Waiving Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage
All students enrolled in a degree-seeking program at least half-time must provide proof of insurance to waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Waivers must be completed each academic year.
Yale requires all students enrolled in a degree-seeking program for at least half-time to have health insurance coverage. Each year, students may choose to waive Yale Health coverage if they are enrolled in another appropriate plan. All Yale students enrolled at least half-time are automatically covered by Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage (“Yale Health coverage”) and can opt out by submitting a waiver each year.
You must waive coverage by completing an online waiver form. The waiver form can only be accessed with your NetID and password. Reminders to waive coverage are sent via e-mail directly to your Yale e-mail address. If you receive e-mail reminders after you completed the waiver form, please return to the portal and check your waiver status.
The deadline to waive for the Fall term or full year is September 15th.
The deadline to waive for the Spring term is January 31st.
Waivers must be completed each academic year that a student wishes to waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Late waivers will not be accepted.
Following a successful waiver submission, the Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage charge will be removed from your student account on the following billing cycle in approximately 3-5 business days.
Minimum Requirements for Waiving Coverage
When waiving Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Coverage, your alternate insurance must meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant minimum essential coverage standards to ensure adequate and comparable coverage in New Haven and the Yale University campus area. Insurance plans that do not meet these minimum essential coverage standards may leave you underinsured and will not be accepted beginning Fall 2026.
To be eligible for a waiver, your alternate plan must meet the requirements below:
- Unlimited in-network coverage for the below Essential Health Benefits in the New Haven/Yale University area
- Nationwide coverage for all Essential Health Benefits, which are:
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Waiver Review Process
The waiver policy has always required that students have an alternate plan that adequately covers them while at Yale. For the 2025-26 academic year, the waiver process includes additional review to ensure plans meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) standards in the New Haven area.
Fall 2025 – Spring 2026
Plan Review: Waivers will be reviewed against ACA standards.
ACA-Compliance: You will be notified of the final determination of your plan’s ACA-compliance.
Non-ACA Compliant Plans: If your plan is flagged as non-compliant, you may
Attest to the risks and remain with your alternate plan for one year, or
Revoke your waiver and enroll in Yale Health coverage for either the full 2025-26 academic year or the spring term
Beginning Fall 2026
Only plans that provide ACA-compliant coverage in New Haven will be accepted.
Non-compliant plans will be denied, requiring enrollment in Yale Health or another qualifying plan.
Plans Not Eligible for Waiver
Out-of-state Medicaid plans
International insurance plans
HMO plans without full in-network coverage in New Haven
Any plan lacking full in-network coverage in New Haven
FAQ’s
Who should I contact if I have questions about my plan’s compliance?
You should talk with your plan’s subscriber (for example, a parent, guardian, or spouse who holds the policy) to fully understand how these changes may affect your coverage. You may also reach out to the Student Health Care Navigator at yhstudentnavigator@yale.edu.
What resources are available to help decide if I should waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage or keep my alternate coverage?
To help you decide on waiving Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage in favor of an alternate insurance plan, please review the Yale Health Waiver Checklist. When you review the Yale Health Waiver Checklist, compare “YOUR PLAN” and consider if it provides you with access to care and coverage with in-network providers while you are in New Haven, CT.
When can I submit a waiver through the portal?
The waiver portal opens in mid-June for the fall term or full year and early-November for the spring term. The deadline to submit a waiver is September 15th for the fall term or full year and January 31st for the spring term. Late waivers will not be accepted.
Can I waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage with Medicaid as my alternate insurance?
The plan you use to waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage should meet the Affordable Care Act compliant minimum essential coverage standards in the New Haven and Yale University area, as outlined above. If your Medicaid plan is from a state other than Connecticut, you may not be covered for health services in the Yale University/New Haven, CT area and will likely leave you underinsured in the Yale University/New Haven, CT area.
If you waive with Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY) and are prescribed medications by a Yale Health clinician, please notify your clinician that your alternate insurance is HUSKY, so they can correctly send your prescriptions outside of Yale Health to a local retail pharmacy. If you waive Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage, you will need to access services not included in Basic Student Health Services outside of Yale Health.
Can I still be seen at the Yale Health Center if I waive Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage?
Yes. All students enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking program receive Basic Student Health Services at no charge and receive those services at the Yale Health Center at 55 Lock St.
If you have waived Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage, you must seek services outside of the Yale Health Center for anything not provided under Basic Student Health Services. You can use the Yale Health Pharmacy to fill prescriptions written by a Yale Health clinician but must pay full retail price and be reimbursed through your insurance company.
Are visits at Yale Medicine and Yale New Haven Health (YNHH) included in Basic Student Health Services?
No. Yale Medicine and YNHH are separate medical facilities from Yale Health. Basic Student Health Services are only provided at Yale Health at 55 Lock St. Any services received at Yale Medicine and YNHH must be billed to your alternate insurance.
If I am sent to an outside provider by a Yale Health clinician, will Yale Health cover the cost?
No. If you are seen at Yale Health under Basic Student Health Services and are referred to a specialist or the emergency department, you are responsible for any out-of-pocket costs as outlined by your alternate insurance plan. Please note that medical advice from a Yale Health clinician does not mean that services received outside of Yale Health are covered by Yale Health.
What coverage is available for varsity athletes?
If you are a varsity athlete, you have the same coverage options as every other student. You will be seen in the Athletic Medicine Department, which is provided at no charge under Basic Student Health Services.
We strongly recommend that varsity athletes do not waive Yale Health’s Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage.
Does Yale Health accept outside insurance?
No. Yale Health is a closed-model HMO and does not accept outside insurance. All services not included in Basic Student Health Services must be accessed outside of Yale Health with your alternate insurance.