- Who is eligible to use Health and Wellness Services?
- What is the health fee for Summer 2007?
- What is the health fee for academic year 2006-2007?
- What services are covered by the student health fee?
- What services aren’t covered by the student health fee?
- Why do I have to pay the health fee if I never use the HWS?
- Can I get a refund if I don’t use the service?
- Are there co-pays or pre-existing condition exclusions?
- What are your hours?
- Why can’t the health fee be optional?
- Is it less expensive to use HWS (i.e. clinic, pharmacy, supplies) than in the local community?
- Why don’t you bill insurance?
- If my parents already have insurance, why do I have to pay the health fee? Isn’t that double pay for the same service?
- Do I have to pay cash if I come to HWS?
- Can I be seen at HWS if I am a part-time student?
- Is there 24-hour coverage by a doctor?
- What guarantee do I have of quality care at HWS?
- Why can’t my spouse or child be seen at the HWS clinic?
- How is the HWS governed?
- How are students involved in policy decisions made at HWS?
- Who should I contact if I have a problem?
- What are my patient rights and responsibilities?
- What about confidentiality?
- Enrolled WSU students who have been charged the HWS fee have access to the HWS for the semester or summer for which the fee was assessed.
- The coverage extends over the semester break between fall and spring semesters when the student intends to enroll for spring semester.
- Coverage for fall semester begins on the Monday two weeks prior to the start of classes and continues through December 31.
- Coverage for spring semester begins January 1 and continues through the week following commencement.
- Coverage for summer begins the Monday after commencement and continues one week after the last day of class.
- Students with less than 7 credit hours may pay the HWS fee for access during the current semester. Students with less than 3 credit hours in summer may pay the HWS fee for access to HWS during the summer.
- Students enrolled through Extended University Services in internship programs may pay the HWS fee at HWS for access during the current semester or summer.
- Students enrolled in Correspondence Courses who have student accounts may pay the HWS fee at HWS for access during the current semester or summer.
- Students enrolled through Branch Campuses may pay the HWS fee at HWS for access during the current semester and use of the HWS Pharmacy.
- Students enrolled in spring semester and returning in the fall may have access during the summer by paying the HWS fee.
- New students registered for fall semester in new student orientation programs (Alive) have access to HWS while on campus by paying the summer HWS fee.
- New and re-entry students who do not fall under one of the above criteria may have access to HWS only after the coverage begins for the semester they are enrolled.
- Students requesting care whose situations do not meet criteria above will be considered for access on a case by case bases with the review of the Director.
- Students who disenroll after the semester begins and are not refunded their Health Fee have access for the semester for which the fee was assessed.
- Students who graduate and are not planning to re-enroll for the following semester are not eligible for additional coverage. WSU employees receiving benefits are not eligible. The mandatory fee will be refunded to these employees upon request.
What is the health fee for Summer 2007?
The health fee for Summer 2007 is $50.00.
What is the health fee for academic year 2006-2007?
$120 per semester (see FAQ - eligibility)
What services are covered by the student health fee?
The health fee provides for free access to physicians and other practitioners, registered nurses, and health educators for primary health care and preventive health education.
Students can consult a health care provider with an appointment during regular operating hours without charge. Students have access to the urgent care clinic, the nurse clinic, the telephone nurse, the women's clinic, the wart clinic, the observation room, and the minor surgery room at no charge. In addition to the above, students have no-cost access to various wellness programs on campus.
All students have access to the HWS Pharmacy where they can purchase prescription and over-the-counter medications at very competitive prices. The pharmacy will fill prescriptions from non-HWS providers and accepts many major health insurance pharmacy cards.
Items purchased at HWS that are not covered by the student health fee can be paid for in cash, charged to a credit or debit card, the Cougar card, or a student's university account.
What services aren't covered by the student health fee?
The health fee does not cover hospital and emergency room charges or charges for laboratory or x-ray provided by Pullman Regional Hospital .The health fee does not cover the cost of medications and some supplies, or referrals to providers outside HWS.
Why do I have to pay the health fee if I never use the HWS?
Individual students paying the health fee to provide all students with access to primary health care at HWS is analogous to the citizens of Pullman paying taxes to provide themselves with access to hospital care at their community hospital. Although not all use it, everyone has access to it regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. HWS receives no operating funds from the university or the state. Without the health fee, students would not have ready access to primary health care and preventive health programs.
Can I get a refund if I don't use the service?
No. As with other institutions set up for the public good such as libraries and parks. HWS is available for your use. It is your decision whether or not you want to take advantage of the many primary care and preventive health care services which are available to you. No refund is possible should you decide not to use the services.
