Health Fee: Questions and Answers
What does the Campus Health Care Fee pay for?
The health fee provides you with access to affordable, convenient on-campus medical care and counseling throughout the academic year. It also supports education and programs that foster a healthy campus community. All Cal students, regardless of the type of health insurance they have, may use the services at UHS--Tang Center.
The Campus Health Care Fee is helping to restore some services lost during past budget cuts and also allowing UHS to make new improvements.
Will I experience other fees at the Tang Center?
Your registration fees subsidize most of the primary care and urgent care costs, however, there is an office visit co-pay for all students ($15 primary care, $30 Urgent Care) fees for procedures, lab tests, x-rays and medications if they are required. UHS makes every effort to keep fees as low as possible. The fees you pay relate to your enrollment status. If you have any questions about this, please call the Cashier at (510) 642-8448. Click here to learn more about understanding fees at the Tang Center.
For UC SHIP members enrolled in 2011-12, students pay 10% of most other services and UHS submits the claim to Anthem Blue Cross. For students with other types of health insurance, you must pay the fee in full and submit your claim to your insurance carrier for reimbursement.
What exactly can I get at the Tang Center?
The Tang Center offers medical care, health education and counseling. For medical care, it is just like your doctor's office at home. When you have a health problem, you make an appointment at the Tang Center. If you are too sick to wait, there is a drop-in Urgent Care clinic. There is also an advice nurse during open hours. You can learn about taking care of yourself by making an appointment with a health educator. For emotional or personal problems, or for academic and career counseling, you can make an appointment with a counselor in the Counseling and Psychological Services unit. See the Go Tang! Student's Guide to Getting Started at Tang.
If I already have health insurance, why do I need to pay this fee?
The Campus Health Care Fee is important because it provides you with access to on campus, high quality health care when you need it. Student health insurance is essential to protect against the high costs of off campus hospitalization, surgery, or other services required for serious, unexpected illness and injury. For example, UC SHIP covers medical and mental health care off campus, can be applied to fees at the Tang Center and includes vision and dental coverage.
Can I waive out of this fee?
No. This is a mandatory student fee and must be paid for by all registered graduate and undergraduate students who pay the Berkeley Campus Fee.
Related Links
- Health Fee Advisory Board
- Improvements at Tang: Your Health Fee Dollars at Work
- What Students Voted On: The Official Referendum Language
- Questions, Comments, Feedback about the Tang Center
- Bear Talk: Tang's Newsletter for Students
