Plan Benefit Information

For more detailed benefit information about the medical, dental and vision plans students can access the Somerton Insurance Web site.

Medical Care

To understand how the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) works, it is important to understand that your health care while at UC Merced consists of two parts:

• Services through the Student Health Center
• Services provided through the SHIP Blue Cross provider network or your personal major medical insurance
  

Student Health Center

The Student Health Fee guarantees you access to the Student Health Center. The Student Health Center has primary care providers that serve as your family or primary provider while you are at UC Merced. All registered students may use the services at the Student Health Center, regardless of what type of major medical insurance you carry. There are fees for some services that are not covered by the Student Health Fee (e.g., immunizations, prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, and lab testing).

Student Health Insurance Plan

• As voted in by the students of the University of California and passed by the Regents, the university requires all undergraduate students to have major medical insurance. The following link will take you to details explaining the Regents decision.
• UC Merced requires both undergraduate and graduate students to have major medical insurance. The cost of this insurance is now included in your student fees and enrollment in the plan is automatic when you pay your fees. UC Merced provides an undergraduate (USHIP) and graduate (GSHIP) Student Health Insurance Plan to meet this requirement. USHIP and GSHIP cover care outside of the Student Health Center, including hospitalization, specialty care and out-of-area care while you are traveling. You may waive out of the UC Merced Student Health Insurance Plan if you have comparable medical coverage.

Dental Care

• All UC Merced graduate students are automatically enrolled in the Delta Dental Program. Graduate students may waive out of the dental program if they have other dental coverage.
• Undergraduate students may optionally enroll in the dental program.
• Delta Dental is the dental insurance provider. Students will receive benefits covering preventive and general restorative dental care. Note that dental care is not provided at the Student Health Center. Students can select from a wide choice of local dentists, listed on the Delta Dental Web site.

Vision Care

• Graduate students are automatically enrolled in the SafeGuard Vision Plan. Benefits include an annual vision exam and medically necessary frames and lenses. Graduate students may waive out of the vision program if they have another vision plan.
• Undergraduate students do not have an option to enroll in the vision program at this time.