Each semester, all registered Binghamton University students (full- and part-time, graduate and undergraduate) pay a student health fee as part of their tuition. The student health fee pays for the Decker Student Health Services Center (DSHSC) programs and services.
Since you pay the student health fee, most clinic visits, health education materials or programs will not have an adtitional charge. Your health fee also covers the cost of some medications and common medical supplies, as long as center medical staff provide them to/order them for you. See below for more information.
Some commonly prescribed medications are available at the DSHSC. If you need a medication not available here, you'll be given a prescription for purchase at a local pharmacy/drugstore (a list is available from us; some deliver to campus).
Students taking summer courses and those needing health services during the summer incur a summer student health fee.
If you’re a currently enrolled Binghamton University student or an affiliated entity, you would have few expenses at the DSHSC because you pay the student health fee as part of your tuition. This fee covers most of the services we provide.
Free:
The student health fee covers the following (so currently enrolled students pay no
additional fees for them):
- Office visits (e.g., medical clinics, gynecology clinics, flu/influenza, psychiatric consultation, etc.)
- Some immunizations (see Immunizations for more information)
-
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
- Tuberculin/PPD (not placed on Thursdays)
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- Some medications (if part of the center's dispensary)
-
- Isoniazid (INH) therapy
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- Health education and counseling
- Alcohol and other drugs programming
- HIV counseling
The DSHSC is a good place to start if you have medical needs. Often your needs will be met here without you having to go off campus for care.
Note: the student health fee covers services during the regular academic year. Students taking summer courses and those needing health services during the summer will incur a summer student health fee.
Fee:
The student health fee doesn’t cover the following (so students pay additional fees):
- Some immunizations (see Immunizations for more information)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Meningitis (Menactra)
- HIV & STI testing
- Human papilloma virus (HPV)
- Pneumococcal
- Tetanus/diphtheria
- Tdap
- Medications that aren’t part of the center's dispensary, including over-the-counter medications
- Laboratory tests, including those for sexually transmitted infections (the center contracts with UHS for laboratory testing; either a student’s insurance covers these costs or the student must pay out-of-pocket)
- Radiology tests (students are sent off-site for these; either a student’s insurance
covers these costs or the student must pay out-of-pocket)
Emergency contraception - Birth control, including DepoProvera injections
- Services received during the summer (unless the student is taking summer courses and has paid a summer student health fee as part of his/her tuition)
The student health fee doesn’t pay for or reduce costs for services outside the Decker Student Health Services Center. Students are responsible for any healthcare costs incurred outside the DSHSC, including those at private physicians’ offices, drugstores/pharmacies, hospitals, walk-in clinics and urgent care centers.
Full-time domestic undergraduate students and all international students are required to have health insurance to help pay costs not covered by the student health fee.
