Statements & Policies

Your medical and mental health care at Texas A&M University - University Health Services is a cooperative effort between you and your medical and mental health provider. University Health Services would like for you to be aware of your individual rights as well as your responsibilities.

You Have the Right to:

• Be treated with respect, consideration, and dignity.
• Reasonable and impartial access to available, counseling and medically indicated care, treatment, and services within our capability and capacity regardless of race, religion, beliefs, cultural values, gender, age, or financial status.
• Have the counselor, medical provider, and other staff members respect your privacy and confidentiality.
• Receive, to the degree known, complete information concerning your diagnosis, test results, treatment philosophy and methods, evaluation, treatment, progress, and prognosis.
• Participate in decisions involving your care.
• Consent to, or refuse, care and/or treatment and be informed of both the risks and benefits.
• Expect reasonable attempts to communicate in your primary language or manner.
• Receive information about advance directives.
• A high standard of patient safety while in our care.
• Know the name, credentials, professional status, and experience of the people serving you.
• Select and/or change your health care provider.
• You have a right to a second opinion and end services at any time. You may discuss your reasons with a counselor or medical provider.
• Information about our services, the associated costs, and payment policies.
• Information about after-hours and emergency care
• Voice feedback or grievances regarding treatment or care.

You Have the Responsibility to:

• Provide proper identification.
• Provide complete. accurate, and truthful information about current conditions, past medical and mental health history, medications, supplements, and any allergies or sensitivities that may impact your current treatment.
• Follow the agreed-upon treatment plan prescribed by your counselor or medical provider and participate in your care.
• Inform a counselor, medical provider, or staff member if you do not understand the treatment plan or have additional questions.
• Provide a responsible adult that can transport you from the facility and remain with you if directed by your counseling or healthcare provider or indicated on discharge instructions. 
• Inform your counselor or clinician of any directive that could affect your care.
• Accept financial responsibility for charges incurred, including those not covered by insurance.
• Be respectful of other patients, staff, visitors, and University Health Services property.
• Keep appointments or cancel the appointment in advance.
• Respect the privacy and preserve the confidentiality of other patients and University Health Services staff.

Counseling & Mental Health Care Financial Practices

Charges for Services  

There are currently no charges for visits or services provided through University Health Services Counseling & Mental Health Care. There are charges for missing an appointment without appropriate notice.

Payment for Services

Charges for missed appointments are transferred to the student bursar account. Those charges are paid through Student Business Services.

Primary Care & Speciality Medical Care Financial Practices

Charges for Services 

There are charges associated for visit and services provided by University Health Services Primary & Specialty Medical Care. Charges for services are at a reduced student rate because of the Student Health Fee. Charges for services may include primary and specialty care visits, telemedicine visits, procedures, supplies, immunizations, medication, laboratory, radiology, physical therapy, dietitian, and pharmacy.    

Payment for Services

Payment for your visit is expected at the time of service. Unpaid Primary & Specialty Medical Care charges or charges posted after your visit will be transferred to your student bursar account. There may be a delay in the posting of incurred medical charges from our clinical management system to your Texas A&M student bursar account. 

University Health Services also accepts all major credit cards, checks (with driver’s license, state issued identification card, or passport), as well as payments from insurance plans. 

If you have Health Insurance

University Health Services can file health insurance for medical services rendered to you. This includes the Texas A&M Student Plan for graduate, undergraduate, and international students as well as commercial insurance and some federal programs. University Health Services does not contract with insurance companies, managed care networks or government insurance programs.

You are responsible for the payment of all co-pays, deductibles, and non-covered services as deemed your responsibility by your insurance plan. 

Questions regarding coverage and benefits may be directed to your specific insurance carrier or a University Health Services staff member.

NOTICE

Texas A&M University - University Health Services reserves the right to change the terms of this Policy at any time, and the changes will be effective immediately. Any material changes to the Notice will be promptly posted in our facilities and posted on our website if we maintain one.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions or if you wish to file a grievance regarding these practices, please contact University Health Services Patient Services at 979.458.8310 or uhsinfo@tamu.edu.

This notice describes how medical and counseling information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Your information is protected by federal law.

Texas A&M University Health Services (UHS) is required to maintain the privacy of certain confidential health information known as Treatment Records under FERPA, and to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your Treatment Records. We are required to abide by the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices included on this Statements and policies page. 

Records may be shared with an outside healthcare provider with your written permission if it is determined that a referral or consultation is needed for ongoing or continuing care.  

