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Gynecology
The Student Health Insurance Plan covers routine and medically necessary gynecology exams and related tests when the services are furnished by an OBGYN physician, nurse practitioner, or nurse midwife.
- Yearly gynecological visits
- Domestic violence screening
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing
- Screening for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection
- Birth control methods and counseling
Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing
The Student Health Insurance Plan covers sexually transmitted infection testing for members who are sexually active. In order for the tests to pay without cost-share, the ordering doctor and lab must be located in the same state and must both be Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO providers.
All STI test results are strictly confidential according to federal law. However, please note that if you are not on the Harvard Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), your testing will be client billed to HUHS in order to prevent an Explanation of Benefits from being sent to your primary insurance.
Contraceptives, Pregnancy Prevention, & Family Planning
The Student Health Insurance Plan covers contraceptive/family planning services when they are furnished for you by an OBGYN physician, OBGYN nurse practitioner, or nurse midwife.
- Consultations, exams, procedures, and medical services related to the use of all contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Injection of birth control drugs, including a prescription drug, when it is supplied during the visit.
- Insertion of a contraceptive implant system (such as levonorgestrel or etonogestrel), including the implant system itself.
- IUDs, diaphragms, and other prescription contraceptive methods that have been approved by the FDA when the items are supplied during the visit.
Additional Information
Prescription Contraceptives
Prescription contraceptive products that are generic or brand name without a generic equivalent are covered as part of your Student Health Insurance Plan prescription drug benefits at no cost. Other prescription contraceptive products are covered with applicable copayments.
Non-prescription birth control preparations are not covered. Examples of non-covered birth control include condoms, birth control foams, jellies, and sponges.
Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception (EC), also known as Plan B or the morning after pill, is a medication or long-acting reversible contraception given to reduce the chance of pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure.
The Student Health Fee covers consultation services with the HUHS primary care physician team and/or urgent care team to discuss options for emergency contraception.
The Student Health Insurance Plan covers prescription emergency contraception as part of your prescription drug benefits. After a 1.5mg tablet, the generic formula for Plan B is covered at no cost with a prescription from your provider. Copayments may apply for other emergency contraception medications.
Regardless of insurance, Plan B is available without a prescription via the ScriptCenter for $15.
Fertility Treatment
The Student Health Insurance Plan covers services to diagnose and treat infertility for a member who has not been able to conceive. Members must meet certain medical criteria, as defined by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, in order to qualify for coverage.
Benefits include:
- Artificial insemination.
- Sperm and egg and/or inseminated egg procurement and processing.
- Banking of sperm or inseminated eggs (only when they are not covered by the donor’s health plan); and other services as outlined in Blue Cross and Blue Shield medical policy.
- Infertility technologies, such as: in vitro fertilization and embryo placement; gamete intrafallopian transfer; zygote intrafallopian transfer; natural oocyte retrieval intravaginal fertilization; and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
- The prescription drugs that are used for infertility treatment are covered as a prescription drug benefit. This means that coverage will be provided for these covered drugs only when the drugs are furnished by a covered pharmacy, even if a non-pharmacy healthcare provider administers the drug for you during a covered visit.
(type “fertility” in the medical policy search box)
Termination of Pregnancy
The Student Health Fee will pay up to $350 towards the termination of pregnancy when a student is referred by HUHS to Women’s Health in Brookline or Planned Parenthood in Boston. Please contact HUHS at 617-495-5711 for referrals.
The Student Health Insurance Plan covers medical and surgical termination of pregnancy as outlined below.
| In-Network | Out-of-Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical termination | $0 copay; covered at no cost to member. | $0 – covered at no cost to member. |
| Surgical termination | $0 copay; covered at no cost to member. | $0 – covered at no cost to member. |
Sexual and Reproductive Health at Harvard University Health Services (HUHS)
Please visit the Sexual and Reproductive Health at HUHS webpage for additional resources regarding services offered at HUHS.
