If You Plan to Waive SHIP

UC San Diego students who have waived out of SHIP can be seen at UCSD Student Health Services (SHS) for primary care or urgent care issues, however your medical condition may require care that is not available at SHS.

If you plan to waive SHIP, you must first make sure that your insurance provides coverage for non-emergency medical care within 40 miles of UCSD. This is one of the waiver criterion and will ensure that you have access to necessary medical care in San Diego when you need it. Your waiver will be denied if your insurance does not provide coverage within 40 miles of UCSD. Avoid having your waiver denied and take the necessary steps now to make sure that you have the necessary coverage before you need to use it.

You must contact your insurance company, whether it is Kaiser, Medi-Cal, or a private HMO, to let them know you are attending college in San Diego. Ask them if you have coverage for non-emergency and non-urgent care while in San Diego. Most HMO plans, including Medi-Cal, require that your non-emergency and non-urgent care be obtained through your assigned medical group or Primary Care Physician (PCP), and will only allow local care if it's an emergency or urgent care. This will be a problem if your medical group or PCP is not located in San Diego. Most PPO plans do not have this requirement and will provide coverage in San Diego whether emergency, urgent or not.

If you do not have the necessary coverage in San Diego, ask your insurance representative how to change your coverage so that you do. You may find the following information helpful as you transfer your insurance coverage to San Diego.

If You Have	What to Do
Kaiser outside San Diego	Contact Kaiser member services (800) 464-4000 to obtain a SoCal Kaiser ID number. Schedule an initial visit with a primary care provider (PCP) at the Kaiser Sorrento Valley or Clairemont Mesa facility (800) 290-5000 or (619) 528-5000. Once PCP is established, most visits can be scheduled online. Call (800) 290-500 for regular or urgent care services.
Medi-Cal outside San Diego	Contact the Dept of Health & Human Services in the county where your Medi-Cal was obtained. Explain you are attending classes at UC San Diego but will still reside in your home county during vacations and school breaks. Once your temporary address has been updated in the State's Medi-Cal database, you should receive a package with information and steps on how to select a medical plan in San Diego such as Molina, or Community Health Group. Call Medi-Cal Healthcare Options at (800) 430-4263 to complete the medical plan selection and assignment process. NOTE: This process can often take 30 days or more to complete and may require long phone calls and multiple follow-up calls. Get started on this process as soon as possible. Your waiver cannot be approved until your Medi-Cal coverage is active and provides non-emergency coverage in San Diego.
Other HMO	Contact Customer Service or Member Services on your ID card and explain you are attending UCSD. Ask for the procedure to have routine health coverage transferred to San Diego. Be sure you know how to access medical care when you need it.

If You Have

What to Do

Kaiser
outside San Diego

Contact Kaiser member services (800) 464-4000 to obtain a SoCal Kaiser ID number.
Schedule an initial visit with a primary care provider (PCP) at the Kaiser Sorrento Valley or Clairemont Mesa facility (800) 290-5000 or (619) 528-5000.
Once PCP is established, most visits can be scheduled online. Call (800) 290-500 for regular or urgent care services.

Medi-Cal
outside San Diego

Contact the Dept of Health & Human Services in the county where your Medi-Cal was obtained. Explain you are attending classes at UC San Diego but will still reside in your home county during vacations and school breaks.
Once your temporary address has been updated in the State's Medi-Cal database, you should receive a package with information and steps on how to select a medical plan in San Diego such as Molina, or Community Health Group.
Call Medi-Cal Healthcare Options at (800) 430-4263 to complete the medical plan selection and assignment process.

NOTE: This process can often take 30 days or more to complete and may require long phone calls and multiple follow-up calls. Get started on this process as soon as possible. Your waiver cannot be approved until your Medi-Cal coverage is active and provides non-emergency coverage in San Diego.

Other HMO

Contact Customer Service or Member Services on your ID card and explain you are attending UCSD. Ask for the procedure to have routine health coverage transferred to San Diego.
Be sure you know how to access medical care when you need it.

After your coverage has been transferred, keep your insurance contact information handy - know who your primary care provider is, and how to contact them.