F.A.Q.

The BYU requirement for mandatory student insurance went into effect fall semester of 1989. It came about for two main reasons. First, the physicians and hospitals in the community had numerous complaints because students were not taking care of their medical bills. They would leave for spring and summer and not give new addresses and the providers didn't know what insurance they had or how to reach them. Secondly, the fast offerings in this area were in the red because bishops were paying for the students' medical bills. While having health insurance is not only beneficial for health care providers and the church, it also protects students against the potentially high cost of unexpected medical care.

For all students for Fall Semester & then only new students Winter, Spring & Summer:
Prior to the last day to add/drop classes, you will waive it online through myBYU. Access "My Financial Center" and at the top of the page select "Other". Next select "Health Coverage" and then select "Report Coverage". Enter your private insurance information. Press the "Save Private Insurance Information". This must be completed prior to the add/drop deadline.

Send a YMessage to the Health Plan office with the names, birth dates and genders of your dependents. We will enroll them in your Student Health Plan, and reply to your YMessage.

BYU policy only allows you to waive the current semester or term.

You are eligible to keep it through the end of the academic year.If you do not want it, please send the Health Plan Office a YMessage. Once we take you off, we cannot put you back on.

If you were enrolled in the Student Health Plan during your last semester or term in school and you would like to continue your coverage after you leave school, you may enroll in Extended Coverage for up to four (4) consecutive calendar months. Enrollment in Extended Coverage takes place on a month-by-month basis. Your dependents may be covered by Extended Coverage only if they were enrolled with you for family coverage during your last semester or term. To enroll, come to our office on the second floor of the Student Health Center and complete an Extended Coverage enrollment form, or send the Health Plan Office a YMessage. to request the form as a PDF.

No. To meet the ACA medical coverage requirement, a health plan must qualify as “minimum essential coverage,” which is a type of health coverage approved by the federal government. Beginning August 31, 2015, the BYU Student Health Plan will no longer be considered minimum essential coverage. Although the BYU Student Health Plan will not meet the ACA requirements, it will continue to meet the university’s health coverage requirement.

Your tuition bill will not update. If you went through myBYU and waived the Student Health Plan, you can disregard the charge on your tuition bill. Pay your tuition by the tuition payment deadline, but do not pay the Student Health Plan charge.

If you both have at least .5 semester hours for Fall you each need to enroll on the Health Plan for 1 Married Student. See Handbook "Enrollment" page 5

If you both have at least .5 hours for fall semester, put the Health Plan in the wife's name and have the husband and child as dependents under option of “Married Student with Dependent(s).” This will give the wife maternity benefits, with no deductible, because she is signed up as the student. The husband must then go through his myBYU and waive the Student Health Plan by selecting BYU Student Health Plan as the insurance company; enter his wife's Student Health Plan ID as the policy number; enter the phone number 1(800)777-3622; and enter wife's name as the policy holder.

Yes. During Fall or your first semester at BYU, if you have 9 hours and you do not provide proof of private insurance, you will be put on the Health Plan. After Open Enrollment or your first semester at BYU, you will first need to lose your private coverage to enroll in the Health Plan.

If you enroll any dependents on the Health Plan they must maintain coverage through the academic year. The only way we can remove them from the Health Plan is if they can show proof of new coverage.

The Health Plan office will send you a communication through myBYU about 1 month into the semester/term letting you know you are enrolled.

Yes, on myBYU, during open enrollment or your first semester here. You can also waive your Health Plan through myBYU.

Go to myBYU. Access “My Financial Center”. At the top of the page select “Other”. Next select "Health Coverage". Select “Request Waiver” for the semester you want to waive. To modify your private insurance information mid-year select modify current on the Health Coverage Page.

When you first find out you are expecting, come to the Health Plan office and pick up a "Maternity Pamphlet" that will explain how to find a contracted doctor.

Click below to download a Pamphlet:
Student Maternity Pamphlet
Non-Student Maternity Pamphlet

The pamphlet will also explain the co-pays, percentages, and pre-authorization. We do not see OB cases at the Health Center. The baby is added when he/she has a birth date and name. Have the baby seen by the on-call pediatrician in the hospital. Bring the baby here for the two week checkup and thereafter. Come upstairs to the Health Plan Office a few minutes before your baby's two week appointment to add your baby. Our clinicians can do the circumcisions here.

See handbook "Maternity" pages 14-15.

Because BYU is an educational facility and receives Federal funds, like Pell Grants, we must comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act. It prevents any health plan from discriminating based on gender. We cannot charge a married male less than a married female; so in order to cover the costs associated with having a baby, the premiums charged under the Married Student Option are shared equally between the husband and wife. In addition, it is not allowed under Title IX to exclude maternity coverage. Each year the premiums charged for each category on the SHP are evaluated by Deseret Mutual Benefit Association actuarials and are set at a level that simply covers the costs associated with each category of the Plan. Since we are self-insured, there are no insurance company or other costs built into the premiums.

Graduate students are required to have insurance if they have:
- 2 credits or more during one or more semesters/terms in an academic year.
- If you have private insurance you will need to report it each academic year, no later than the Add/Drop deadline.

Beginning in Fall 2014, if students have .5 credits a semester or term, they are eligible to enroll in the Student Health Plan, if they would like to. You will need to contact the Student Health Plan office at 801-422-2661 and ask how to get enrolled.

Yes. As of Fall Semester 2014, if you are a tuition paying student with at least .5 credits, you are eligible to enroll in the Student Health Plan. You will not be automatically enrolled if you have under 9 credits. To enroll, send a YMessage to the Student Health Plan Office or come to our office and fill out a form.


This enrollment will remain in effect throughout the academic year. Even if you drop to zero credits for Winter, Spring or Summer, you will remain on the Health Plan. The only ways to be removed mid-academic year is to gain private insurance and submit a waiver, graduate, leave for a mission, or discontinue your studies at BYU.

No. Effective Fall Semester 2014, BYU requires all ELC students and F-1 and J-1 visa students to be enrolled in the BYU Student Health Plan or an ACA compliant plan offered by a United States-based insurance company. This plan must provide comprehensive medical coverage for you while you are on campus. Insurance plans from companies outside the United States will not be accepted.

Yes. (source: http://www.irs.gov/Affordable-Care-Act/Individuals-and-Families/ACA-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision-Minimum-Essential-Coverage)

No. Since the Student Health Plan is not purchased on an exchange they are not eligible for any type of premium tax credits and you will not receive Form 1095-A. (source : http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1095a.pdf)