Mandatory Health Insurance

1. Purpose

The age range of college students accounts for the largest group of uninsured and under-insured individuals in the nation. Here at the University of Florida, preserving our students’ health and wellness is paramount. There are times when students’ health or well-being, access to health services, or payment for healthcare can hinder them from achieving their academic goals. This requirement was founded on removing as many obstacles as possible for our students to reach graduation.

2. Applicability

All University Students.

3. Definitions

Comparable Coverage means health insurance that provides access to primary, routine, preventive, urgent, and emergency care where the student resides while studying on campus. The benefits are detailed on the UF Health Compliance Office’s Proof of Comparable Coverage page.

Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) refers to 10 health plan benefits considered essential by the Department of Health and Human Services that must be covered under health insurance without exclusion or limitation.

Fee Payment Deadline means the deadline set by the University for students to pay tuition which can be found on the UF Finance & Accounting’s Critical Dates page.

Half-Time means 6 eligible credit hours for undergraduate students and 5 eligible credit hours (4 credit hours during summer) for graduate students including post-candidacy doctoral students. Dissertation, internship, or research credits may constitute half-time with 1 credit.

Home Campus means the location of the campus where the student is taking classes.

International Students means students on an F or J international student visa.

Minimum Essential Coverage means a type of health insurance product that meets the Affordable Care Act’s responsibility provision for minimum health insurance coverage.

Policy Year refers to the annual coverage period for a Student Health Insurance Plan product beginning in August and ending the following August.

Restrictive (hard) Waiver means a system where proof of health insurance is reviewed by the University to confirm both active coverage and that the plan submitted meets the Comparable Coverage requirements by offering the necessary benefits.

Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) means a fully funded major medical policy available to UF students administered by the health insurance carrier, detailed on the UF Health Compliance Office’s Student Health Plan Information page.

Waiver means a proof of health insurance form filled out by the student providing confirmation of Comparable Coverage every three terms. The Waiver is an online form completed for the purposes of waiving participation in the default Student Health Insurance Plan coverage.

4. Policy Statement

This Policy affirms the University of Florida’s commitment to preserving our students’ health and well-being. The age range of college students accounts for the largest group of uninsured and under-insured individuals in the nation. There are times when students’ health or well-being, access to health services, or payment for healthcare can hinder them from achieving their academic goals. This policy was founded on removing as many obstacles as possible for our students to reach graduation.

This policy is crucial to the health of our students with medical needs and supports the education of our students. Accordingly, the University requires all students to maintain health insurance coverage that meets the requirements set forth herein as a condition of enrollment. Health insurance must provide adequate coverage in the Gainesville area, or the Home Campus in which students are enrolled, to satisfy the mandatory health insurance requirement. Students who are uninsured, or who have a policy that does not offer adequate benefits in the Gainesville area, or the Home Campus in which they are enrolled, are required to purchase an alternative plan from the health insurance market or be enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan. The health insurance requirement is managed through a Restrictive Waiver process where proof of health insurance is reviewed by the University to confirm it meets coverage requirements. For more information, visit the UF Health Compliance Office’s Health Insurance Requirement page.

4.1. Waiver Process

The University will ensure appropriate health insurance coverage for students through the Restrictive Waiver process. This is an opt out system. Students will supply proof of Comparable Coverage to opt out of the default Student Health Insurance Plan. Students who do not submit a Waiver by the Fee Payment Deadline will be automatically enrolled in the UF student health plan for every semester in which they are enrolled at least Half-Time and will be financially responsible for the related fees.

4.1.1. Exemptions

Domestic students enrolled in classes prior to Summer B 2014 are considered exempt from the health insurance requirement.

Domestic students enrolled in a fully online or distance learning program are considered exempt from the requirement.

Students enrolled in UF Online (UFO) or Pathway to Campus Enrollment (PaCE) programs will not be required to complete a health insurance Waiver form until such time as they transition onto campus. However, these students will be considered eligible for participation in the UF student health plan if they are registered at least Half-Time, have paid the appropriate optional health fees, and are residing in Gainesville.

