MSU STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN
Attention: Department paid visiting scholar forms have a new account on page 4 starting in 2024-2025!
The MSU student health insurance plan (SHIP) offers health coverage for students and their eligible dependents through Aetna. If you are a medical student (College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Human Medicine, or College of Veterinary Medicine) or international student, you are enrolled automatically in the SHIP plan. If you are a student that does not fall into one of these groups, you are eligible to voluntarily enroll in the SHIP plan. Through the health plan, you have access to quality health care through hospitals, physicians and affiliated health care professionals in the Aetna provider network. Locate a provider through the Aetna website.
Graduate Assistants (GA) are automatically enrolled in the GA Health Insurance. Details are available here.
Spring 2025 Enrollment and Waiver of Coverage
Spring enrollment and waiver period is open from December 2, 2024 - March 15, 2025.
If you are a student who is automatically enrolled in the SHIP plan, you may choose to remain enrolled in the MSU SHIP plan or submit a waiver request to decline the coverage. If your waiver request is approved, you will be disenrolled from the SHIP plan with a waiver applied to your MSU student billing account.
Important Note: Under the regulations, F-1 or J-1 international students/scholars must enroll in the MSU SHIP plan. A limited number of eligible international students who can demonstrate another form of US-based health insurance coverage that meets the applicable waiver criteria, may apply for a waiver. Please refer to the waiver page to determine waiver eligibility.
Students automatically enrolled in the MSU SHIP plan will have an account created with Academic HealthPlans (AHP) to apply to waive coverage and/or enroll eligible dependents. Students who wish to voluntarily enroll in the MSU SHIP plan will also enroll with AHP. Coverage details will be found with Aetna.
Eligibility and Enrollment Info
If you are taking one or more credits for the enrollment period and are in one of these student categories, you are eligible to participate in the plan. Eligible students include:
-
Voluntarily Enrolled Students:
- MSU College of Law students
- Undergraduate and graduate students
- Visiting Scholars (not eligible for employee health insurance)
- Fellowship students
- Lifelong Education Students (taking one or more credits)
- English Language Program students
- Students Completing Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- Post Docs/Research Associates/Adjunct Professors (Not eligible for employee health insurance)
- Nursing Students
-
Automatically Enrolled Students:
- International students
- Medical students
- Veterinary students
- Eligible dependents of students enrolled in the SHIP plan:
- Spouse/Other Eligible Individual
- Children (must be under the age of 26)
- Stepchildren (must be under the age of 26)
International, medical and veterinary students are automatically enrolled in the SHIP plan and charged on their MSU student account. All other students can voluntarily enroll through AHP: https://msu.myahpcare.com/.
Login to this Aetna Student Health Insurance page for plan details and digital ID card: https://www.aetnastudenthealth.com/en/school/246795/members/your-member-website.html
Aetna is the health insurance carrier with Academic HealthPlans (AHP) as the plan administrator beginning Fall 2024. Plan details can be found here .
Additional resources:
Medical, veterinary and some international students can currently waive out of the SHIP plan through the waiver process. Find more information about which international students are eligible to waive coverage on the MSU HR website.
Important Note: Students must submit a waiver request to AHP each semester. A previously approved waiver does not guarantee a future waiver approval.
Access the waiver system through AHP: https://msu.myahpcare.com/.
International, medical and veterinary students are automatically enrolled in the SHIP plan. Please use the following charts to learn more about enrollment periods, enrollment deadlines and coverage periods for adding dependents.
International, Medical and Veterinary Students Coverage Periods for Automatically Enrolled Students
| Coverage Period | |||
| Enrollment Period | Effective Date | Termination Date | Deadline to Waive Coverage* |
| Fall 2024/2025 | August 16, 2024 | February 15, 2025 | July 29, 2024 - September 30, 2024 |
| Spring I 2024/2025 | January 1, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | December 2, 2024 - March 15, 2025 |
| Spring II 2024/2025 | February 16, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | December 2, 2024 - March 15, 2025 |
| Spring III 2024/2025 | May 12, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | April 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025 |
| 1st Year Early Arrival COM | June 1, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | April 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025 |
*Most international students will not have the option to waive coverage.
