Understanding the Payment and Billing Process

One core component of Student Health Services is that we strive to be the most affordable healthcare option for Texas Tech University students. We are able to achieve this goal thanks to the Student Health and Wellness Fee that the majority of students pay as part of their tuition each semester. As the cost of healthcare has consistently risen from year to year, university healthcare centers across the nation are having to find different ways to fund this incredibly important service without raising their Student Health and Wellness Fee. At Texas Tech University, students who access healthcare at Student Health Services are financially responsible for a portion of the cost of the services they receive. This responsibility takes two different forms depending on whether a student has health insurance or is uninsured (considered self-pay). 

Understanding Financial Responsibility for Services Received at Student Health Services. 

Patients with Health Insurance

1. To be considered insured, patients must provide their insurance information at the time of scheduling.
2. Patient Service Specialist will check the insurance policy and ensure the policy is active. As long as an insurance policy is active, Student Health Services will send a claim to insurance even if the services are ineligible due to being out of network. Many policies have out of network benefits and we want to make sure we exhaust every possible opportunity to prevent billing an insured student directly.
3. After a patient's visit with a provider, the provider's notes are coded by a team of professional coders and a claim is generated. The claim is then sent to the insurance on file and the claim is either paid by the insurance company or denied.
4. The patient’s financial responsibility indicated by their insurance carrier will be collected at the time of service
5. Student Health Services accepts the amount paid by the insurance company. The remaining balance will be billed to the Student Business Services account. 
6. If a claim is denied due to the insurance policy being ineligible or out of network, the claim is re-categorized as self-pay (see below) and billed directly to a student's Student Business Services account at a discounted rate. 

Self-Pay Patients (Non-insured)

1. Patients who do not have active insurance or do not provide their insurance policy information at the time of scheduling are considered self-pay.
2. After a patient's visit with a provider, the provider's notes are coded by a team of professional coders and a claim is generated.
3. Thanks to the Student Health and Wellness Fee, the claim is discounted at a 40% percent rate.
4. The balance of the claim is then applied to a patient's Student Business Services account for payment.
5. Charges take 2-4 weeks to be posted to Student Business Services. 

 

At the end of each term whether you are insured or uninsured you could possibly receive a paper bill from Texas Tech Physicians depending on the date of service you are receiving care. If you have any questions about your bill, do not hesitate to call Student Health Services at 806-743-2848.