Parents & Family Members: The Basics
Welcome to the University of Florida and the Student Health Care Center. Our mission is to help your student remain healthy while here at UF. We know it can be difficult sending your student off to school, so remember: We are here to help!
Helpful SHCC website links
Medical records privacy
As a parent, you’ve been involved in the health care of your child since day one. Due to federal privacy laws, however, the SHCC may not communicate with anyone other than the patient about their care without their express permission. But sometimes a phone call is all it takes to stay in the know. To help both you and your student adjust, we recommend regular communication via phone or email to discuss your student’s health and well-being.
- In accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the SHCC may not release information about medical care for any student 18 or over without express permission from the patient. (By law, medical records for patients 17 and under are available to parents/legal guardians.)
- Should a patient 18 or over wish to release specific medical information to a third party, such as a parent or family member, they should inform their health care provider during or immediately after their visit. As each visit is treated individually, the patient must inform their health care provider of their wishes at each visit.
Urgent/emergency care and contacts
Please visit our Emergencies and Urgent Care page for more information about how urgent and emergency care are handled at the University of Florida.
Chronic illnesses/conditions and mobility related disability transportation
We realize many students may have to deal with a chronic illness while away from home. If your student has a chronic illness that needs to be managed regularly, the SHCC can provide most services to treat them.
If your student has a chronic condition (asthma, diabetes, IBS, etc.), encourage them to schedule an initial evaluation appointment at the SHCC to provide past medical records and discuss a treatment plan while here at UF. (Your student may find out to which medical team they are assigned by calling (352) 392-1161, then entering 3 and following the recorded instructions.) If we cannot treat your student at the SHCC, we can refer them to a qualified community provider and help with the transition.
Prescription medications: Students may transfer their prescriptions to the SHCC if they wish. The SHCC Pharmacy accepts electronic prescriptions from any physician in the U.S. that subscribes to the Surescript network, and completes refills by phone or through the SHCC Online Refill Service. Find out more about e-prescriptions and whether your student’s provider is a member at LearnAboutEPrescriptions.com. Contact the SHCC Pharmacy with any questions or concerns: (352) 392-1760 or (866) 941-1760 (toll-free).
Gator Lift provides reliable, convenient and free shuttle service to accessible locations within the boundaries of campus for students, faculty and staff with mobility related disabilities. Passengers with disabilities receive priority seating. Temporarily disabled individuals also may ride Gator Lift. Service is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (holidays excluded).
Charges, billing and payment
When students choose to receive medical services from the SHCC, they are legally and financially responsible for any charges related to the care provided at their visits.
The health fee is a service fee paid as part of tuition that goes to many campus-wide health initiatives. The health fee DOES NOT cover all possible medical charges at the SHCC. For the SHCC, the health fee covers patient financial responsibility associated with most SHCC office visits (for example, when a medical provider evaluates a sick patient but does not order any tests, procedures or prescriptions), and with telephone or online services initiated by the patient.
Patients are financially responsible for items not covered by the health fee; these include, but are not limited to: health insurance; hospital visits; external community providers/facilities; physicals; procedures; X-rays; lab tests; medical equipment; prescriptions; non-prescription medications; vaccinations; massage; and physical therapy. The health fee is not considered health insurance.
For more information, please visit Frequently Asked Questions: Charges, Billing & Payment. Have questions about billing, insurance or pricing? Call SHCC Patient Financial Services at (352) 273-4546 for assistance Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Health insurance information and options
Though not required to access our services, the University and the SHCC strongly encourage all students to carry some form of health insurance coverage. It is the patient’s responsibility to know what their insurance policy covers — and the patient is ultimately liable for any charges not covered by insurance. Contact the insurance company in advance of care to learn about policy benefits in detail.
For more information, please visit Frequently Asked Questions: Health Insurance and Health Insurance Options.
- NOTE: University-sponsored plans do not replace GatorGradCare, which is only available to graduate students on appointment.
If your employment situation is changing and you’re involuntarily losing health insurance coverage, you may be eligible to purchase UF’s student health insurance plan due to your circumstances. Your next steps might be confusing, so here are some things to consider:
- Don’t delay your decision. A break in coverage of more than 60 days may prevent coverage for pre-existing conditions.
- You must enroll in the University of Florida student health insurance plan within 31 days of losing your other coverage.
- The annual student health insurance premium may cost less than COBRA premiums; however, since coverage differs among health plans, both premium costs and benefit designs (including issues such as plan maximums, exclusions and limitations) are important factors to consider when comparing plans.