International, Medical and Veterinary Students and Eligible Dependents Enrollment Periods, Deadlines and Coverage Periods
| Enrollment Dates | Coverage Period | |||
| Enrollment Period | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Deadline | Effective Date | Termination Date |
| Fall 2024/2025 | July 29, 2024 | September 30, 2024 | August 16, 2024 | February 15, 2025 |
| Spring I 2024/2025 | December 2, 2024 | March 15, 2025 | January 1, 2025 | August 15, 2025 |
| Spring II 2024/2025 | December 2, 2024 | March 15, 2025 | February 16, 2025 | August 15, 2025 |
| Spring III 2024/2025 | April 1, 2025 | June 30, 2025 | May 16, 2025 | August 15, 2025 |
| 1st Year Early Arrival COM | April 1, 2025 | June 30, 2025 | June 1, 2025 | August 15, 2025 |
Students who are NOT international, medical or veterinary students are eligible to voluntarily enroll in the SHIP plan. Please use the follow chart to learn more about enrollment periods, enrollment deadlines and coverage periods. Any premium cost is due at the time of enrollment.
Enrollment Deadlines and Coverage Periods for Voluntarily Enrolled Students
| Enrollment Dates | Coverage Period | |||
| Enrollment Period | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Deadline | Effective Date | Termination Date |
| Fall 2024/2025 | July 29, 2024 | September 30, 2024 | August 16, 2024 |
February 15, 2025 |
| Spring I 2024/2025 | December 2, 2024 | March 15, 2025 | January 1, 2025 |
August 15, 2025 |
| Spring II 2024/2025 | December 2, 2024 | March 15, 2025 | February 16, 2025 |
August 15, 2025 |
| Spring III 2024/2025 | April 1, 2025 | June 30, 2025 | May 12, 2025 |
August 15, 2025 |
| First Quarter 2024/2025 | July 29, 2024 | September 30, 2024 | August 16, 2024 |
November 15, 2024 |
| Second Quarter 2024/2025 | October 1, 2024 | November 30, 2024 | November 16, 2024 |
February 15, 2025 |
| Third Quarter 2024/2025 | December 2, 2024 | March 15, 2025 | February 16, 2025 |
May 11, 2025 |
| Fourth Quarter 2024/2025 | April 1, 2025 | June 30, 2025 | May 12, 2025 |
August 15, 2025 |
Health insurance coverage for the Spring 2025 semester begins on January 1, 2025 (for students without a prior fall 2024 enrollment). MSU students entering the United States before January 1 should buy early arrival health insurance coverage to ensure they have access to health care the entire time they are inside the country. Early arrival coverage costs $8 per day and can be purchased for any number of days.
To purchase the early arrival coverage, please create an account through Academic HealthPlans (AHP). Your student category will be “International Early Arrival.” If you already have a Spring 2025 insurance record in AHP, please contact the MSU HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu so your account can be corrected to allow the Early Arrival purchase.
Please visit the OISS website for more detail https://oiss.isp.msu.edu/health-wellness-and-safety/us-health-care-insurance/. Contact ihealth@msu.edu with any questions or concerns related to early arrival insurance requirements.
If you need to enroll or change your coverage due to a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), you must contact MSU Human Resources at (800) 353-4434 or Solutionscenter@hr.msu.edu within 30 days of the event date. Please see the Mid-Year Election Change page for more information.
Health Insurance Marketplace plans: Plans that meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements can be purchased through your state’s Marketplace. You can visit the Health Insurance Marketplace or call (800) 318-2596 to see if you qualify for subsidies on ACA plans or free or low-cost coverage. Local help is available, too.
Through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP): You can get no- or low-cost health coverage through the Healthy Michigan Plan (Michigan’s Medicaid) or MI Child (Michigan’s CHIP), depending on your age and income.
You can apply at Michigan’s MI Bridges portal to see if you qualify for Michigan’s Medicaid or CHIP programs. Michigan’s Medicaid program includes the Healthy Michigan Plan, which covers all the federal essential health benefits, plus other services, at an affordable price.
Short-term health plans: You can get 185-day plans that aren’t ACA-compliant. Check out the eHealthInsurance website for more information on this health plan option.
Job-based health plans: If you work, your employer may offer health insurance.
Your parents’ healthcare plan: You can be added to your parent’s plan during the annual Open Enrollment Period (or during a Special Enrollment Period if you qualify). As long as you’re under age 26, it doesn’t matter if you live with your parents or if you graduate, get married or have a child.
Your member ID card is always available on your Aetna member website. When you log in, you can:
- Pull up your digital ID card. You can print it or email it. Your digital ID card is the same as your plastic ID card.
- Request a new ID card. Aetna can mail you a plastic ID card to your home.
Need help? Contact Aetna at 800-859-8452.
Blue Care Network (BCN) was the health insurance carrier for the MSU SHIP plan for Fall 2023 - Spring/Summer 2024. BCN partnered with Blue Water for SHIP plan enrollment and payment.
Additional resources:
