Waive Out

Graduate students at USC Columbia enrolled in 6 or more credit hours or full-time equivalent (such as special enrollment status) in an on-campus or blended delivery program. This also includes all professional students in the USC Floyd School of Medicine and the College of Pharmacy who are enrolled in six (6) or more credit hours. All graduate students classified as Graduate Assistants (GAs) regardless of credit hours. All international students, both undergraduate and graduate, regardless of credit hours enrolled. All student athletes, both undergraduate and graduate, (including Cheerleading and the Carolina Dance Team), regardless of credit hours enrolled. These students are required to maintain health insurance coverage as a condition of enrollment. Students must either enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan or waive the plan by showing proof of their own health insurance. 

Students enrolled in the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, are excluded from the Mandatory requirement to have Health Coverage, unless they are an international student or a student athlete.

In order to be approved for a waiver, your alternate health coverage must meet the requirements listed below and be submitted with proof documentation prior to the deadline.

Please review the requirements below prior to submitting your waiver request.

Domestic Graduate, Student Athletes, and School of Medicine Students who are required to have health coverage must be enrolled in a health plan that is compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA):

1. Provide the Essential Minimum Benefits required by the PPACA with no annual limits. A list of the benefits can be found here: https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/essential-health-benefits/ .
2. Contain no exclusions (or waiting periods) for pre-existing conditions.
3. Covers 100% of Preventive Care as defined by the PPACA. A list of these preventive services can be found here: https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/preventive-care-benefits/.

**Special Note:  Students submitting Medicaid plans, please include a recently dated coverage letter with your waiver request.**

NOTE: The following plan(s) will NOT be acceptable for waiver approval:

• Short-term coverage plans are not accepted.
• Financial Assistance plans are not accepted.
• Travel plans or plans that require you to pay for treatment yourself and then apply for reimbursement are not accepted

If you do not want the Student Health Insurance Plan, you must decline or opt-out of coverage by submitting a waiver. You may only opt-out of coverage during the following Waiver Periods:

International Students must be enrolled in a health plan that meets the following minimum requirements:

1. Medical coverage must have an unlimited maximum benefit per policy year per covered person.
2. Contains no exclusions (or waiting periods) for pre-existing conditions.
3. And provide the following coverage benefits:
   • Ambulatory (i.e. Outpatient) patient services
   • Emergency Services
   • Hospitalization
   • Maternity and newborn care
   • Mental health and substance use disorder services
   • Prescriptions drugs
   • Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
   • Laboratory services
   • Chronic disease management

4. Out-of-pocket expenses must not exceed $10,600 (individual) and $21,200 (family).
5. Plan must provide coverage in the South Carolina area.
6. Repatriation and medical evacuation expenses in the combined amount of no less than $100,000.
7. Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the insured to the insured’s home country of no less than $50,000.

If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits.

NOTE: The following plan(s) will NOT be acceptable for waiver approval:

• Short-term coverage plans are not accepted.
• Financial Assistance plans are not accepted.
• Travel plans or plans that require you to pay for treatment yourself and then apply for reimbursement are not accepted.