Are there co-pays or pre-existing condition exclusions?
No. HWS has no co-pays or pre-existing condition exclusions. Although there are charges for some resources, there are no charges or other conditions to be met for access to a health care provider.
Monday thru Wednesday: 8:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M.
Thursday and Friday: 9:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M.
Saturday: 10:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M.
(ACUTE CARE ONLY)
Holidays: 10:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M.
(ACUTE CARE ONLY)
Summer Hours :
Monday thru Friday: 7:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
(after graduation)
Call for an appointment:
Monday-Friday 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
Medical Clinic: (509) 335-3575
Why can't the health fee be optional?
The health fee operates on the principle that primary health care must be available to all and that if each person pays a small amount then no single individual has to pay a large amount.
If the health fee were optional, then only those people who thought that they would need health care would pay. Consequently, the money available would be insufficient to pay for the professional staff required for all those people who ended up needing care.
It has been shown across the country that in a college age population the majority of students ultimately require care. Therefore, to guarantee everyone low-cost access to primary health care, everybody needs to pay their share for the necessary facilities and professional staff.
Is it less expensive to use HWS (i.e. clinic, pharmacy, supplies) than to use providers in the local community?
There is no charge for access to a health care provider for students who have paid the health fee. That means that for students without health insurance that covers them in the local area, it is always less expensive to consult with an HWS health care provider.
Frequently, the semester cost of the health fee for an individual student is often less than the cost of a single visit to a community provider. And, since there are no co-pays or deductibles for the initial or follow up visits, HWS is often cheaper (and less hassle) even for the student with insurance.
Charges for ancillary services such as pharmacy and supplies are frequently lower at HWS. HWS passes on to students the savings it receives through its large-buying-power purchasing contracts. In addition, charges can be paid with a credit or debit card or a Cougar card and non-pharmacy items can be billed to your student account, so no money is needed at the time of service.
Why don't you bill insurance?
One of the ways that HWS keeps its costs to students low is by not billing health insurance companies. Because of the way that insurance billing must be done, for HWS to determine eligibility and bill and maintain account status for all the health insurance companies used by WSU students would require an office staff several times the size of the present one.
HWS does provide students upon request with all the information necessary to apply for reimbursement from their health insurance carrier.
As can be seen at any retail pharmacy, pharmacy insurance plan billing is computerized and decisions regarding eligibility, coverage and co-pays are almost immediate. Consequently, the HWS Pharmacy accepts many major health insurance pharmacy plans. Check with the pharmacy.
If my parents already have insurance, why do I have to pay the health fee? Isn't that double pay for the same service?
Health insurance is important and we encourage all students to have it. However, in this time of managed care, many health insurance programs will not pay for non-emergency health care away from the enrollee's permanent home and health care provider.
Also, most insurance companies will not pay for preventive health education programs and mental health services, especially those designed for a college-aged population. In that sense, the services that HWS provides are not the same.
The no-copay, quick access to a physician paid for by the health fee allows students to seek care when they need it rather than missing classes due to illness or putting off health problems until they return home.
Do I have to pay cash if I come to HWS?
No, in addition to cash, charges can be paid with a credit or debit card (MC or Visa) or a Cougar card and non-pharmacy items can be billed to your student account, so no money is needed at the time of service.
Can I be seen at HWS if I am a part-time student?
Yes. All part-time students may be seen at HWS on payment of the health fee.
Is there 24-hour coverage by a doctor?
Yes. A physician is on call for emergencies and hospital admissions 24-hours a day, 365 days per year.
Also, you may call the clinic anytime of the day or night (335-3575) and speak to a registered nurse about any problem.
What guarantee do I have of quality care at HWS?
HWS is fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), a national accrediting body.
HWS has an active quality improvement committee which monitors quality of care and makes regular reports to the Director and the Vice Provost for Student Affairs. In addition, the professional staff at HWS, certified by professional boards, must meet rigorous continuing education and certification requirements.
Why can't my spouse or child be seen at the HWS clinic?
At 35,000 student visits per year, HWS is near its maximum service capacity. Attempting to provide health care services to spouses and children at this time would not allow HWS to adequately perform its primary mission of providing quality health care to students. HWS is continually monitoring this situation as the demographics of the student population changes.
How is the HWS governed?
HWS is headed by a Director, an M.D., appointed by and responsible to the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. The Director is advised on general policy and finance by the Student Health Advisory Committee and on day-to-day matters by the HWS Administrative Team.
