For Billing & Insurance assistance, send a secure message to Financial Services via MyHealthSpace.
Email: shsinsof@mailbox.sc.edu Phone: 803-777-3174
What does “in-network” mean?
An in-network provider is a doctor, hospital, or clinic that has a contract with your insurance company. These providers agree to charge discounted rates for their services. Because of this agreement, your insurance covers a larger portion of the costs, and you pay less out-of-pocket.
What does “out-of-network” mean?
An out-of-network provider does not have a contract with your insurance company. This usually means your insurance may not cover as much of the costs – it varies based on your plan. You will be responsible for the difference between the charge and what your insurance pays.
Student Health seeks to keep our charges reasonable to help.
We're currently in-network with the following insurance plans:
- USC Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina
- Aetna
*We are actively pursuing contracts with additional insurance providers for SHWB in the future. Check back for updates.
We may not be in-network with all insurance providers, however we will courtesy file your claim to the insurance you have on file. Your plan may have out-of-network benefits. Each insurance plan is unique. To determine if you have out-of-network benefits, please contact your member services department listed on the back of your health insurance card.
There may be referrals and prior authorizations that need to happen, those vary based on your plan. Contact the member services number on your insurance card for specifics.
Your insurance company may provide you an Explanation of Benefits that details what is paid by insurance versus patient responsibility.
Any charges that are not paid by insurance will bill to your university student account after the claim is processed by your insurance company. This is visible on your Self Service Carolina (SSC) account at my.sc.edu. While your account will have a balance from Student Health, the Bursar’s office will not have any details related to your visit. You are able to review the details on MyHealthSpace. The charge on your SSC account will show as “COL Health Services XXXXXX." The numbers represent your ticket number. In MyHealthSpace, on the left hand navigation, go to Account Summary. The ticket number will match between the 2 systems. This will help you determine which visit the charges are related to. If you have any questions about your bill, you can send a message to financial services through MyHealthSpace.
- Some lab tests, imaging, or referrals may be performed by outside providers. You may receive separate bills from those providers.
- Verify which lab is used (e.g., LabCorp/Quest) and whether it is in‑network for your plan.
If you have paid the Student Health fee, counseling sessions are provided at no cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We are a participating provider (also known as an “in-network” provider) with several insurance companies and is actively pursuing contracts with others.
We will bill your insurance if you provide your insurance card in MyHealthSpace. It is your responsibility to update your insurance information if it changes. Most
insurance companies will only allow us to bill for services within 90 days of your
appointment so it is important that your accurate insurance information is uploaded
in MyHealthSpace prior to your appointment. Click here to view Instructions on how to upload your card here.
We will bill your insurance, if the information is provided. Some plans have out-of-network benefits.
If you have no insurance, you can still be seen. You will be responsible for any charges incurred.
While office visits are covered by the Student Health fee, select services require additional fees. Please visit the Student Health fee page for more information.
Top Health Insurance Terms for College Students
- Premium: The amount you pay (usually monthly) for your health insurance plan. Think of it as a subscription fee for coverage.
- Deductible: The amount you pay out-of-pocket for covered services before your insurance starts paying. Higher deductibles often mean lower premiums.
- Copayment (Copay): A fixed amount you pay for a covered service (like $20 for a doctor visit), usually at the time of service.
- Coinsurance: A percentage of the cost you pay for covered services after meeting your deductible (e.g., 20% of the bill).
- Out-of-Pocket Maximum: The most you’ll pay in a year for covered services. After you hit this limit, insurance pays 100% of covered costs.
- Network Provider: Doctors and hospitals that have contracts with your insurance company. Using in-network providers saves money.
- Out-of-Network Provider: Providers without a contract with your insurer. Care here usually costs more and may not be fully covered.
- Referral: Permission from your primary care doctor to see a specialist. Some plans require this step for coverage.
- Enrollment Period: The time frame when you can sign up for or change your health insurance plan. Missing it can mean waiting months for coverage.
- Essential Health Benefits: Services that all ACA-compliant plans must cover, like emergency care, mental health, and prescriptions.