Students with alternate health insurance may be eligible to waive enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan, and in very limited cases, waive the Student Health Fee. You will need your Harvard ID, PIN, and insurance card when completing the waiver. Incomplete information will result in administrative processing delays.

After Submitting Your Waiver Application(s)
You will receive a confirmation email. Keep a copy of this email for your records. HUSHP Member Services will not review any disputed fees without a copy of this email.

Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan
To file a waiver application, you must present evidence of comparable coverage as defined by the Massachusetts Qualifying Student Health Insurance Program. It is your responsibility to determine whether your coverage is comparable. 

Per Massachusetts regulations, at a minimum, coverage must be:

• A health benefit plan that provides reasonably comprehensive health coverage to the student throughout the school year, including preventive and primary care, emergency services, surgical services, hospitalization benefits, ambulatory patient services, and mental health services
• A health benefit plan that offers coverage of services reasonably accessible to the student in the area where the student attends school, per Massachusetts state law
   

Per Massachusetts regulations, coverage cannot be:

• Through the Health Safety Net or Commonwealth Care
• From an insurance carrier outside the U.S. or coverage by foreign National Health Service programs, unless you are studying in a foreign country and the insurance provides coverage in that location
• From a health benefit plan that provides coverage through a closed network of providers, not reasonably accessible in the state of Massachusetts, for all but emergency services

If you elect to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan, you can only reenroll during open enrollment periods or with a valid qualifying life event (e.g., loss of other health insurance coverage).

Coverage Away from Home
Not all plans will offer coverage for services reasonably accessible to you in Massachusetts. Although your other insurance may meet the definition of comparable coverage, we recommend you review the Waiver Checklist. The checklist is a guideline designed to help you further evaluate your plan and assess whether your insurance would work for you while away from home.

Waiving the Student Health Fee
A limited number of students who meet certain criteria are eligible to waive the Student Health Fee. Having other health insurance coverage does not qualify as a reason to waive the Student Health Fee, even if it allows you to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan.

To file a waiver application, the student must be one of the following:

• Traveling scholar/study abroad student studying outside the country
• Enrolled half time or less (must also waive the Student Health Insurance Plan)
• A non-resident student who resides outside of Massachusetts, and has no activities on campus for the entire term (students who live out of state but attend class on campus do not qualify to waive)
• Enrolled in Harvard University Group Health Plan (HUGHP)
• On active military duty and prohibited from receiving health care from any facility other than Hanscom Air Force Base (requires an attestation form be completed)