School Psychology Program -
New Student Guide

HEALTH INSURANCE

• If you need health insurance, USF offers it.  Our students have found it to be inexpensive, but there are mixed reviews from the first year cohort on the quality of service.  It is an HMO, and with this insurance, USF Health Services will be your primary care provider, so if you want any sort of referral, it must be approved by our health services.  It costs approximately $650/year; however, the coverage is fairly limited.  You also will get discounts on prescriptions.  If you have extensive health issues, your parents, spouse, etc... may be a better plan.
• The primary care provider is the USF Health Services located on campus (next to the Marshall Center). You must first go to the clinic on campus before you can see a specialist.
• If you are married and your spouse does not have coverage, you can cover your spouse through the USF provider.  This is fairly expensive.  You may also want to check into membership with the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS).  Simply go to the services/resources link and scroll down the page to the Insurance section.  The annual dues for the NAGPS are $50.00 but the cost of insurance for a student and spouse are considerably less expensive than that offered by the USF provider (as of the 2005-2006 school year).

Immunization records

• You must send verification of your Immunization Records to the health center (you are required to have a measles shot). 
• The records must include actual dates.  You can bring them the first day or fax them to:  813-974-5888.  Keep a copy for yourself just in case. 
• You will not be able to register during orientation if you do not send in this form. 
• FYI:  Your undergraduate institution is required by law to keep all your medical records for seven years after you graduate.  If you meet this time frame, call your undergraduate health services as soon as possible and request your immunization records because sometimes it takes awhile.  If you have been out of college for over seven years, you can get a record of your immunizations from your family doctor. You may need to send them written permission so take care of this in advance.