ID Cards | Waiving | Enrolling | Medical Leave of Absence | Loss of Coverage
All full-time students (Graduate students taking 9 or more credit and Undergraduate students taking 12 or more credits) are charged for the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Students will be automatically enrolled in SHIP after the waiver deadline if they do not take action to enroll or waive.
For students starting in the Fall, coverage begins on August 1 - January 31.
For students starting in the Spring, coverage begins on February 1 - July 31.
Students can submit a request to waive this coverage if they have comparable, ACA-compliant health insurance and submit proof by the waiver deadline.
Students taking fewer than 9 credits (Graduate) or 12 credits (Undergraduate) will not be charged automatically for SHIP, but they may choose to enroll voluntarily--except for those in designated Online Only Programs.
Full-time students enrolled in a UMB on-campus or Shady Grove program taking some courses online are still required to have health insurance.
Students in Online Only Programs are not eligible for SHIP and cannot submit a waiver. Students in the Online MSW Program are not required to submit a waiver, but are eligible for voluntary enrollment into SHIP.
UMB Health Insurance Requirement
UMB professional and graduate students engage in many types of learning experiences--both on campus and in real-world settings like pharmacies, schools, hospitals, rehabilitation enters, and community programs. Because of this, students may face risks similar to those in the workplace. However, students are not covered by workers' compensation for injuries and accidents that happen during these activities.
To make sure students can get medical care and to protect both the University and its partners from financial or legal risk, all students are required to have ACA-compliant health insurance. The UMB Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) meets these requirements and is regulated by the Maryland Insurance Administration to ensure strong consumer protection.
ID Cards
Your ID card will be ready about 5-7 days after your enrollment is processed by Wellfleet. ID cards are not mailed and must be accessed online. Follow the steps below to get your ID card and set up your online account:
- Go to www.wellfleetstudent.com
- In the "Find Your School" box, type University of Maryland, Baltimore.
- Under "Discover My Benefits", click "Log In to access my ID card, view claims, and more".
- If you already have a Wellfleet account, log in.
- If you don't have an account, click "Create an Account" and follow the steps. When entering your student ID, do not include the "@" symbol (for example, enter 00123456 instead of @00123456).
- After logging in, click the "Student Options" tab at the top of the page to email or print your ID card.
Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
Waiver Deadlines
- Students starting in Fall - September 15
- Students starting in Spring - February 15
If you are admitted in the Fall and complete a waiver form, it will also count for the Spring semester. However, you will need to complete a new Enrollment/Waiver Form each Fall for every new academic year.
Criteria for Waiving SHIP
To waive the UMB Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), you must already have a health insurance plan that meets UMB's waiver requirements. Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk review all waiver requests using the following rules:
- Your plan must meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) standards.
- Your plan must give you access to local doctors and services in Maryland.
- Your plan must be active on or before August 1 for the Fall semester or on or before February 1 for the Spring semester.
- Your plan should cover services such as preventive care, emergency care, surgery, hospital stays, lab tests, X-rays, physical therapy, prescriptions, and mental health or substance use treatment.
If a plan is an HMO, coverage may be limited or not available outside the HMO's service area. Before deciding to waive SHIP, compare your current plan to UMB's plan to check deductibles, coinsurance, and in-network providers.
The following plans do not qualify for a waiver:
- Plans that only cover emergency care in Maryland
- Short-term health plans
- International or travel insurance plans
- Out-of-state HMOs or limited managed care plans
- Out-of-state Medicaid plans
How to Waive SHIP
To waive the student health insurance plan (SHIP), log in to Gallagher and choose the "Waive" option. You'll need to upload proof that your have other health insurance.
How to Log In to Gallagher:
- Login to SURFS
- Click the Student tab
- Select Gallagher Student Health
- Choose the "Waive" option and complete the required form
Each year, Gallagher's website opens for new Enrollment or Waiver Forms in the last week of June. Once it's available, you'll get an email from Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk at your UMB email with instructions on how to complete the forms.
