Insurance plans generally require the student to select a Primary Care Physician (PCP).  These plans are most often HMO or POS.  When a student has a PCP, that information is typically on the face of the insurance ID card. This means that a referral must be obtained if the claim is to be paid unless the PCP is one of the providers at Hudson Health Center.

If the PCP is not one of the providers at Hudson Health Center, the student should request a referral from the PCP prior to going to Hudson Health Center. Often PCPs will issue referrals for more than one visit, especially since the student is away from home for a semester.  If a referral can be obtained for the entire semester, the request only needs to be made at the beginning of each session.  If the PCP issues a referral for only one visit, the student should request a referral each time he/she visits the Hudson Health Center.  If the referral is not issued, the claim will most likely be denied.

If the student presents at the Health Center with no referral, the Hudson staff should ask the student to call and get the referral.  This can mean a call to a parent to make the request to the PCP.  The request information should then be given to Hudson Health Center.

If the student has the OU Student Sickness and Injury Plan, they are required to come to SHS to get a referral.  If a referral is not obtained by the student from the health center, the claim may not be paid by the insurance company.