Billing & Insurance

Co-payments, if applicable, will be collected at the time of service and will be used as a credit toward the office visit fee. 

Insurance claims can be filed for primary care, gynecology, specialist visit and psychiatry services only.

The SHC is in-network with most major US-based insurance plans, including Medicaid. You are able to conveniently use their insurance benefits at the SHC. Depending on their coverage, students may be responsible for a copay or uncovered services at the visit.

Charges incurred during a visit to the SHC will not be eligible for transfer to student fee bills. Payment should be remitted in a timely manner. Payment plans are available by contacting the billing company directly. Failure to pay outstanding balances may impede your ability to schedule future appointments at the the SHC.

To discuss charges, make a payment, or arrange a payment plan, contact billing company listed on your bill.

We ask all patients to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to their appointment time. Arrive on time to maximize your interaction with your provider and avoid increasing waiting times. If fail to do so, you may be asked to reschedule and may incur a no-show fee. 

Please cancel/reschedule an appointment you cannot make in a timely manner, so another student can take advantage of the appointment time.

• Premium: A premium is the amount of money charged by your insurance company for the plan you’ve chosen. It is usually paid on a monthly basis, but can be billed in a number of ways. You must pay your premium to keep your coverage active, regardless of whether you use it or not.
  • Example: Your health plan costs $189 per month, which is your premium. In order to keep your benefits active, you will need to pay your premium on time every month.
• Deductible: A deductible is a set amount you have to pay every year toward your medical bills before your insurance company starts paying. This amount varies by plan and some plans do not have a deductible.
  • Example: Your health plan costs $189 per month, which is your premium. In order to keep your benefits active, you will need to pay your premium on time every month.
• Coinsurance: Coinsurance is the percentage of your medical bill you share with your insurance company after you have paid your deductible. Unless you have a policy with 100% coverage for everything, you have to pay a coinsurance amount.
  • Example: You have an “80% / 20%” plan. This means your insurance company pays for 80% of your costs after you have met your deductible. You pay for the other 20%. Coinsurance is different and separate from a copayment.           
• Copayment: A copayment, or copay, is the flat fee you pay every time you go to the doctor or fill a prescription. Copays do not count toward your deductible.
  • Example: Your plan has a $20 copayment for routine doctors’ office visits. This means you have to pay $20 each time you have a visit. Copays are different that coinsurance.
• Explanation of Benefits: An explanation of benefits (EOB) is generated when your provider submits a claim for the services you received and is a statement from your insurance plan describing what costs it will cover for medical care or products you’ve received. The statement details the cost of the care you received, any money you saved by visiting the in-network providers, and any out-of-pocket expenses you will be responsible for. An EOB is not a bill. You will receive a separate bill for the amount you may owe with instructions on how and to whom payment should be remitted.

The university-sponsored health insurance plan, LSU Student Health Insurance Plan with UnitedHealthcare, is an option designed specifically for LSU students and their eligible dependents that offers maximum coverage for services at the SHC.

The Student Health Center is now in-network with most major US insurance providers. To determine if we are in-network with your plan, please research your plan details.

If we are not in-network with your insurance, we can file a courtesy claim with them.

Medical co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance associated with your insurance plan are applicable at the SHC. Co-payments will be collected at the time of check-in and used as a credit towards your office visit balance, so please ensure that you bring a form of payment with you to each visit. Failure to pay a co-pay will result in your appointment being rescheduled. If you are not aware if your insurance has a copay and/or the amount, it can usually be found directly on the insurance card or by calling the customer service number listed on the insurance card.

Additional charges apply for tests and treatments. Your health insurance may cover some or all of those costs. Any uncovered costs will be billed to you. These charges are not eligible to transfer to your fee bill. Any payment and/or payment arrangements must be made directly with the billing company.