How are students involved in policy decisions made at HWS?
Students are involved in decisions made at HWS primarily through their representatives on the Student Health Advisory Committee, the principal policy advisory committee to HWS.
This Presidential Standing Committee, which is made up of undergraduate and graduate students, university administrators, and health care professionals, meets regularly during the academic year to advise the Director of HWS on general policy and finance.
Who should I contact if I have a problem?
Students who have a problem or concern regarding health care or treatment they have received should contact the HWS Director or Assistant Medical Director at 335-3575. Students who have a concern about their bill should contact the Billing Program Assistant at 335-6756.
What are my patient rights and responsibilities?
Medical care is a cooperative venture for patients and health care providers. You, as a patient, and the Health and Wellness Services (HWS) staff have specific rights and responsibilities in relationship to each other. As a patient, you have rights.
- The right to humane care and treatment. You will be treated with respect, consideration and dignity. You can expect that your personal convictions and beliefs will be taken into account when you seek help and that the convictions and beliefs of the provider will not adversely affect your right to rational and appropriate care.
- The right to accurate information, to the extent known, concerning diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of an illness or health-related condition. This includes the right to accurate written information about drug products or drug treatment for an illness. It will include appropriate alternatives to health service care.
- The right to be treated only with your consent. No care will be provided to you without your consent.
- The right to participate in decisions that are made regarding your health and treatment.
- The right to be informed of any research aspect of your care and to refuse to participate. Such refusal will not jeopardize your access to medical care and treatment.
- The right to a second opinion regarding diagnosis or treatment. This includes seeking consultation with other providers. (However, consultation outside the HWS is the financial responsibility of the user.)
- The right to know who is counseling, caring for, or treating you. The practitioner's name and professional qualifications should be visible or stated on introduction.
- The right to information regarding the scope and availability of services. This should be available to you in written form.
- The right to information regarding fees for service; particularly notification as to what services may involve additional charges. If outside resources are needed, there will usually be a charge.
- The right to confidentiality of your records (see medical record section). You have a right not to have your problem discussed in anyplace where it might be overheard by others.
- To provide full information about your illness or problem to allow proper evaluation and treatment.
- To ask sufficient questions to ensure appropriate comprehension of your illness or problem as well as the HWS recommendation for continuing care. If you find the care or course of treatment unacceptable for any reason, please discuss it with a member of the staff, the director, or administrator.
- To show courtesy and respect to health care personnel and other patients.
- To not lend your personal identification (student ID card) to others. Lending your ID card may lead to entries in your medical chart that concern the borrower to the identification, including personal problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, mental health problems, or reports of adverse reactions to treatment.
- To keep your appointments. Please cancel or reschedule as far in advance as possible, so that the time may be given to someone else.
- To not give medication prescribed for you to others.
- To communicate with your health care provider if your condition worsens or does not follow the expected course. We will contact you if there is any unexpected result from tests.
- To pay for services billed to your account in a timely manner.
What about Confidentiality?
Your visit to HWS and the care we provide to you are confidential. We keep a record of the health care services we provide you. That record is confidential.
You may ask us to see and copy that record. You may also ask us to correct that record. We will not disclose your record to others unless you direct us to do so or unless the law authorizes or compels us to do so. You may get more information about your record at the HWS reception desk. Records are not shared with parents, professors, administrators, or potential employers.
- Parents: Should parents request information from HWS they will be told to contact you for the desired information. Only in life-threatening emergencies may information concerning the nature of complaints and/or diagnoses be given directly to parents.
- Professors and administrators: Should faculty members or administrators request information regarding your health, they will be told to contact you for the desired information. You should discuss directly with a faculty member or administrator any circumstances in which a health problem or treatment may influence your attendance, academic performance, or status.
- Potential employers, graduate schools, professional schools: Information from health records will not be supplied in answer to requests for information when it appears that this information will be used for screening for employment, school admission, or other non-medical purposes. We recognize that some routine authorizations in these circumstances may be obtained under duress, actual or implied, so this prohibition against release of information will be observed unless you give specific written instructions defining the nature of the information to be released.
Secondary content using h2 tag.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Life is good at WSU.
Secondary content can be almost anything. If you are not using this region delete all the content that is in between the div tags with the id ="additional".
A unique richness of students, faculty, location, activities, and organizations creates a full, lively student life at the University. This section gives you the insider's view on student life and a sampling of the opportunities here.
"Glimpses." Students talk about life at WSU
These brief posts are written by WSU students to give you a personal look through their window on campus life.