Frequently Asked Questions:
Following are some commonly asked questions and answers that will provide you with some additional information on our policies.
Do I need to update my insurance information with the Department of Athletics yearly and provide a copy of the front and back of my insurance card?
Yes. OPSU requires that all student-athletes carry useable insurance. Athletic related injuries will be filed with your student-athlete's primary insurance first. The Athletic Department's Third Party Administrator will not consider payment of a claim without the primary insurance acting on the claim first. We need an annual confirmation of the insured status of each student-athlete before they can be cleared for practice, competition or testing.
How long is OPSU responsible for bills?
One year from date of service.
What expenses will be paid by the Department of Athletics?
The OPSU Third Party Administrator will make payment directly to the health care provider. You should only make personal payments for your co-payment at time of service and when you have received a benefit check from your insurance company. Forward this benefit payment directly to the provider. This amount will remain as your responsibility and will be deducted from the amount owed by OPSU. NOTE: Our Third Party Administrator does not always cover items such as: co-payments, deductibles, medical equipment and prescriptions.
What should I do if I receive a bill for medical services related to an athletic injury?
Forward the bill immediately to the Athletic Trainer/Insurance Coordinator. We will forward this claim on to our Third Party Administrator. This way you do not have any additional paperwork.
How will I know whether my insurance company made payment?
When your insurance company has made a decision regarding the bill, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form.
What should I do with the EOB I receive?
If the charges are related to an athletic injury, we ask that you forward a copy of the EOB to us immediately. OPSU's Third Party Administrator will make payments on the balance due to the health care provider.
What should I do if I receive a check with my EOB?
Since OPSU cannot pay a bill until your insurance company has finished with the claim, you can assume that the health care providers involved have not been paid while the claim was pending with your insurance company. Therefore, if you receive a check, we ask that you call the provider and discuss how payment to the provider will be handled.
What if I only have a HMO or PPO?
We ask that you provide the name and address of your primary care physician. Some HMOs/PPOs will waive the network requirement if the network physician provides a referral.
What should my student-athlete do if he/she needs to see a physician other than a team physician while out of the area for an athletic related injury?
If it is an emergency, he/she should go to the nearest emergency room immediately and then contact the staff athletic trainer as soon as possible. If not an emergency, contact the staff athletic trainer for pre-approval to see a physician in order for the Athletic Department to be responsible.
