• There is no charge for behavioral health appointments.  Appointments are open to all eligible OHSU students and postdoctoral scholars
• We do not bill insurance
• There is no charge for couples counseling, though we will need to verify that your partner carries major medical insurance in case a referral is necessary

Billing for primary care services at SHW is the same for virtual visits as it is for in-person visits.

Most services done at Student Health by in-house providers have no out-of-pocket cost, with some exceptions. Please review our SHW Cost of Services Sheet, which provides the clearest overview of costs for a variety of services. The following information also applies to OHSU students' spouses, domestic partners, and adult children that receive primary care at Student Health. All patients must carry major medical insurance to be seen in the clinic.

In general:

• Office consults with Student Health providers have no out-of-pocket cost. We bill insurance, and whatever is not paid for is covered by Student Health (with some exceptions).
• Tests that are fully run and processed at Student Health (urine pregnancy tests, urine dips, rapid strep tests only) and medical equipment dispensed at Student Health (walking boots, crutches, splints) typically have no out of pocket cost.
• Labs or other procedures that may be done at Student Health but must be sent outside for processing (bloodwork, labs, etc.) are subject to your insurance coverage and any associated costs.
• Services sent or completed outside of Student Health (labs we draw but must send to the lab for processing, prescriptions, referrals, specimens, radiology tests, etc.) are subject to those offices' billing practices and your insurance coverage
• Compliance requirements for returning students (tuberculosis screening, tetanus and flu vaccinations) are free.
• A few services done at Student Health may have costs that depend on your insurance coverage plan, such as travel vaccines or pre-entrance immunizations/titers. We suggest that you review your benefits plan and/or call your insurance carrier ahead of your appointment to determine what out-of-pocket costs you may incur.

More detailed information about primary care billing:

Insurance

Student Health accepts and bills any insurance for primary care visits. Billing insurance allows us to continue to offer quality care without increasing costs to OHSU students and postdoctoral scholars. You do NOT need to have the Student Health Insurance Plan, but you do need to have comparable health insurance that meets the SHIP waiver requirements.

Student Health does not charge for copays or deductibles for most services fully completed within our clinic (with a few exceptions, such as travel vaccines and acupuncture - see the SHW Costs of Services Chart for specifics). Note that bloodwork can be drawn in our clinic but must be sent outside to a lab for processing, and thus are subject to the lab's billing practices and your insurance coverage; you will be responsible for any charges not covered by insurance.

In-network plans

Student Health's primary care providers are in-network with a number of insurance carriers, including the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), Moda and PacificSource (including the Student Health Insurance Plan).

Out-of-network plans

As with many of OHSU's primary care providers, we are typically considered out-of-network for Kaiser, most Providence plans, and LifeWise. You are still welcome to come to Student Health if we are out-of-network, and you still qualify for many free or discounted services because of your student or postdoc status. However, it is possible that your care at Student Health may not be complete due to Student Health providers unable to submit orders for medications, labwork, imaging or referrals because they are out-of-network. Please contact your insurance carrier if you have any questions regarding coverage with your plan.

Confidentiality when billing insurance

We take your confidentiality very seriously and want to be as transparent as possible about when your information can be disclosed. In order for any office to bill your insurance, they must submit information about the components of the visit, including the diagnosis. If you are dependent on another person's plan, such as your parent/guardian or spouse, that person may receive information from the insurance company about charges and payments. If you have any concerns about this, please discuss this immediately with your clinician or the receptionist at the time of service. Procedures are available to help you maintain confidentiality. One option is to change the visit type to self-pay, which means any bills would be sent directly to you.

Pre-authorization for certain services

Some medical procedures offered at Student Health require pre-authorization, depending on your insurance carrier. Our managed care department will seek this pre-authorization from your insurance carrier, and we will need to wait until it is obtained before completing the procedure.

Self-Pay

Services that will remain self-pay include (we will attempt to bill insurance and then if not covered, the student will be billed):

• Pre-entrance immunizations
• Travel immunizations
• Ancillary Services

Sometimes Student Health providers will make referrals for services from outside providers, or draw labs at Student Health but send these outside for completion. These services will be billed to you separately from those ancillary departments. Additionally, Student Health does not dispense medication from the clinic and prescriptions will be billed from your pharmacy of choice. All expenses related to ancillary medical services or referrals outside of Student Health are the responsibility of the student/postdoc and their health insurance company

Acupuncture services at SHW are covered for all eligible established patients, after we bill insurance. 

Students, postdocs and their adult dependents with outside health insurance coverages will need a referral from a provider at SHW in order to schedule any acupuncture appointments.

We understand that medical billing and insurance are complex, and are dedicated to helping you navigate the system so you can receive the best care. Please contact us at 503-494-8665, option 1 or email at shw@ohsu.edu if you have any questions or concerns, and we would be happy to help.

Wellness offerings are all free.  These include mindfulness coaching, and wellness presentations such as stress management or test anxiety, the Science of Happiness series, light therapy, and more. Learn more about wellness offerings at Student Health.