Insurance vs. Campus Health Service Fee
The Campus Health Service Fee ('Health Fee') is a mandatory fee for all students enrolled on the main Stanford campus. The fee allows students to have care through Vaden Health Services. Concurrently, all students must also have adequate health insurance for medical needs that are not provided at Vaden or are not covered under the Health Fee.

Resources for Care
We recognize it may sometimes be confusing to decipher which resource for care should be used—services at Vaden under the Health Service Fee or services available through health insurance. For students who are assessed the Health Fee, it makes the most sense for Vaden to be the first stop for primary care medical visits, counseling and psychological services, health and wellness programs, and other services covered under the fee.
Students who have insurance coverage through Cardinal Care will want to coordinate specialty care through Vaden to realize maximum (i.e., Tier 1) benefits at Stanford University Medical Center or Menlo Medical Clinic. Students with private insurance should seek insurance-covered care according to the terms of the plan.
Relationships of Resources
The following services are available at Vaden and are covered under the Health Fee: |
The following services are available at Vaden but are not covered under the Health Fee (many are covered by insurance): |
Cardinal Care / private health insurance plans generally cover: |
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Primary Care medical services including:
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Many of the following services are covered by health insurance:
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Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) including:
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Counseling and Psychological Services including:
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Other mental health services and substance abuse care, including:
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Health and Wellness programs including:
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Some services that are covered by insurance, such as pharmacy, physical therapy, and preventive immunizations, are offered on site at Vaden Health Center for your convenience. Others are available at Stanford University Medical Center or through other contracted providers in the local community and nationally. |