Waiving Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage

No. Waiving Yale Health coverage is optional. Some students choose to remain enrolled in both Yale Health and their alternate insurance plan, especially for students who would like the ease of accessing their specialty care at Yale Health.

Yale Health coverage will be primary if you are a dependent on another plan.

Your alternate insurance would be secondary for services outside Yale Health.

All degree‑seeking students enrolled at least half‑time receive Basic Student Health Services with no copays or cost share. This is not insurance coverage. These services are provided exclusively at Yale Health (55 Lock St.) and include primary care, acute care, mental health services, athletic medicine for varsity athletes, preventive care, and more.

The following plans are not accepted as comparable coverage:

Out‑of‑state Medicaid plans

International insurance plans

HMO plans without full coverage in New Haven

Any plan lacking full coverage in New Haven

Yes, Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY) is accepted.

Out-of-state Medicaid plans are not accepted as comparable alternate coverage because they typically do not provide full coverage in Connecticut. 

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.

Fall term or full year: Portal opens mid‑June

Spring term: Portal opens late October

Fall term or full academic year: September 15 at 11:59 p.m.

Spring term: January 31 at 11:59 p.m.

Late waivers are not accepted.

You must complete the waiver through the online portal.

Access requires your NetID and date of birth. You will be prompted to complete a multifactor authentication. Waiver reminders are sent to your Yale email address.

If you receive e-mail reminders after you’ve received confirmation that your waiver has been accepted, please contact member.services@yale.edu. 

After submission, your alternate insurance plan is reviewed to confirm it meets Yale’s waiver requirements and ACA standards in the New Haven area. This process can take up to two weeks.

You will receive an email notification once your waiver review is complete.

If your waiver is accepted, the Yale Health coverage charge will be removed within 5-7 business days.

Your waiver application will not be accepted 

You will remain enrolled in and charged for Yale Health coverage. 

If your alternate insurance changes or ends, contact Member Services within 30 days. If you are unable to obtain another insurance plan, you will be required to enroll in Yale Health coverage.

You may revoke your waiver anytime before the waiver deadline. However, you may only revoke your waiver and enroll in Yale Health coverage after the waiver deadline if you have a qualifying life event. 

You have 30 days from the date of your qualifying life event to submit a Revoke Waiver Request form. We do not prorate the cost of Yale Health coverage, even if you enroll mid-term. 

Yes. All students enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking program receive Basic Student Health Services with no copay or cost share and receive those services at the Yale Health Center at 55 Lock St.

Basic Student Health Services includes visits to Student Health, Acute Care, Varsity Athletic Medicine (for varsity athletes), Gynecology, Mental Health & Counseling, Nutrition, Blood Draw, and Inpatient Care. 

If you waive coverage:

Services not included in Basic Student Health Services must be accessed outside Yale Health

Yale Health does not bill outside insurance

Prescriptions may be filled at Yale Health Pharmacy, but you must pay full retail price and be reimbursed through your insurance company

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, even if you were referred there by a Yale Health clinician.

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.

You may seek care at Yale Health Acute Care or at the nearest emergency department. All emergency services at the emergency department will be billed to your alternate insurance.

The Yale Health Acute Care department is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 7 days a week for in-person visits. You may also call our 24/7 nurse triage line at 203-432-0123 for medical advice.

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 generally recommend that varsity athletes do not waive Yale Health coverage. If you have questions about waiving or remaining enrolled in Yale Health coverage, please contact your Student Health Care Navigator at yhstudentnavigator@yale.edu.

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.

Review the Yale Health Waiver Checklist (linked in the "Resources” section) and compare “YOUR PLAN” with the Yale Health coverage for:

Any differences in coverage

In-network providers

Prescription access

Deductibles and out-of-pocket costs

You may contact:

Student Health Care Navigator: yhstudentnavigator@yale.edu

Member Services: member.services@yale.edu

You should talk with your plan’s subscriber (for example, a parent, guardian, or spouse who holds the policy) to fully understand if your plan meets Yale’s waiver requirements.