Longhorn Parents
- Welcome, parents
- Vaccine/medical clearance requirements
- How to get medical care at UHS
- Charges and insurance
- The importance of health insurance and the Student Health Insurance Plan
- Parents’ To-Do list before your Longhorn registers and/or arrives on campus
- Resources just for parents
- Donate to University Health Services
Welcome, parents
UHS cares about your Longhorn’s success. Your Longhorn will receive the highest quality care in a supportive environment that focuses on the needs of college students. Expect everything from UHS that you get from your family doctor... and more.
- Accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care
- Located conveniently on campus in 45,000 square feet of the Student Services Building (SSB) - 100 W. Dean Keeton Street
- All physicians board-certified in family practice or internal medicine -- two with additional sports medicine board certification
- Physicians, advanced nurse practitioners and physician assistants supported by teams of nurses, laboratory and radiological technologists, licensed counselors, physical therapists, registered dietitians and health promotion professionals
- Tuned in to issues affecting campus health and familiar with other campus helping resources
- Meet the UHS Staff
Please take time to browse our website.
Vaccine/medical clearance requirements to complete before your Longhorn can register for classes
Every entering student, regardless of age or classification, must satisfy one or more vaccine and/or medical test requirements, before they can register for classes - even at new student orientation sessions.
Requirements, acceptable documentation, submission instructions, exemptions .
How to get medical care at UHS
- Hours. 8am – 5pm weekdays
- Eligibility. All UT students are eligible to use UHS. There is no need to opt in or otherwise sign up.
- Scheduling appointments. UHS works primarily by appointment. Students can schedule most appointments online, or they can call UHS Appointments at (512) 471-4955. If no online appointments meet your Longhorn’s needs, ask them to call UHS Appointments. A limited number of same-day appointments and an Urgent Care Clinic are reserved for students with pressing medical conditions.
- Urgent care. The UHS Urgent Care Clinic is for students whose medical condition requires prompt attention or evaluation before the next available appointment. To ensure the most appropriate care for their symptoms, we ask students to call the Nurse Advice Line before coming to UHS. This clinic IS NOT an emergency facility. For true medical emergencies, dial 911.
- 24/7/365 UHS Nurse Advice Line. This line is available at (512) 475-6877 for Longhorns to call for instructions about caring for an illness or injury at home or guidance about whether and how soon to get medical care.
- Medical emergencies. The UHS Urgent Care Clinic is not an emergency room. For true medical emergencies, call 911.
- Medial specialty services not offered at UHS. UHS providers can refer off-campus for needed medical specialty services. Our referral coordinator will assist your Longhorn.
- Confidentiality. UHS safeguards your Longhorn's medical information in accordance with all applicable privacy and confidentiality laws. Read the UHS Notice of Privacy Practices.
Charges and Insurance
There is a nominal charge for office visits. Additional charges apply for all tests, medications, procedures and supplies used for patient care.
Insurance is not required to use UHS, but UHS is in network with most insurance plans. Discount rates apply for many medical services for uninsured students, those covered by Medicaid or Medicare or students who are otherwise underinsured.
For questions, call the UHS Billing and Insurance Office (512) 475-8394.
The importance of health insurance and the optional Student Health Insurance Plan
UHS is not health insurance, and UT students do not receive health insurance coverage by merit of being a UT student.
While uninsured students can use UHS, and UHS keeps charges as low as possible, health insurance coverage is strongly encouraged. Your Longhorn may need care when UHS is closed or they are out of town, require services not provided at UHS or have to go to an emergency room or be hospitalized.
Keep them on your insurance plan, if possible. Otherwise, consider the optional Student Health Insurance Plan, a UT System-selected Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan administered by Academic Health Plans. There are deadlines for enrollment for each semester.
Learn more about the Student Health Insurance Plan.
Parents' To-Do List
Ease your Longhorn's transitions and your worries by taking care of these things before they arrive on campus:
Print and sign the form and fax it to 512/475-8282 or mail it to ATTN: Medical Records Department, The University of Texas at Austin, University Health Services, P.O. Box 7339, Austin, TX 78712.
If your Longhorn needs specialty care, plan ahead to locate a healthcare provider. To ask whether UHS can manage your Longhorn’s chronic physical medical condition or temporary special treatment for an acute condition, complete the brief, online form below. Our staff will get back with you as soon as possible.
For questions about transitioning mental health care, including psychiatric care, call the Counseling and Mental Health Center at (512) 475-7110.
UHS can post your Longhorn's balance, but not the reasons for their visit, to their What I Owe page. Parents with eProxy privileges can pay online.
- Provide copies of their medical, prescription drug, dental and/or vision insurance cards (or information).
- Explain how to contact your insurance company online and by phone.
- If your plan requires the use of a specific hospital, write it on their card.
- Explain, generally, how insurance works:
- What your plan(s) covers
- In-network vs. out-of-network care
- Co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles
- Requirements for pre-approval
- Whether, in what circumstances and how soon they must notify the insurance company after hospitalization or emergency room care
Find instructions in #2 here.
Help them complete their medical history and other online health forms that are required to use UHS.
Make it easy on your Longhorn by helping them enter their medical history (which you know best) and other required forms, before they need a UHS appointment. Find instructions in #1 here.
- Explain the difference between a prescription refill and a renewal and how to get both.
- Plan for refills or renewals, so they do not run out of medication.
- Give them contact information for healthcare providers who prescribe their medications.
- Consider transferring ongoing prescriptions to the Forty Acres Pharmacy (SSB 1.110), which is operated by the UT College of Pharmacy.
They will be responsible for giving this information to healthcare providers.
UHS Advice Line nurses often recommend over-the-counter medications and first-aid supplies when giving self-care advice to students, and they almost always ask for their temperature. You will do the same when your Longhorn is injured or not feeling well and calls you.
Clean hands help prevent the most common illnesses that make students miss class. Encourage frequent hand washing/sanitizing to prevent colds, flu, sore throats and stomach upsets.
Remind your student of deadlines for completing these programs. Learn strategies to engage your son or daughter in thoughtful and constructive conversations about how to stay healthy and well in college and beyond and read about the effectiveness of this program on college campuses.
UHS does not provide dental or vision care. A dental check-up and corrective care can keep your Longhorn from having to find a dentist in Austin to take care of a painful situation. Make studying easier by ensuring their vision prescription is up to date.
Late nights, allergens in Austin and upper respiratory infections can make wearing contacts difficult at times. If possible, send a pair of glasses for when this occurs.
Resources just for parents
- Texas Parents
- Are You an Askable Parent? (Advocates for Youth)
- Information to help with your Longhorn’s and your transition - UT Counseling and Mental Health Center
Helpful Links
- Patient Rights and Privacy
- Medical Clearance Requirements
- Getting allergy shots at UHS
- Charges and Insurance
