by Dylan Fisher (Intern, Student Affairs Marketing and Communications)
Insurance plans and coverage can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. UAB’s Student Health Services (SHS) offers useful how-to’s about insurance and answers some common questions.
“We are proud to serve students here at the Student Health & Wellness Center this semester,” says Dr. Michael Faircloth, director of Student Health Services, “Our goal is to educate students on important healthcare topics and insurance knowledge is one of our top priorities.”
Why do I need insurance?
Health insurance coverage supports the health and wellbeing of students through coverage of preventive care as well as both routine and serious health conditions. Most insurance plans include cost-sharing, which means that for certain services, you are responsible for a portion of the cost of services. While health insurance may seem expensive, medical costs without insurance are even higher and can cause significant health and financial burdens."
What is cost sharing?
Cost sharing is an umbrella term that includes deductibles, coinsurance, and copays paid out of pocket by policy holders. For students enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan, most services performed at Student Health Services are not subject to cost-sharing requirements of the plan.
- What Is a deductible?
A deductible is a term used by insurance companies that describes the amount of money a patient must pay toward covered medical expenses in a policy year before health insurance begins. - What is coinsurance?
Coinsurance is what a patient pays for covered medical expenses after the deductible is met. This usually is a smaller percentage and the insurance company will pay the rest. - What is a copay?
A copay describes the amount a patient pays at the time of service. This amount is fixed for services like prescriptions and doctor visits based on the insurances company’s copay amount.
How do I use my insurance at Student Health Services?
Students may submit photos and policy information of their current insurance provider through the patient portal under the assigned tab “Insurance Waivers.” All students must complete the waiver each semester, minus a select few graduate programs.
For uninsured students enrolled in 9 credit hours or more, or in a required program, SHWC will automatically enroll them into the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). The SHIP plan is a comprehensive health insurance policy designed for students at an affordable cost. After enrollment, students will make an account and can find the charges under the “PAY” tab on BlazerNET. More information about the requirements can be found here: https://www.uab.edu/students/health/insurance-requirements.
How do I schedule an appointment with SHWC?
After submitting insurance or enrolling in the SHIP plan, students can make appointments online through the patient portal or by calling the SHWC at (205) 934-3580. The SHWC is located at 1714 9th Ave S., across from Gold Hall.
For more information about SHS, follow them on Instagram.