SGU Student Health Insurance Policy - Clinical Students
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Administered by: Office of Student Health Insurance
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all students participating in clinical training maintain continuous, comprehensive health insurance coverage that provides adequate access to care regardless of clinical placement location. This requirement protects student health, supports patient safety, and ensures compliance with institutional and clinical site standards.
2. Applicability
This policy applies to all SGU SOM and SVM clinical students, including those participating in:
- Core clinical rotations
- Elective rotations
- SVM Externships
Students may not engage in any clinical activity without verified, compliant health insurance coverage.
3. Insurance Requirement
All clinical students must maintain verified health insurance coverage that meets SGU’s Student Health Insurance Policy requirements for the full duration of their clinical training and/or health insurance term.
Students must satisfy this requirement by either:
- Enrolling in the SGU Student Health Insurance Plan, or
- Submitting an approved waiver demonstrating qualifying external coverage
4. Enrollment, Waiver, and Deadlines
Students could submit two official waivers in specific points in time:
- July 31st – this would be for August – December
- December 31st – this would be for January - July
Required Action Deadline
By this date, students must:
- Complete enrollment in the SGU Student Health Plan, or
- Submit a waiver with all required documentation and receive approval
Important:
Eligibility to participate in any clinical activity requires compliance by the above deadlines.
Auto-Enrollment and Holds
- Students without verified coverage by the above dates, will be automatically enrolled in the SGU plan.
- Upon auto-enrollment:
- The Health Insurance (IN) hold will be removed
- A billing hold will be placed on the student account until the insurance charge is paid in full
- This auto-enrollment process is consistent with prior academic years
Post–Auto-Enrollment Unenrollment Deadline
August 31st and January 31st
Students who were auto-enrolled may unenroll only if:
- They secure alternative qualifying coverage, and
- Their waiver is approved by:
- August 31st – this would be for August – December
- January 31st – this would be for January - July
5. Waiver Requirements
To qualify for a waiver, external insurance coverage must include all of the following:
- Nationwide U.S. coverage (when rotating in the United States)
- Emergency and non-emergency care
- Full preventive care
- Full coverage of pre-existing conditions
- Prescription drug coverage
- Mental health and substance abuse treatment
- Inpatient and outpatient services, including PT/OT
- No annual or lifetime maximums
Plans that do not meet all criteria will be denied.
6. Geographic Coverage Requirements
Coverage requirements vary based on student status and location:
- U.S. citizens studying within the U.S.:
Nationwide U.S. coverage is required - U.S. citizens studying outside the U.S.:
Nationwide U.S. coverage and coverage within your place of study is required - International students studying within the U.S.:
Home country coverage plus Nationwide U.S. coverage is required - International students studying outside the U.S. (UK or Canada):
U.S. coverage is not required; coverage must be appropriate for the study location and home country.
7. Plans That Do Not Qualify
The following plans cannot be approved under SGU’s waiver policy:
- HMO plans
- Medicaid
- Medi-Cal
- NJ FamilyCare
- State-restricted plans
- International emergency-only plans
These plans do not meet SGU’s requirement for comprehensive, nationwide, non-emergency coverage when required.
8. Rationale for Nationwide Coverage Requirement
Clinical placements may change at any time due to hospital availability, site capacity, or cancellation. Even if a student is scheduled in a single location, SGU requires nationwide coverage to ensure uninterrupted access to care should:
- A rotation location change
- A student requires urgent or follow-up care in another state
This policy ensures consistent protection throughout the entire clinical training period.
9. Exceptions
9.1 Term 5 Promotion Gap Exception
Students promoted from Term 5 who will begin clinical rotations prior to August 2026 may request a temporary exception during their gap period by submitting the Qualifying Event Insurance Exception Request Form.
- This exception temporarily exempts students from Hard Waiver criteria
- Full insurance compliance is required by the clinical placement start date
- Students with approved external insurance should submit a standard waiver instead
9.2 Accommodation-Based Exception
Students with an approved accommodation from/through Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services that require remaining in a specific geographic location due to a chronic medical condition may request an individualized review.
- Requests must be submitted via the Accommodation Insurance Exception Request Form
- Review time: 5–7 business days
10. Plan Review Assistance
Students may upload their Summary of Benefits and related documents to the Cigna OGSE portal for pre-purchase review.
- Enrollment/Waiver Portal: https://cghb-ogse.com/sgu
- For portal access issues, students should email a screenshot of the error message to Cigna OGSE Support: OGSEquestions@cignahealthcare.com
Note:
The University is not an insurance broker and cannot advise on plan selection. Students may explore plans through major national carriers or HealthCare.gov, provided all waiver criteria are met.
11. Enrollment and Waiver Submission
Students must complete one of the following via the official portal:
- Enroll in the SGU Student Health Insurance Plan
- Submit a Health Insurance Waiver with all required documentation
Enrollment/Waiver Portal:
https://cghb-ogse.com/sgu
12. Cancellation Policy
Once a student is enrolled in the SGU Student Health Plan and the final deadline to waive has passed:
- The policy premium becomes non-refundable, and SGU does not provide a prorated refunded for early cancelation
Cancellation Policy
Students may be cancelled from the policy due to withdrawal, or non-attendance in accordance with the eligibility guidelines defined below:
Leave of Absence (LOA) Eligibility Policy
Students who are on a leave of absence or on bridge time are required to have active student health insurance. Students who take a Leave of Absence, and are enrolled into the Student Health Plan, will remain active on the plan for the policy duration of their enrollment.
Withdrawal Eligibility Policy
Students who are withdrawn from classes within 31 days after the policy effective date will be considered ineligible for the Student Health Plan. Your coverage will be canceled to its inception date and any premiums collected will be refunded in full.
Please note that Students are responsible for any and all use of the Student Health Plan if canceled back to inception.
If the withdrawal occurs more than 31 days after the policy effective date, your coverage will remain in force until the policy end date and no premiums will be refunded.
13. Policy Enforcement
If the University determines that a student does not maintain approved student health insurance coverage including circumstances involving the cancellation of an existing policy or failure to provide proof of an approved policy, the matter will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs as a potential breach of the Student Code of Conduct. Upon referral, the Office of Student Health Insurance will request that the Office of Student Affairs conduct a formal investigation, which may result in the matter being presented to a judicial panel. Additionally, any student found to be noncompliant will be immediately removed from clinical rotations pending an investigation.
14. Contact Information
For questions or assistance understanding insurance requirements or waiver criteria:
Office of Student Health Insurance
Email: medins@sgu.edu
Response time: 3–5 business days
Scheduling a virtual meeting: Click here