Health center accepts students' insurance

With all the expenses anticipated upon entering college, students will no longer have to worry about economizing on their health. Effective June 1, the University of South Alabama's Student Health Center, which specializes in the health care for college students, will begin accepting payments from a student's private insurance to cover the cost of health care. The Student Health Center, located in Building III of the Research Park, is fully-staffed to educate and promote the medical welfare of all students at South Alabama. With a licensed physician at the facility, students can seek medical help and advice from broken bones to STDs. Contrary to previous notions, the student health fee that every student has to pay each semester is not insurance. This fee only covers doctor services, and not illness, injury, lab fees, medicine and the like. USA does provide its own insurance plan, which some of the student population choose to purchase. "The majority of students have existing coverage under their parent's private insurance institutions," said Beverly Kellen, practice director at the Student Health Center. "For approximately the first year, students with private coverage in the 'big four' companies-Blue Cross/Blue Shield, HTH Worldwide [for international students], Markel and United Healthcare-will have the ease of having any medical claims filed directly; otherwise, students with private insurance in any carrier not of the four will be provided with a receipt for payment during their medical visit and then they or their parents will file a claim personally." "Students also should come prepared to pay the copay that is associated with their insurance plan," Kellen said. All services provided at the Student Health Center, of which the individual's insurance covers, will be accepted. The medical services that are provided by the Student Health Center are rather quite low, with a physical examination for only $20. An array of services from stitches, casts and immunizations ranging from HPV, allergy and influenza, cost an average of $25. The Student Health Center's main goals are to provide and care for a healthy student population. Therefore, no student is turned away because they may lack university or private insurance. "We have always encouraged all of our students to obtain health insurance because one catastrophic accident or illness that is beyond the scope of care offered by the Student Health Center," Kellen said. "It could not only affect their financial well-being but could delay or prevent students from completing their college education." For more information regarding the services and insurance plans provided at the Student Health Center, call (251) 460-7151.