International Students who demonstrate they are out of the country for the full Summer semester may be provided a temporary exemption by the Health Compliance team in conjunction with the UF International Center.

4.1.2. Communication

The University will make information about the health insurance requirement available on the UF Health Compliance Office website and student portals.

The health insurance requirement will be communicated at new student orientation events.

Registration Hold: Students will have a self-clearing registration hold appear on their student account before their first term registration. This is a one-time registration hold that requires students review and acknowledge the mandatory health insurance requirement. Once the student has read the information on the policy, they must acknowledge they have read the information. The hold will then clear immediately. While all students must clear this hold, the mandatory health insurance requirement may not apply depending on the student’s enrollment status or program specifics (below Half-Time, distance learning, non-degree, etc.).

Student account action items: One.UF to-do items are placed as reminders for students to check their health insurance Waiver status for upcoming terms. These items are applied during Spring and Summer/Fall advanced registration periods. The to-do items are not registration holds. They are cleared when students acknowledge they have reviewed their health insurance status.

The University will notify students of pending health insurance fees and provide detailed Waiver instructions prior to the term Fee Payment Deadline. Notifications will be sent via email to the students’ UFL email address.

The University will notify students when an existing health insurance Waiver form is about to expire.

The University will post reminders on a student’s account regarding pending action items.

Health Compliance will send email notices when a health insurance Waiver is about to expire, when fees have been posted as pending items, and when the Waiver deadline is approaching. Health Compliance will also send a final notice after the deadline has passed inviting students to complete the form late.

4.2. Review and Approval Procedure

Students are responsible for the accurate and timely submission of their health insurance information.

Students over 18 will be notified of their account to-do items and pending fees.

After completion of a health insurance Waiver, the Health Compliance office will review the plans for compliance with the posted Comparable Coverage requirements.

Waiver statuses will be updated in a space visible to students.

Review status of students’ health insurance information may include the following:

• Pending Review – A default status for Waivers where no health insurance company was selected.
• Pending Verification – Health Compliance is working to verify coverage is active and meets coverage requirements.
• Verified – The student’s proof of health insurance has been approved and processed. Health insurance Waivers are valid for 1 year, or three semesters, by default. The Waiver start and end date will be posted in a space visible to students.
• Verification Failed – This status means the Waiver was not processed automatically through the payor’s system and has been added to the team’s queue for manual verification. The Health Compliance team will review the Waiver and apply a Verified or Review Failed status as appropriate.
• Review Failed – The Health Compliance team has reviewed the submitted plan and is unable to determine active or valid coverage. The student will be enrolled in the University health plan if no further action is taken.

4.2.1. Late Submissions

Health Compliance will work with students and their families if a health insurance Waiver is not submitted or accepted prior to the term Fee Payment Deadline and review options for leniency.

Health Compliance will make best efforts to communicate the requirement and applicable deadlines to students well in advance.

Students are encouraged to contact Health Compliance if they have missed the Waiver deadline to work with the Health Compliance team to request cancellation of the default Student Health Insurance Plan. Administrative late fees may apply.

Health Compliance will make every effort to assist a student in completing a health insurance Waiver form after the deadline provided the Policy Year has not lapsed and the Student Health Insurance Plan has not been used to pay for medical claims.

Health Compliance reserves the right to deny a late Waiver request if any of the following apply:

• the submitted health insurance does not meet coverage requirements;
• the Student Health Insurance Plan has paid out benefits;
• the Policy Year has ended and the carrier invoice has been closed; or
• the student has repeatedly missed the deadline.

5. References and Related Information

• Board of Trustees meeting minutes: https://trustees.ufl.edu/meetings-archive/
• Proposal: https://trustees.ufl.edu/media/trusteesufledu/minutes/2013/Ed-Policy_March-18,-2013.pdf
• Approval: https://trustees.ufl.edu/media/trusteesufledu/minutes/2013/Board_March-22,-2013.pdf
• Policy specifics and procedures are updated at healthcompliance.shcc.ufl.edu
• Health insurance Waiver instructions are posted and updated online at uflorida.medicatconnect.com

History