Student health offers a variety of services, most of them free:
Health is complicated and looks different for everyone. It includes many components, including physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual health, as well as overall well-being. There are many ways you can take care of your health:
Mental health is just as important as physical health. You take care of your body, and you must also take care of your brain, your emotions, your stress, and your relationships.
Everyone goes through periods of ups and downs, and it can be very helpful to discuss your mental health with a professional. There are a number of health experts trained in mental health, including psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and counselors.
UTM offers free counseling services on campus, and they can help you figure out where to start and recommend additional resources.
Health Insurance Terms:
Premium ($$): The amount you pay to "buy in" to your insurance plan, usually paid monthly. This is like your cell phone bill or rent, but to make sure you have insurance.
Co-pay ($): A predetermined amount of money you pay for preventative care and simple procedures, like annual checkups. You may have to pay your deductible first to get the listed co-pay. Your co-pay DOES count towards your out-of-pocket maximum.
Deductible ($$$): The amount you pay before your insurance kicks in and starts to cover some of your bills. This usually applies to extensive procedures, long hospital stays, or serious medical conditions. Most insurance companies do NOT count co-pays towards your deductible (but some do, so check with your company if you are not sure).
Coinsurance (%): After you meet your deductible, you pay a percentage of the remainder of your health bill as coinsurance, UNTIL you meet your out-of-pocket maximum.
Out-of-pocket maximum ($$$): The highest amount you will pay for medical procedures, does not include your monthly insurance bill (premium).
Sound complicated? It is! I'm still working to understand insurance too. But let's break all that down with an example.
Suzy Student pays $100 every month for her premium so that she has health insurance. Suzy Student is on the rodeo team, and she must get an annual physical to prove she is in good shape to compete. She goes to the doctor for an annual check-up, and her co-pay is $50.
Oh no, Suzy fell off Betsy Bull in the last competition! Suzy has a sprained ankle, a broken arm, and she needs several stitches, as well as x-rays and other medical tests. Her total medical costs come to $15,000, but don't worry, she won't have to pay for that full amount! First, she pays $2,500 to meet her deductible. She will need to pay 30% coninsurance on the rest of the bill, until she meets her out-of-pocket maximum of $6,000 OR until the entire bill is paid for, whichever comes first.
15,000 (total bill) - 2,500 (deductible) = 12,500 (remainder)
12,500 (remainder of the bill)* .3 (coinsurance percentage) = 3,750
6,000 (out-of-pocket maximum) - 2,500 (deductible that has been met) - 50 (co-pay) = 3,450 (maximum remainder Suzy will pay for her healthcare)
Suzy has already paid $2,500 for her deductible and $50 for her co-pay. She would owe $3,750 (30% of the remaining $12,500). BUT, that puts her over her out-of-pocket maximum, so she only has to pay $3,450 of that $3,750. Suzy's insurance will now pay for anything else for the remainder of the year, as long as it is included in her plan.
TOTAL COSTS:
100 (premium) * 12 (months) = 1200
50 (co-pay)
2,500 (deductible)
3,450 (coinsurance until she hits the out-of-pocket maximum)
Suzy paid a total of $7,200 this year, as opposed to the $15,000 she would have paid if she was uninsured.
* This is a generalized explanation of how this usually works, but every plan is a little different. Check with your insurance provider for an explanation of your specific benefits.