University Health Services operates as a single healthcare provider organization across all service areas and collaborates closely to support the health of Texas A&M University students. UHS may share information between UHS providers if it is relevant to a student’s health concerns, appointment attendance, assessments, and treatment planning for coordination of care purposes.  This information can be shared as long as treatment is being provided to the student by both parties at the time of the sharing.

Uses and Disclosures of Treatment Records

UHS may use Treatment Records for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations, in most cases without your written permission. Examples of our use of your Treatment Record for these purposes are: 

• For Treatment – This includes such things as verbal and written information that we obtain about you and use pertaining to your medical or mental health condition and treatment and services provided to you by UHS. This includes providers who give orders to allow us to provide medical care and counseling services to you. It also includes information we give to other healthcare and mental health personnel to whom we transfer your care and treatment.  

• For Payment – This includes any activities we must undertake to get reimbursed for the services we provide to you. This includes filing and management of your insurance claims. 

• For Health Care Operations – This includes quality assurance activities, accreditation, and training programs to ensure that UHS staff meet our standards of care and follow established policies and procedures, obtaining legal and financial services, conducting business planning, processing grievances, and creating reports that do not individually identify you for data collection purposes. 

Other Permitted Uses and Treatment Records

Other ways in which UHS is permitted to use and/or disclose your Treatment Records are: 

• As Required by Law - We may use or disclose your Treatment Record to the extent that federal, state, or local law requires the use or disclosure. When used in this Notice, "required by law" is defined as it is in 34 CFR Part 99 – Family Educational Rights and Privacy. 

• For Public Health Activities – We may use or disclose your Treatment Records for public health activities that are permitted or required by law.  

• For Health Oversight Activities – We may disclose your Treatment Records to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensure or disciplinary actions, civil, administrative, or criminal proceedings or other activities.  

• Reporting Abuse or Neglect – We may disclose your Treatment Records to a government authority that is authorized by law to receive reports of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.  

• Legal Proceedings – We may disclose your Treatment Records (1) in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding (2) in the response to an order of a court or administrative tribunal to the extent such disclosure is expressly authorized (3) in response to a subpoena, a discovery request, or other lawful process, once we have met all administrative requirements of the 34 CFR Part 99 – Family Educational Rights and Privacy. 

• Law Enforcement – Under certain conditions, we also disclose your Treatment Records to law enforcement officials. Some of the reasons for such a disclosure may include, but not limited to: (1) it is required by law or some other legal process (2) it is necessary to locate or identify a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person (3) it is necessary to provide evidence of a crime that occurred on our premises. 

• Coroners, Medical Examiners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation – We may disclose Treatment Records to a coroner or medical examiner for purposes of identifying a deceased person, determining a cause of death, or for the coroner or medical examiner to perform other duties authorized by law. We may also disclose, as authorized by law, information to funeral directors so that they may carry out their duties. Further, we may disclose Treatment Records to organizations that handle organ, eye, or tissue donation and transportation. 

• To Prevent a Serious Threat to Health or Safety – Consistent with federal and state laws, we may disclose your Treatment Records if we believe that the disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety of a person or the public.  

• Military Activity and National Security, Protective Services – Under certain conditions, we may disclose your Treatment Records if you are, or were, Armed Forces personnel for activities deemed necessary by appropriate military command authorities. We also may disclose your Treatment Records to authorized federal officials for conducting national security and intelligence activities, and for the protection of the President, other authorized persons, or heads of state. 

Required Disclosures of Your Treatment Records

The following is a description of the disclosure that we are required by law to make: 

Disclosure to You – We are required to disclose to you most of your Treatment Records in a "designated record set" when you request access to this information. Generally, a "designated record set" contains medical and billing records that are used to make decisions about your health care. We are also required to provide, upon your request, an accounting of disclosures of your Treatment Records that are for reasons other than treatment, payment, and health care operations.

