Referral to a Specialist: What You Need to Know

You have been referred to a specialist by a provider at the Barnard College Student Health Service.  In order to get reimbursed for this visit, please follow the instructions that pertain to your insurance situation.  Please note that all referrals must be obtained before the visit to the specialist.

If you are covered by your family insurance or Medicaid:

• When you call to make your appointment, have your family insurance information available.  Ask how much the visit will cost and determine how you will cover the cost of this if they do not take your insurance directly or if they do not accept a co-pay for the visit.
• Check in advance of your appointment to see if you need a referral from a network primary care provider in order for your family insurance to cover the visit.  If you do, please arrange for this to happen before your visit to the specialist.
• When you go to the visit, please remember to bring with you the following documents:

o       Our referral letter

o       Your private insurance card as well as your Student Insurance card

• At the end of the visit, you will be given a “Super bill,” which must have on it the date of the visit, a diagnosis and a diagnosis code, and the name of the clinician who treated you.  (Please check the form to see that all of this information is included.)  Occasionally, a provider’s office staff will process the claim for you, in which case you should ask for a copy of the bill for your records.
• If you’ve paid for the visit, please submit a copy of the Super bill to your family insurance first, along with the appropriate claim form.  (If you did not pay for the visit, please remember to sign for the payment to be sent directly to the provider.)
• If you are sent payment (or notified that payment was sent to your provider) that does not cover the whole cost of the service, you should then submit the remainder of the bill to the Student Insurance Claims Department, by sending them the following:

o       A copy of the Super bill

o       A copy of the explanation of benefits (EOB) form from your family insurance company

o       A completed Student Insurance Claim Form

Send all of this to:
    Aetna Student Health
    Claims Department
    P.O. Box 981106
    El Paso TX, 79998                                               

If you are covered only by the (Barnard) Student Insurance:

• When you call to make your appointment, ask how much the visit will cost and determine how you will cover this cost.  (Ask if they accept credit cards or personal checks.)
• Be sure to bring our referral letter with you to the visit.
• At the end of the visit, you will be given a “Super bill,” which has on it the date of the visit, a diagnosis and a diagnosis code, and the name of the clinician who treated you.  (Please check to make sure that all of this information is included.)
• In order to obtain reimbursement for this visit, you must send the following to Student Insurance:

o       A copy of the Super bill

o       A completed Student Insurance Claim Form

Send all of this to:
    Aetna Student Health
    Claims Department
    P.O. Box 15708
    Boston MA, 02215-0014      

All claims for visits to the Health Services at Columbia will only be approved when the Barnard Student Health Service is closed.  These claims should be sent directly to Student Insurance, at the address above.

Remember: Keep copies of all forms for your own records.

Questions about insurance? Contact Elliot Wasserman, PCHS Department Manager, at 212-854-2091.