Student Health and Well-Being

If you have health insurance through an individual plan or are covered as a dependent on your parent, spouse, partner or guardian’s health insurance plan, you can waive out of the Student Health Insurance Plan at MYAHPCARE

Waiver Deadlines

Fall 2024 waiver opens June 3, 2024 and closes on September 9, 2024.
Spring 2025 waiver opens on November 4, 2024 and closes on February 3, 2025.

Waivers cannot be accepted after this deadline. Please have your health insurance information available and go to MYAHPCARE and enter your information. Be sure to complete all sections of the waiver.

The Waiver Process

You will receive an email confirming your waiver once your health insurance information has been verified. You may also receive an email requesting more information.

Please note that payment for your tuition bill is due in full by the payment deadline. Please submit your waiver 10 days before the tuition payment date to ensure the necessary processing time.

Students that do not have comparable health insurance or show proof of health insurance will automatically be enrolled in and charged for the Student Health Plan by the waiver deadline.

Comparable Insurance Requirements

To waive out of the Student Health Insurance Plan, your comparable health insurance coverage must meet the following requirements.

Expand all Policy Effective Dates

Effective as of August 1 for the fall term or January 1 for the spring term and have continuous coverage.

Your plan must allow you to receive health care services in South Carolina and include at a minimum:

• Ambulatory Patient Services
• Chronic Disease Management
• Emergency Services
• Hospitalization
• Laboratory Services
• Maternity and Newborn Care
• Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatments (including behavioral health treatment)
• Prescription Drugs
• Preventive and Wellness services
• Rehabilitative and Habilitative Services and Devices

• Provide unlimited aggregate maximum benefit per policy year per covered person.
• Does not have a pre-existing condition limitation.
• Out-of-pocket limit per policy year that does not exceed $7500 per individual and $15,000 per family.

Travel policies will not be accepted.

Plan Benefits must also include:

• A minimum benefit of $50,000 for medical evacuation and $25,000 for repatriation of remains.
• Coverage must allow the insured student to receive services in South Carolina, cover the student while in school in the U.S. or on USC-related educational travel and all minimum benefits listed above.

J-1 Exchange Students and J-2 Dependents

Plan Benefits must also meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Part of a group benefits program offered to enrolled students by a designated sponsor.
• A health maintenance organization (HMO) that is federally qualified as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration (HFCA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• A Competitive Medical Plan (CMP) as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration (HFCA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Underwritten by an insurance company that has an AM Best Company rating, a Insurance Solvency International LTD (ISI) rating, or a Standard and Poor's Claims Paying Ability rating of A- or above.
• Underwritten by an insurance company that has a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above.

Health Insurance Assistance Office

Phone: 803-777-1916

Enroll or Waive

Student Health Plan

You can enroll in the plan, or you can waive out of the plan by providing proof of insurance coverage.

Your Student Health Insurance Plan Provider

The Student Health Insurance Plan is administered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina. Call 1-855-844-3015 for more information or visit their site to enroll or waive out of the plan.

Student Health and Well-Being