Health Insurance

The University of Texas System Board of Regents passed Regent Rule 50402, which as of Fall 2015, requires international students to have medical insurance compliant with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Student on an F-1 visa will be required to have this medical insurance coverage except, Mexican citizens or permanent residents students on F1, F2, and F3 (border commuter) visas attending UT System Border institutions residents.

Academic Health Plans administers the Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP) that is underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. All international students (any student who is in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa) are required to have UTSHIP. In addition, for future reference the UT System has established new criteria determining when an international student can request a waiver by providing alternate health insurance coverage. In order to be approved for the waiver, your alternate health coverage must meet or exceed the requirements set in the System regulation, be PPACA compliant and you will need to provide the required documentation.

If you plan submitting a waiver, you will have to apply here https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/waiver. If the provider determines that the alternate insurance policy submitted is approvable, the waiver will be granted. If the provider determines that the insurance policy submitted does not meet the minimum requirements, the waiver will be denied. For coverage information please go to: https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/

2020-2021 UT System Student Health Insurance Brochure

To check what are the current medical insurance costs for each semester, please click on the link below:

Medical Insurance Cost

Medical Insurance Continuation Coverage (Students that Graduated)

What is Continuation and Am I Eligible?

Click here to enroll in Continuation Coverage.

Optional Vision Coverage

This service is not administered by Academic HealthPlans.

Optional Dental Coverage

Optional Dental Coverage

Online Secure Access - Find doctors, get an ID card, view claims and more

How to Register/Login for Blue Access for Members (BAM) -

Change Address, Phone or Email

It is very important to make sure that your address, phone number, and email address on file at the school are current and accurate. If not, ID cards, explanation of benefits and other notifications about your student health insurance plan may not get to you. If you have moved or your contact information has changed, please make sure you update your contact information with your school.

Additionally, please refer to help.myahpcare.com to learn how you may update your address in our records as well.

International students are required to have medical insurance compliant with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Students on an F-1 and J-1 visa will be required to have this medical insurance coverage.

Consequently, in order to be compliant with this new rule, the UT Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP), which meets these new requirements, will be added on to your tuition for the Fall 2020 semester with an amount of $1,163.00. The medical coverage is from 08/15/2020-12/31/2020.

In addition, for future reference the UT System has established new criteria determining when an international student can request a waiver by providing alternate health insurance coverage. In order to be approved for the waiver, your alternate health coverage must meet or exceed the requirements set in the System regulation, be PPACA compliant and you will need to provide the required documentation. Waivers approved by our office during past semesters may no longer qualify to replace the UT SHIP due to the new requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Insurance Waiver Process:

The Fall 2020 waiver will be expected to go live on 07/15/2020. If you plan on submitting a waiver, you will need to apply here https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/waiver.

If you meet the listed waiver criteria, select the “Click Here…” link at the bottom of the page. You will be sent to the waiver login screen.
If you have previously set up a waiver account, use your UT Rio Grande Valley student ID and password previously chosen.
- If this is a new account, you will select the ‘New Student Registration’ link and be taken to a form to enter your information.
- Once the registration page ‘Register’ button is selected (and all required fields are entered), you are taken to the waiver system home page (student dashboard). Your waiver submission has not yet been completed.
Next, select the red Waiver button from the “No, I do not want the insurance.” section.
Once selected, you are taken to the waiver form where you will enter your current alternate insurance information. You will be required to attach a scanned copy of the front and back of your alternate insurance ID card, policy benefit document and proof of medical evacuation and repatriation coverage (if available).
After selecting the ‘Submit Waiver’ button, the waiver system will send an auto-generated Submitted email advising that you have successfully completed the waiver submission.Be sure to submit your alternate insurance coverage no later than the 09/17/2020 waiver deadline date. If the provider determines that the alternate insurance policy submitted is approvable, the waiver will be granted. If the provider determines that the insurance policy submitted does not meet the minimum requirements, the waiver will be denied. For coverage information please go to: https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/

NOTE: You must submit a new waiver for every semester.

International students on F-1 and J-1 visas (except for Mexican Citizens or Permanent Residents) must have health insurance compliant with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Academic Health Plans administers the Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP) underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.

As per UT System requirements, the UT Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP) has been added to your tuition for the Spring 2021 semester with an amount of $1,890. The medical coverage is from 01/01/2021 – 08/14/2021. The health insurance coverage will be required regardless if you are enrolled during the summer or not, as long as you have the intention to continue with your program of study during the fall of that year.

For coverage information, please visit: https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/

Exemptions

Exemptions to the automatic enrollment from the January-mid-August insurance billing are the following:

You will be graduating in Spring; or,
You will be graduating in Summer I; or
You will be out of the country during summer break, and their return flight is on or after the start date for the fall coverage (August 15th). The international student must provide a copy of their roundtrip flight/trip to verify the dates by the specified deadlines provided on a semester basis by our office. The deadline to submit the documentation is May 3rd, 2021.
You are enrolled in Distance learning from your home country under COVID-19 SEVP provisions (documentation required).

A UTRGV Handbook of Operating Procedures policy regarding this update for medical insurance is under development.

Health Insurance Waiver Process:

An international student can request a waiver by providing alternate health insurance coverage. To be approved for the waiver, your alternate health coverage must meet or exceed the requirements set in the System regulation, be PPACA compliant, and will need to provide the required documentation.