Most labs will be sent to reference labs for processing, mainly LabCorp. Bills for these services will be sent to you directly from the reference lab, unless paid date-of-service at checkout. These charges are not eligible to transfer to your fee bill. Any payment and/or payment arrangements must be made directly with the reference lab used. If you wish to use a lab other than those used by the SHC, you may request a copy of your orders to take to the lab of your choice for collection.

Please note, by choosing to file all or a portion of your visit to insurance, you are consenting to the SHC releasing any necessary documents for payment.  

The SHC does participate in Louisiana Medicaid. All policies and stipulations to your Medicaid policy, including visit counts, are applicable at the SHC.

In order to have SHC services covered by your Medicaid plan, you must assign one of our providers as your primary care provider (PCP) on your Medicaid Patient Portal. This must be done 48 hours prior to your appointment. Once set, you may see any SHC provider for future appointments. Failure to do this prior to your appointment will result in the rescheduling of your appointment to a future date.

View the instructions on how to set your PCP.

Additional charges apply for tests, treatments, and labs. Your health insurance plan may cover some or all of those costs. Per Medicaid's policy, any uncovered service(s) must be paid in-full prior to the service without exception, including labs. Therefore, bring a form of payment with you to each visit. These charges are not eligible to transfer to your fee bill.

Please note, per Medicaid policy, any uncovered service(s) must be paid in-full prior to the service without exception, including labs. Therefore, bring a form of payment with you to each visit.           

Most labs will be sent to reference labs for processing, mainly LabCorp. Bills for these services will be sent to you directly from the reference lab, unless paid for date-of-service at checkout. These charges are not eligible to transfer to your fee bill. Any payment and/or payment arrangements must be made directly with the reference lab used. If you wish to use a lab other than those used by the SHC, you may request a copy of your orders to take to the lab of your choice for collection.

Please review your plan's policies and coverage by visiting the Louisiana Department of Health or by contacting your local Medicaid office at (888) 544-7996, before scheduling an appointment.

You do not need health insurance to use the SHC. A self-pay rate is available to students who do not have health insurance.           

A co-pay of $20 will be collected at the time of check-in and used as a credit towards your office visit fee, which will vary based on the care you receive. Please bring a form of payment with you to each visit. Failure to pay a co-pay will result in your appointment being rescheduled.

Additional charges apply for tests and treatments. Without insurance to help share costs, you are responsible for all costs incurred during your visit. We encourage you to discuss with your provider the costs associated with your visit prior to receiving the care. Any balances not paid at check-out will be billed to you. These charges are not eligible to transfer to your fee bill. Any payment and/or payment arrangements must be made directly with the billing company.

Most labs will be sent to reference labs for processing, mainly LabCorp. Per LabCorp's policy for the uninsured, or those whose insurance does not cover clinical laboratory testing, payment for the tests ordered must be collected at the time of service. If you wish to use a lab other than those used by the SHC, you may request a copy of your orders to take to the lab of your choice for collection.

If you are unable to access care at the SHC due to financial restraints, the SHC Case Manager can assist you with applying for financial assistance through Our Lady of the Lake, who has committed $3M to assist students who are uninsured or underinsured. She can also coordinate referrals to low cost or free community care.

Healthcare can be expensive. We strongly urge all students to have health insurance. Explore the LSU Sponsored United Healthcare Student Resources plan as an option. Other resources can be found at Healthcare.gov.

You can request not to use your insurance, recognizing that the medical costs will typically be more. You will be charged the self-pay rate and payment in-full may be required on the date of service.

• To exclude an appointment, notify Patient Access prior to check-in
• To exclude a specific lab or procedure, notify the staff at Lab/X-ray check-in.

It is your responsibility to verify all charges and exclusions with the cashier at checkout, prior to leaving the clinic.

When payment-in-full is not required, a bill from the billing company or the reference lab used will be sent. Please verify with the appropriate staff, which address bills should be sent to.

Please note, by choosing to file all or a portion of your visit to insurance, you are consenting to the SHC releasing any necessary documents for payment.