Your school may have strict insurance requirements where they do not allow international students to purchase a health insurance plan outside of the school policy unless the alternate plan meets one of the following requirements:

What is a hard waiver/no waiver?

This means it is mandatory for all international students to enroll in the school sponsored health insurance plan. Your school will not allow students to opt out of the school plan.

What is employer/embassy?

This means your school will only allow students to opt out of the school sponsored health insurance plan only if your alternate plan is through the employer or embassy.

Employer plan:

A health insurance plan provided through your place of employment or your spouse’s employer if you are a dependent on the plan.

Embassy plan:

A health insurance plan sponsored by your home country government.

What is an ACA Compliant Plan?

ACA stands for affordable care act also known as ObamaCare and was signed into law in 2010. ACA requires individuals to maintain “minimum essential healthcare coverage”. For those who do not maintain this coverage will be fined a tax penalty from the IRS this is known as individual mandate. International students are generally exempt from this as this is a federal law.Additionally, the individual mandate was repealed as of 2019.

Learn more about ACA Compliant here: https://isoa.org/international-students:-affordable-care-act-(aca)-requirements-and-exemptions