For the insurance waiver requirements, please visit: https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/waiver

The Spring 2021 waiver is live from 11/02/2020 until 01/25/2021. If you plan on submitting a waiver, you will need to apply here https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/waiver and follow the steps below:

If you meet the listed waiver criteria, select the "Click Here…" link at the bottom of the page. You will be sent to the waiver login screen.
If you have previously set up a waiver account, use your UT Rio Grande Valley student ID and password previously chosen.
If this is a new account, you will select the 'New Student Registration' link and be taken to a form to enter your information.
Once the registration page 'Register' button is selected (and all required fields are entered), you are taken to the waiver system home page (student dashboard). Your waiver submission has not yet been completed.
Next, select the red Waiver button from the "No, I do not want the insurance." section.
Once selected, you are taken to the waiver form, where you will enter your current alternate insurance information. You will be required to attach a scanned copy of the front and back of your alternate insurance ID card, policy benefit document, and proof of medical evacuation and repatriation coverage (if available).
After selecting the 'Submit Waiver' button, the waiver system will send an auto-generated Submitted email advising that you have successfully completed the waiver submission.

Be sure to submit your alternate insurance coverage no later than the 01/25/2021 waiver deadline date. If the provider determines that the alternate insurance policy submitted is approvable, the waiver will be granted. If the provider determines that the insurance policy submitted does not meet the minimum requirements, the waiver will be denied.

NOTE: You must submit a new waiver for every semester.

As per UT System requirements, the UT Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP) has been added to your tuition for the Summer I 2021 semester with an amount of $318 and/or Summer II 2021 semester with an amount of $309. The medical coverage for Summer I is from 06/01/2021 – 07/08/2021, and Summer II is from 07/09/2021 through 08/14/2021.

For coverage information, please visit: https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/

Exemptions

You are enrolled in Distance learning from your home country under COVID-19 SEVP provisions (documentation required).

A UTRGV Handbook of Operating Procedures policy regarding this update for medical insurance is under development.

Health Insurance Waiver Process:

Students are required to submit a waiver each semester. An international student can request a waiver by providing alternate health insurance coverage. To be approved for the waiver, your alternate health coverage must meet or exceed the requirements set in the System regulation, be PPACA compliant, and will need to provide the required documentation.

For the insurance waiver requirements, please visit: https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/waiver

The Summer I 2021 waiver is live from 05/01/2021 until 06/11/2021, and Summer II 2021 waiver is live from 06/08/2021 until 07/23/2021. If you plan on submitting a waiver, you will need to apply here https://utrgv.myahpcare.com/waiver and follow the steps below:

If you meet the listed waiver criteria, select the "Click Here to Submit Your Waiver Request" link at the bottom of the waiver page. You will be sent to the waiver system login screen.
If you have previously set up a waiver account, use your UT Rio Grande Valley student ID and password previously chosen.
If this is a new account, you will select the 'New Student Registration' link and be taken to a form to enter your information.
Once the registration page 'Register' button is selected (and all required fields are entered), you are taken to the waiver system home page (student dashboard). Your waiver submission has not yet been completed.
Next, select the Waiver button from the “I Already Have Insurance.” section.
Once selected, you are taken to the waiver form, where you will enter your current alternate insurance information. You will be required to attach a electronic copy of the front and back of your alternate insurance ID card, policy benefit document, and proof of medical evacuation and repatriation coverage (if available).
After selecting the 'Submit Waiver' button, the waiver system will send an auto-generated Submitted email advising that you have successfully completed the waiver submission and to allow a reasonable time for the review of your submission.

Be sure to submit your alternate insurance coverage no later than the 06/11/2021 for Summer I and 07/23/2021 for Summer II waiver deadline date. If the provider determines that the alternate insurance policy submitted is approvable, the waiver will be granted. If the provider determines that the insurance policy submitted does not meet the minimum requirements, the waiver will be denied.

NOTE: You must submit a new waiver for every semester.

To request a waiver, the alternate insurance must meet the following criteria:

Provides the Essential Minimum Benefits required by the PPACA with no annual limits.
Contains no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.
Covers 100% of Preventive Care as defined by the PPACA.
Imposes a deductible that does not exceed $500 per year (this includes employer plans).
Imposes no provisions for co-insurance that exceed 25% of the covered benefits per accident or illness.
Is underwritten by an insurance carrier that meets the requirement of 22 CFR 62.14(d)(1) or offered or underwritten by a federally qualified HMO or competitive Medical Plan as determined by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Proof of Repatriation expenses in the amount of no less than $25,000.
Proof of expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the insured to the insured's home country of no less than $50,000.

The alternate insurance plan must also meet the following dates of coverage:

If enrolled for Spring 2021: January 1st,2021 through May 31st, 2021
If enrolled Summer I 2021: June 1, 2021 through July 13, 2021
If enrolled Summer II 2021: July 14, 2021 through August 13, 2021

Notes

The carrier letter for a U.S. Individual Plan must include a signed, official letter on letterhead stating:

Plan holder name and date of birth
Insurance carrier and plan name
Start date and end date of coverage
Metal tier of Plan (i.e.: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)
Confirmation that the plan is certified for sale as a Qualified Health Plan (QHP)

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

International Admissions and Student Services Office of Global Engagement

Health Insurance