Your Rights

The following is a description of your rights with respect to your Treatment Records: 

• Right to Access your Treatment Records – Primary access to your Treatment Records is utilizing the UHS Patient Portal. You also have the right to inspect and obtain a copy your Treatment Records that is contained in the "designated record set.However, under certain circumstances, you may not have the right to inspect or copy psychotherapy notes or other information. We may deny your request to inspect and copy your Treatment Records  in certain limited circumstances.      
• Right to Request a Restriction – We are not required to agree to any restriction that you may request. If we do agree to the restriction, we will comply with the restriction unless the information is needed to provide emergency treatment to you. 
• Right to Request Confidential Communications - If you believe that a disclosure of all or part of your Treatment Records may endanger you, you may request that we communicate with you regarding your information in an alternative manner or at an alternative location. For example, you may request that we contact you only at your work. 
• Right to Request Amendment -If you believe that your Treatment Records are incorrect or incomplete, you may request that we amend your information. In certain cases, we may deny your request for amendment. If we deny your request, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us or the Texas A&M Privacy Office. This statement will be linked with the disputed information and all future disclosures of the disputed information will include your statement of disagreement. 
• Right of Accounting – You have a right to an accounting of most disclosures of your Treatment Records that are for reasons other than treatment, payment, or health care operations. An accounting will include the date(s) of disclosure, to whom we made the disclosure, a brief description of the information disclosed, and the purpose of the disclosure. 
• Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice – You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice, even if you have agreed to accept this notice electronically. 

You have the right to provide feedback and concerns to University Health Services.  If you believe your privacy rights have been violated you may contact the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, or the Texas A&M Privacy Office at privacy@tamu.edu or call 1.833.261.1247.

University Health Services seeks at all times to maintain and respect the confidentiality of each student. Email is not appropriate for any type of treatment purposes or communication related to care and should not be used in emergency or time-critical situations. University Health Services will communicate appointment notifications by text message (if you’ve consented to text messaging) and unencrypted email (to the student's TAMU email address). These notifications may contain information about the appointment time and date, location, and provider, as well as a link for further appointment-related information. Students with concerns about this notification procedure should contact our office at 979.458.4584.

University Health Services is a counseling training facility. All clinical services are provided by licensed mental health professionals or providers under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional. License information or training/supervisory status for individual counselors is located on the Meet Our Team page of the University Health Services counseling website.  

• To verify the licensure status of a counselor, access the public directory located on the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. The mission of the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council is to protect and promote the welfare of the people of Texas by ensuring that behavioral health services and social work practice are provided by qualified and competent practitioners who adhere to established professional standards. 
• NOTICE TO CLIENTS The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council investigates and prosecutes professional misconduct committed by marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, psychologists, psychological associates, social workers, and licensed specialists in school psychology. Although not every complaint against or dispute with a licensee involves professional misconduct, the Executive Council will provide you with information about how to file a complaint. Please call 1-800-821-3205 for more information.
• Contact information for Texas Behavioral Health Council:
  • 1801 Congress Avenue, Ste. 7.3000, Austin, Texas 78701
  • (512) 305-7700

Benefits Related to Counseling

Benefits related to counseling may include improved ability to relate to others; a clearer understanding of self, values, and direction; decreased depression, confusion, anger, or anxiety; increased academic productivity; and an ability to cope better with everyday stress. Potential risks related to counseling services include temporary discomfort when addressing difficult or unpleasant issues in counseling, relationship changes, or realization of previously unknown diagnoses, traits or concerns.

No guarantees can be made concerning the results of treatment. You have the right to seek services from other counselors if you see fit. A counselor has the right to end services with a student if needed for personal, professional, or legal reasons.

Treatment Expectations 

Students and counselors collaborate to identify goals and associated treatment recommendations. Counselors provide appropriate information as needed during your treatment and about changes in services in ways that are reasonably understandable to ensure informed consent. Counselors explain results and conclusion regarding services as appropriate in ways that are reasonably understandable. Treatment collaboration is ongoing and may change as circumstances and needs change. Students who do not follow agreed upon treatment recommendations may be referred to outside resources. If treatment is not advancing, the student and provider may discuss alternative treatment options (which may include referral outside of University Health Services).

Your counselor has a responsibility to clarify professional relationships between them, you and each person involved in your treatment (such as when partners are involved in counselor or in group counseling settings).

If your counselor learns they may be called on to perform potentially conflicting roles (such as having to testify in court proceedings that involve you or someone involved in your treatment), the counselor explains the potential conflict and adjusts or withdrawals from professional services appropriately and in accordance with applicable licensing body rules.

University Health Services has a policy of recording counseling sessions for training and professional development purposes. All recordings are maintained in a manner that is secure and safeguards the confidentiality of student information. Recordings are deleted after they have been reviewed and are not a part of the Treatment Record. It is University Health Services counseling services policy that students may not record appointments without prior approval of the University Health Services counselor. This includes all individual, workshop, and group appointments.