Health Information

The Tang Center, at 2222 Bancroft Way (510-642-2000, www.uhs.berkeley.edu), provides general healthcare, including an advice line (510-643-7197), an Urgent Care Clinic, women’s healthcare services, individual and group counseling services, a variety of health education programs, and a career counseling program and library. All Berkeley students (including their spouses or domestic partners on a fee-for-service basis) are eligible for services. Services are supported by registration fees. Low fees are charged for certain services.

The Primary Care Clinics at the Tang Center provide medical care for the prevention and treatment of illness and injury. The highly trained, licensed medical professionals of University Health Services are experienced in meeting the health needs of the college population. Physicians and nurse practitioners perform examinations, provide diagnoses and treatment, prescribe medications and discuss prevention. Many of the clinicians have special training in women’s health, internal medicine, wound care and occupational health.

All visits to the Primary Care Clinics are by appointment. The clinics are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday through Friday. The clinics close for lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., but a clinic nurse is available in the Urgent Care Clinic. You will be seen by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. You may have to wait a little longer for an appointment to see a specific clinician. This clinician will ask you about your symptoms and your health history and will work with you to determine the best treatment and follow-up care. Your clinician may prescribe medication that you may purchase at the pharmacy, request that you receive x-rays in radiology, send you to the laboratory for a diagnostic test, or suggest that you receive treatment in the physical therapy department. If the clinician determines that your condition requires diagnosis and treatment by a specialist, you will be referred to the specialty clinics at Tang or to the private office of a specialist physician. If you are a member of the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and you are given a referral to a physician outside the Tang Center, you will need to obtain authorization for the referral from the Student Health Insurance Office before you make your appointment to see that doctor.

The advice nurse is available to registered students from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday by phone (510-643-7197) or in person at the Urgent Care Center on the first floor of Tang. If you are unsure whether you need to be seen by a clinician for your condition, the advice nurse can talk with you about your symptoms and, if necessary, make an appointment for you in the Primary Care Clinics or direct you to Urgent Care.

After-Hours Assistance

For urgent problems when the Tang Center is closed, the Advice Nurse line at 510-643-7197 rolls over to a community-based After Hours Assistance line, which provides referrals to community resources. SHIP students have access to the SHIP 24/7 nurse line at 800-681-4065.

Working with a counselor in a confidential, interactive and nonjudgmental atmosphere can aid self-understanding and resolution of concerns in areas such as academics, career choice, interpersonal relationships, juggling family responsibilities, illness, conflict about sexuality or the effects of racism or sexism. Psychiatric medication evaluations are also available as needed. Career assessment workshops and counseling support groups and workshops are offered each semester. Many of the counseling services offered by Counseling and Psychological Services, such as initial consultation and crisis counseling, are free of charge to currently registered students. To make an appointment , call 510-642-9494 or see the website at www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/counseling for more information.

Social Services For Health-Related Concerns
Certain health-related conditions can have a major impact on a student’s life and ability to pursue academics. Social Services staff members assess a student’s immediate needs whether they are medical, academic, legal, emotional, financial or family-related. Staff members then work with the student to develop a plan to meet those needs. To ensure a coordinated approach to a student’s overall care, Social Services staff members facilitate arrangements with academic departments and advocate for the student with other campus offices, as well as with community agencies. Within the University Health Services, staff members coordinate with other services to provide continuity of care with insurance, medical, psychological and prevention services. Social Services staff offers help with alcohol- and other drug-related problems, chronic illness, pregnancy counseling, traumatic incidents, violence, sexual assault, life-threatening diseases, medical academic adjustments, smoking cessation, clinical nutrition, eating disorders and community crises. Services are confidential. Most students are seen individually, with group meetings offered for selected topics. Call (510) 642-6074 for an appointment or visit www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/counseling/socialservices.shtml for more information.

Gay/Lesbian Counseling Program
Local lesbian- and gay-identified professional counselors are available on site for individual and couples counseling for lesbian, gay and bisexual students. Support groups are also offered.

The University provides on-campus primary health care services to all registered students through University Health Services (UHS) at the Tang Center.

In addition, as a condition of enrollment, students are required to carry major medical insurance while attending UC Berkeley. This covers care outside UHS-Tang, including hospitalization, off-campus care while traveling or away from school, and some specialized care not available at Tang. To meet this requirement, students automatically are enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), which includes major medical, vision and dental coverage, and charged as an insurance fee as part of the registration bill. Students can waive SHIP if they have comparable medical insurance. Waiver requests must be submitted each year that a student attends Cal.

Note that the health care at UHS-Tang is available to all students regardless of whether they keep or waive SHIP.

Most students enroll in SHIP because it is convenient, offers year round coverage anywhere in the world, offers excellent benefits, and is affordable. For a complete list of SHIP benefits, visit the University Health Services website at www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance.

Spouses and domestic partners of students may use UHS on a fee-for-service basis. The Student Health Insurance Office is available to advise students in need of health coverage for their dependents. For more information about health insurance, call 510-642-5700 or visit the University Health Services website at www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/families.shtml.

Enrollment in SHIP is automatic and is billed as part of the registration fees. The SHIP cost for Academic Year 2013-2014 is $1386 per semester for graduate students, but may be subject to change.

Period of Coverage
Fall Semester: August 15-January 14
Spring Semester: January 15-August 14

Continuous enrollment in SHIP ensures continuous coverage. Minimum period of coverage is one semester. To obtain a refund for SHIP enrollment, students must withdraw from the University before the first day of instruction.

To waive enrollment in Berkeley SHIP an online waiver form with proof of comparable private insurance must be submitted each academic year by the waiver deadline, currently July 15, for both continuing students and entering students. Please note that this deadline is final. Waivers are completed online April 1-July 15 at http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/shouldiwaive. Waivers submitted after the July 15 deadline are subject to a $50.00 late service charge. No waivers will be accepted after September 15. Waiver requests must be submitted each academic year that a student attends Cal.