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 can coordinate specialty care through Vaden to realize maximum (i.e., Tier 1) benefits at Stanford University Medical Center, Menlo Medical Clinic, or Sutter Health/Palo Alto Medical Foundation. 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:
Primary Care medical services including: Medical appointments during weekday hours Urgently needed care during weekend and evening hours 24-hour telephone medical advice for urgent conditions Confidential web-based messaging to a student’s clinician Web-based booking of weekday appointments	Many of the following services are covered by health insurance: Pharmacy prescriptions and other medications Physical Therapy treatment Travel Clinic visits and travel-related vaccinations Allergy, Immunization, and Injection Clinic services Immunizations/tests to meet Stanford's entrance Health Requirements Physical exams for employment, special programs, or other purposes Medical specialty care (e.g., Dermatology)	Specialty care Outpatient care Inpatient care/hospitalization Emergency care Medical care while away from campus (e.g., during travel) Prescriptions
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) including: Psychological evaluation and short-term therapy Initial psychiatric medication evaluation 24-hour crisis services	Counseling and Psychological Services including: Long-term therapy Psychiatric medication management	Other mental health services and substance abuse care, including: Inpatient treatment in a hospital or residential facility
Health and Wellness programs including: Nutrition counseling and education Sexual health and relationship consultation and education Peer health education programs and services		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.

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:

Primary Care medical services including:

Medical appointments during weekday hours
Urgently needed care during weekend and evening hours
24-hour telephone medical advice for urgent conditions
Confidential web-based messaging to a student’s clinician
Web-based booking of weekday appointments

Many of the following services are covered by health insurance:

Pharmacy prescriptions and other medications
Physical Therapy treatment
Travel Clinic visits and travel-related vaccinations
Allergy, Immunization, and Injection Clinic services
Immunizations/tests to meet Stanford's entrance Health Requirements
Physical exams for employment, special programs, or other purposes
Medical specialty care (e.g., Dermatology)

Specialty care
Outpatient care
Inpatient care/hospitalization
Emergency care
Medical care while away from campus (e.g., during travel)
Prescriptions

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) including:

Psychological evaluation and short-term therapy
Initial psychiatric medication evaluation
24-hour crisis services

Counseling and Psychological Services including:

Long-term therapy
Psychiatric medication management

Other mental health services and substance abuse care, including:

Inpatient treatment in a hospital or residential facility

Health and Wellness programs including:

Nutrition counseling and education
Sexual health and relationship consultation and education
Peer health education programs and services

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.