Waiver Resources

Health insurance terminology can be confusing and difficult to understand.  

How to Avoid Common Waiver Errors

Cornell University requires students to submit a waiver or confirm enrollment each academic year.  Below are some common issues with waivers that may require you to upload a letter from your insurance company to prove your coverage is active and meets Cornell's requirements.  Errors in your waiver will delay the processing of your waiver and will result in your enrollment in the Student Health Plan if the errors are not resolved within 30 days of your waiver submission.

• Be proactive.  Submit your waiver early so that you can submit any requested documentation before the deadline.
• Log in to your Gallagher account to check your waiver status.  All Gallagher communications can be accessed in the "My Messages" section once you are logged in.
• Double-check your information.  Data entry errors are common for these fields:
  • Insurance ID- enter only the member ID
  • Type of Plan- enter the correct plan type (HMO, PPO, POS, etc.)
  • Subscriber Name- check the spelling
  • Subscriber ID - enter only the member ID
  • Subscriber Date of Birth- check the date of birth is correct
• If your insurance changed from your last waiver submission, do not start with the information from the previously submitted waiver.
• If your health insurance is through a carrier that does not participate with Gallagher's EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system, you will need to upload a verification of coverage letter from your insurance company and a summary of covered benefits to your waiver. 
  • Log in to your insurance company's website to see if this is available online.   If it is not available online, you will have to call the number on the back of your insurance card.  The letter must be dated within 60 days of your waiver submission.
• Upload images of the front and back of your insurance card when you submit your waiver.