What the campus health center covers

Most colleges run a health center where enrolled students can see a clinician for everyday care. Here is what that care usually includes, along with how to find out what your own center offers and what a visit may cost.

Services many centers offer

Student health centers commonly handle visits for illness and minor injuries, physical exams, immunizations and tuberculosis screening, and some lab tests. Many also offer reproductive health care, travel health visits and help managing ongoing conditions.

Larger centers may run an on-site pharmacy, X-ray services or specialty clinics, while smaller ones focus on basic care and send students elsewhere for the rest. The health center's own web pages list what is available on your campus.

How the center is paid for

Many schools charge a student health fee each term, and that fee often covers routine visits with a clinician. Students who pay the fee can usually use the center whether or not they are on the school's insurance plan.

Lab tests, vaccines, medicines and procedures may carry separate charges. The center may bill your insurance, post the charge to your student account, or ask for payment at the visit, so ask about costs when you book.

Find out

• Whether your student fee covers office visits
• Which insurers the center bills
• Hours during breaks and summer
• The after-hours phone number

Hours, summers and referrals

Health centers often keep shorter hours on weekends, between terms and over the summer. Some schools limit summer visits to students enrolled in summer classes or to those who paid a summer fee.

When you need care the center does not provide, its staff can point you toward a specialist or a hospital nearby. Check that the referral fits your insurance network before the appointment.

Urgent and after-hours care

Many centers offer a nurse advice line for after-hours questions or list nearby urgent care clinics on their website. For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Save the center's phone number and its after-hours instructions in your phone at the start of the year. They are much easier to find in a calm moment than in a stressful one.