Approval
Once a full-time student's waiver is approved, the SHIP charge will be removed from their bill. Please allow up to 5 business days after approval for the change to show on your student account.
Full-time students who do not get an approved waiver and do not enroll in SHIP on their own will be automatically enrolled by UMB after the waiver period ends. Coverage will start retroactively on August 1 for the Fall semester or February 1 for the Spring semester.
If your waiver is denied, you'll get an email from Gallagher explaining the reason. If you believe the denial was a mistake, you can edit your form or upload more documents for review. For details on why your waiver was denied and how to fix it, visit the Gallagher website.
You can view your waiver status at any time, but you can only edit and resubmit your waiver during the waiver period.
Waivers are reviewed based on both student information and system data available at the time. Approval or denial is based on this review and doesn't guarantee future decisions.
Missed the Waiver Deadline
Students who are required to enroll in or waive SHIP but missed the UMB waiver deadline for the Fall or Spring semester may request a late waiver through the appeal period below. To do this, you must explain why you could not submit your waiver on time.
For help filing a late waiver appeal with Gallagher, email studentaccounthelp@umaryland.edu.
Late Waiver Appeal Period:
Enrolling in the SHIP Plan
If you want to enroll in the SHIP, complete the online Enrollment Form as soon as the website opens for the new policy year. You must have your UMB course registration for the current semester before your SHIP enrollment form is approved for processing coverage. Doing this early helps make sure your coverage starts on time, and you receive your ID card by the coverage start date. If you did not take action (enroll/waive) by the deadline below, you will be enrolled into SHIP with retroactive coverage to the policy start dates.
- For students starting in the Fall, coverage extends August 1 - January 31.
- For students starting in the Spring, coverage extends February 1 - July 31.
If you complete an enrollment form in the Fall, it will also cover the Spring semester. However, you must complete a new Enrollment/Waiver Form every Fall for each new academic year.
Enrollment Deadlines:
- Fall: September 15
- Spring: February 15
For full details about coverage, limits, and exclusions, visit www.gallagherstudent.com/umb.
How to Enroll in SHIP:
- Login to SURFS
- Click the Student tab
- Select Gallagher Student Health
- Choose the "Enroll" option and complete the required form. Your UMB registration will be verified, and your SHIP enrollment will be processed.
New Students enrolled in Early Start Fall Programs
New UMB students whose program starts in June or July can sign up for extra SHIP coverage because the regular Fall coverage begins on August 1.
If you want coverage for June and/or July, full out the Supplemental Enrollment Form through DocuSign. Once you complete the form, SFS will send your enrollment to Gallagher.
Full-time students would need to complete an enrollment or waiver form for the Fall semester, even if they signed up for June and/or July coverage.
Medical Leave of Absence
UMB lets eligible students keep their Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage while on an approved medical leave of absence for up to two semesters in a row.
Eligibility requirements:
- You must currently be enrolled in UMB SHIP.
- You must have been covered by SHIP for at least one year before requesting a medical leave.
- You must provide a leave of absence verification form signed by a dean or designated advisor.
- You must plan to return to UMB and continue as a degree-seeking student.
To request an enrollment application, email our team at studentaccounthelp@umaryland.edu.
Loss of Coverage
Students who lose coverage from their previous health insurance can request to add SHIP at any time during the policy year.
To complete a Petition to Add (PTA):
- Login to SURFS
- Click the Student tab
- Select Gallagher Student Health
- Click on “Enroll – Qualifying Life Event”
- Complete all the required demographic information on the form
- Attach a termination of coverage letter from your previous insurance. The letter must confirm your coverage ended and show the last date of coverage
- After Gallagher verifies your eligibility with UMB, your enrollment will be processed.
- After processing, a team member will send you a current bill showing the added health insurance charge for the semester
Important: To avoid a gap in coverage, the request must be submitted within 60 days of your previous insurance ending.