A full-time student’s eligible dependents may also participate in the service with proof of creditable coverage.  An eligible dependent is:

a spouse or a domestic partner; the natural, adopted, or stepchildren of you, your spouse or your domestic partner and children for whom you, your spouse or your domestic partner are legal guardian, from birth to age 19. Your eligible dependents must reside with you 100% of the time (full custody), be dependent upon you for support and maintenance, and not  eligible for other coverage. If you elect to cover one dependent child, you must cover all of your dependent children.

  • Spouse and domestic partner of a student who resides with the student and who is not eligible for coverage through his/her school or employer.
  • Able to provide proof of creditable coverage
  • Spouse, defined as an individual to whom the student is legally married, or a Domestic Partner, defined as an individual of the same or opposite sex with whom the student has established a domestic partnership. A domestic partnership is a relationship between a student and one other person of the same or opposite sex. Both persons must:
  • not be so closely related that marriage would otherwise be prohibited;
  • not be legally married to, or the Domestic Partner of, another person under either statutory or common law;
  • be at least 18 years old;
  • live together and share the common necessities of life;
  • be mentally competent to enter into a contract; and
  • be financially interdependent.
  • In order to cover a domestic partner, a student must complete a domestic partner affidavit.

Dependent child(ren)

Dependent child(ren), defined as the student’s child, the Spouse’s child, or the Domestic Partner’s child, as long as the child:

  • is under 19 years of age and dependent upon the student for support and maintenance; and
  • is the student’s biological child, stepchild, legally adopted child, or a child placed with the student for adoption, or a child for whom the student and/or his or her Spouse or Domestic Partner is the legal guardian; and
  • resides with the student 100% of the time during the policy year (full custody); and
  • if eligible for coverage as a dependent of someone other than the student a $80 monthly  surcharge is added to the  dependent access fee. The surcharge will be in addition to the applicable Washington University School of Medicine Student Health access fee.
  • If a student elects to have a Dependent Child covered by this health program, then all eligible Dependent Children of the student must be covered by this health program, and the appropriate health service access fee for each covered Dependent Child must be paid.
  • All Dependents (Spouses, Domestic Partners, and Dependent Children) must provide proof of prior continuous creditable coverage over the six months immediately preceding coverage through the WUSM program.

Qualifying events

The following are allowed qualifying events: marriage, divorce, death, spouse’s initial arrival to the U.S., birth of a dependent child, legal adoption of a child, legal guardianship, termination of employment. The qualifying event can occur any time during the year; however, the student must notify Washington University in writing within thirty-one (31) days of the qualifying event and pay the required additional Student Health Service access fee in order for the dependents to be eligible for coverage. Students will be required to submit a qualifying event form and supporting documents to provide proof of first-time eligibility to Washington University within thirty-one (31) days of the qualifying event.

Newborn infants will be covered under the program for routine nursery care for newborn children for up to 96 hours after a caesarean section delivery and for up to 48 hours after any other delivery. Newborn infant means any child birthed by a student, spouse, or domestic partner while that person is covered under this program. Only the student will have the right to continue such coverage for the child beyond the first 48 or 96 hours. If the student does not use this right as stated here, all coverage to that child will terminate at the end of the applicable 48 or 96 hour period after the child’s birth. To continue the coverage, the student must, within thirty-one (31) days after the child’s birth, complete and return the qualifying event form with payment to Washington University. If properly submitted within this initial thirty-one (31) day period, enrollment for the newborn will be retroactively effective back to the date of birth. A newborn child of a student’s dependent child is not eligible to continue coverage beyond the initial 48 or 96 hour period.

Washington University may require annual verification of eligibility for all dependents enrolled in the program of services. The annual verification of dependent eligibility will be conducted as part of the process to ensure that health benefits are being provided fairly and consistently to eligible dependents.  It is anticipated that this process will take place in August of each year. It is the student’s responsibility to provide materials ensuring the timely verification of eligible dependents each policy year.

Required documentation

Appropriate documentation for each family member enrolled in the student’s plan is required.  Documentation is required only for initial enrollment (unless there is a change in your dependent’s information or are enrolling a dependent due to a life changing event).

  • Spouse: Marriage certificate, proof of joint residency
  • Qualified same-sex partner: Proof of joint residency
  • Dependent children: Birth certificate, legal documentation of adoption or guardianship, proof of residency
  • Other health insurance coverage ending: Copy of insurance termination of coverage letter

Student health access fee

Students and Washington University share in the cost of the benefits. A student’s contribution amount will depend on the dependents the student chooses to enroll.

Students may enroll their eligible dependents in the program by paying an additional Student Health Service access fee. The Student Health Service access fee for all covered dependents must be paid directly to Student Health Service at the time of enrollment.

The students’ responsibility for eligible dependents:

  • Spouse: $4560.00 per year ($380.00 per month)
  • Child/dependent: $2016.00 access fee per year ($168.00 per month) per child
    • $80 monthly premium surcharge to the  dependent plan access fee for students electing to enroll a child who is eligible for health premiums through someone other than the student.  The premium surcharge will be in addition to the applicable Washington University School of Medicine Student Health access fee.

There is no pro-rate or reduced premium payment for last enrollees.