Student Health Benefits

Health Insurance Requirements

It is the policy of Johns Hopkins University that all1 full-time students maintain adequate health insurance coverage to provide protection against unexpected accidents and illnesses. Most full-time students are automatically enrolled in a university student-sponsored health benefits plan, and the plan premium will be charged to your university student account, unless proof of comparable health insurance is provided for students eligible to waive.

Those who are eligible to waive the insurance must do so annually. All International students, including those with an F1 or J1 Visa status, are ineligible to waive and are required to purchase the university plan.

There are some instances where a student’s department covers the cost of health benefits. Please consult your departmental insurance administrator for specific cost-related questions.

1 There are few exceptions to health insurance requirements based on degree program. Please consult your school’s insurance website or contact your administrator for clarification.

Student Health Benefit Waiver Process

If you have private insurance coverage comparable to the university plan, then you may be eligible to submit a waiver request form via the Student Information System (SIS) during the open-enrollment period from July 1 to September 15. Please be aware that a waiver request form must be submitted each academic year regardless if your insurance information has changed or not.

Comparable coverage to the university plan must meet all of the waiver criteria requirements below.

Student Health Benefit Waiver Criteria

1. My plan is Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant.
My plan covers the following essential health benefits:

  • Emergency Services: care received for conditions that could lead to serious disability or death if not immediately treated, not penalized for going out-of-network or not having prior authorization.
  • Hospitalization: treatment in a hospital for inpatient care including laboratory services and medication during the hospital stay.
  • Laboratory services: testing provided to help a doctor diagnose an injury, illness or condition, or to monitor the effectiveness of a particular treatment.
  • Maternity, newborn care and breastfeeding coverage: Care that women receive during pregnancy, through delivery, post-delivery and care for newborns.
  • Mental health services and addiction treatment: inpatient and outpatient care provided to evaluate, diagnose and treat a mental health condition or substance abuse disorder. Limits must comply with state or federal parity laws.
  • Outpatient Care: care received without being admitted to a hospital such as a doctor’s office or clinic.
  • Pediatric services: well-child visits, vaccines, immunizations, dental and vision care
  • Prescription drugs, including birth control coverage: medications that are prescribed by a doctor to treat an illness or condition, some prescription drugs can be excluded.
  • Preventive services, wellness services and chronic disease management: including physicals, immunizations and screenings designed to prevent or detect certain medical conditions.
  • Rehabilitative services and devices: Services to help recover or develop skills and device to help gain or recover mental and physical skills due to injury, disability or chronic condition.

2. My current health insurance plan is NOT limited to emergency-only care and allows me to visit U.S. doctors, hospitals, laboratories and other health care providers in the local area where I will be residing and studying for the academic year.

3. My plan covers me while in the state I will be residing in for the upcoming semester. [Note: if your current health insurance plan is a Medicaid plan, it must provide coverage for you in the state you will be residing in for the upcoming semester.

4. I will remain enrolled in health care coverage for the duration of the academic year.
I understand that I will be responsible for paying my deductible and any out-of-pocket costs for medical services that I receive.

5. I understand that I will be responsible for paying my deductible and any out-of-pocket costs for medical services that I receive.

Note: A deductible is the amount you pay for covered health care services before insurance plan starts to pay (e.g. with a $2,000 deductible you pay the first $2,000 of covered services for yourself, after you pay your deductible, you usually pay only a copayment or coinsurance for covered services). An out-of-pocket maximum is the total amount you pay each plan year for healthcare including co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance. Once you have reached your out-of-pocket maximum, your plan will pay for 100% of the allowed amount for covered services.

For comparison purposes, the school-sponsored health insurance plan has a $250 deductible and a $5,250 out-of-pocket-maximum.

Online Waiver Instructions

Follow these steps to waive out of the university insurance plan (during open enrollment only, the deadline to submit a waiver is September 15):

  • Log into your SIS self-service main page
  • Select the “Personal Info” menu, then choose “Student Insurance Benefits” from the dropdown
  • On the Health Insurance screen, click on Waive Health Insurance.
  • Carefully read through the Waiver Disclosure Statement before answering the waiver questions.
  • Complete the waiver criteria by entering all required fields. You will need your current health insurance ID card and terms of coverage ready in order to complete the waiver form.
  • Once you have submitted the form, you will receive notification that your waiver was either accepted or denied. No exceptions to the waiver criteria will be made.

Note: If the waiver request form meets all waiver criteria and is accepted then you will be waived for the entire plan period. Contact the Office of the Registrar if your insurance coverage changes during the academic year.

Please be aware that a waiver request form must be submitted each academic year regardless if your insurance information has changed or not.

If you do not complete a waiver or the waiver submitted has been denied, you will remain enrolled in the Student Health Benefits Plan and your student account will be charged for individual coverage. No exceptions to the waiver criteria will be made.

Questions?

Use this contact form to submit additional questions regarding enrollment, billing, and the waiver process of the student health plan. Concerns regarding enrollment in the student vision and dental plans, appeals, or special circumstances should be directed to JHUStudentBenefits@jhu.edu.