Pechan Health Center operates an outpatient clinic and provides routine health care to students while classes are in session. The outpatient clinic is staffed with physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses. For emergency care, the local hospital emergency room is available (ER services are not covered by the health service fee). For students who have paid Health Service Fee A, the university will help support the cost of local ambulance service. If the student’s health insurance policy does not include coverage of the ambulance, the student will not be responsible for the cost of the service.

In addition to clinical care, including some minor surgical procedures, some laboratory testing, and allergy injections, Pechan Health Center offers a self-care cold center. The health center has a van to transport students to local medical facilities for scheduled appointments. The service is available during the time the health center is open (ending 30 minutes prior to closing each day or in the event of severe weather). The health fee also provides support for the programs and services of the Health Awareness office in the Center for Student Life and psychological services provided by the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services.

Students pay a per-semester mandatory health fee, which varies based upon the student’s enrollment status. Some services and products are included in the health fee while others, such as medications and physicals, require an additional fee-for-service. Refer to the Finance section of this catalog for basic fee information. The health service fee is not an insurance plan. It is highly recommended that students who are not covered under a family insurance plan consider purchasing coverage prior to arriving at IUP. Pechan Health Center does not bill insurance companies for services. However, students receive a receipt for each visit that can be used to submit the bill to his/her insurance company. Information about the student group health insurance plan endorsed for IUP students is available from Pechan Health Center.

IUP requires documentation of dates of immunization from new students for the following vaccines: measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, toxoid-diphteria, and polio. Individuals born after 1956 should receive a second measles immunization prior to entering college. It has always been important to update diphtheria and tetanus immunizations every ten years. Students living in university-owned residence halls and apartments are required to have the vaccination for meningococcal meningitis or to sign a waiver stating that they do not wish to have the vaccination. The documentation must be included on the Student Health Form and can take the form of one of the following:

        1.      Dates of vaccinations by the health care provider who gave them

        2.      Date of illness with the disease diagnosed by a physician

        3.      Serum antibody level as determined by a blood test

Students will receive a copy of the Student Health Form from the Health Service after they receive notification of admission to IUP. The form must be returned to the Pechan Health Center prior to the start of classes. Students who do not provide documentation for immunization may be prohibited from registering for classes the semester following admission. Please e-mail health-inquiry@iup.edu for questions about the heath center or the health insurance plan.

Call the Pechan Health Center at 724-357-6475 for information about student health insurance options.

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