the UC SHIP waiver application with their sign-on credentials. Only registered UCLA students will have access to the site.