Many young adults find themselves experiencing mental health symptoms and seeking higher levels of care for the first time while they’re away at college. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not the only one, and help may be closer than you might think. All UC students are required to have medical insurance, so exploring your coverage and on-campus resources can help you understand what your options are.
In this article, we’ll talk through how to use UC SHIP and a few other ways college students can cover the cost of therapy.
Understanding your UC SHIP benefits
UC SHIP covers medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, mental health, and substance use services for UC students and their eligible dependents. The plan gives you access to care providers like Lightfully within Anthem Blue Cross Prudent Buyer PPO networks and out-of-network providers. In-network providers are covered at higher rates than out-of-network.
If your plan has a deductible, you may need to pay that amount for services before UC SHIP will start to share costs. When you’ve met your deductible, you’ll pay coinsurance for services, and UC SHIP will cover the remainder of the cost, up to the maximum allowed amount for that service. You’re protected financially with an annual limit on your out-of-pocket costs. Once you reach this limit, the plan picks up 100% of the costs for that year. Watch this video for more on how UC SHIP works.
Beyond UC SHIP: Other insurance options
All UC students have UC SHIP as a default plan, though it can be waived. You may also be covered by a private plan through a parent if you’re under age 26, an employer, or Medi-Cal. When you receive services, the provider will bill the primary carrier first before billing the secondary carrier.
For care at your student health center, UC SHIP is the primary carrier, and other plans will be the primary carrier outside the student health center. The only exception is if you’re covered by Medi-Cal, MRMIP, or TRICARE: these plans will always be primary, even if you have UC SHIP.
Campus resources versus outside providers
UC SHIP encourages students to seek care at student health centers first to help manage costs. However, these centers don’t have very robust mental health treatment programs, and they may have long wait lists. Lightfully has partnered with UC SHIP to provide comprehensive primary mental health care for UC students. Students typically begin with outpatient or campus-based therapy. If higher levels of care are needed, UC SHIP covers intensive outpatient and other services when appropriate.
Our Virtual Services are popular with college students because they allow you to access a high level of care without commuting to a clinic and they can be very affordable when covered by insurance. We also have a Short-Term Option that allows you to attend any level of care for two weeks during school breaks.
Step-by-step guide to accessing covered services
If you have UC SHIP, log into the Sydney Health app for your specific coverage details for mental health services and your insurance card. You may need to make an appointment with a provider at your student health center to receive a referral to an external provider. Ask about Lightfully’s Virtual Services by name. You can also contact us to ask about scheduling an assessment.
Take the following steps to access covered mental health services through UC SHIP:
- Understand the terms of your plan
- Locate your insurance card or plan information
- Explore your online tools – portal or app
- Verify coverage before receiving treatment – specific provider
- Search for providers who offer student discounts
Maximizing your benefits and avoiding surprise costs
Start by looking for in-network providers and get verbal confirmation that they accept your insurance plan. Before scheduling an appointment, you should ask the provider to verify your insurance coverage for the specific services you’re looking for. They’ll call the insurance company and find out exactly how much your plan will cover and what your financial responsibility will be. This helps eliminate surprises and ease the decision-making process.
Most insurance plans will allow you to pay toward your deductible during the calendar year and then reset when the next year starts in January. That means that if you start treatment toward the end of the year, your coverage rates may change mid-treatment. The most important thing is to know what to expect ahead of time so you can plan your expenses.
Lightfully is here to help college students through mental health challenges
Academic stress, new responsibilities, and developmental changes can all converge to bring out new mental health symptoms during your college years. Navigating the world as an adult and becoming more independent isn’t easy.
You can find confidence, resilience, and security in this stage of your life by choosing to care for your mental health. The good news is that you don’t have to do this on your own. Your support network might include people from your student health center, advisers, and mental health care providers.
Understanding your insurance coverage isn’t just about saving money — it’s about removing barriers so you can get the mental health support you deserve. Our Admissions Concierge Team is here to help you understand your options and make the best use of your insurance coverage.
At Lightfully, we see each of our clients as a person first, not a diagnosis. We provide highly personalized treatments that support your whole life, including your school, work, and family commitments.
Are you ready to take your next steps toward mental wellness? Contact us today. Let’s talk about what you’re experiencing and how we can help.
