Student-Athlete Information

Welcome to Harvard! As you and your parents sort through the important informational materials from the college, we want to highlight one issue that arises each year. There will be a decision about whether or not to waive the HUSHP Student Health Insurance Plan if you maintain alternative coverage for the student-athlete. Before you consider waiving, carefully evaluate whether your existing health plan will provide adequate, comprehensive coverage in the Boston area. In many cases, coverage is limited when out-of-state, with only emergency or urgent care coverage available.

Massachusetts law requires that students enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Massachusetts participate in a student health insurance program or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage. All Harvard students are automatically enrolled in HUSHP and the cost of the plan is applied to their term bill. HUSHP is a comprehensive health program comprised of two parts:

Student Health Fee:
All students are charged this health fee as part of enrollment. The Student Health Fee includes coverage at Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) for services including primary care, medical and surgical specialties, Stillman Infirmary, radiology, physical therapy, and mental health counseling with no-copay. Urgent care is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at HUHS in the Holyoke Center. The detailed information is found here.

Student Health Insurance Plan:
This insurance plan, which includes Blue Cross Blue Shield hospital/specialty and Medco prescription drug coverage, complements the Student Health Fee by providing coverage for medically necessary hospitalization, emergency and specialty care, as well as prescription drugs at the HUHS Pharmacy and other pharmacies. Students enrolled in a comparable health insurance plan may be eligible to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan. Waivers must be completed by the appropriate deadline or the charges will remain on the student’s term bill. The detailed information is found here.

Harvard University Sports Medicine department strongly recommends each student-athlete to consider participating in the Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan. The benefits of enrolling in HUSHP are: 

1. All athletic team physicians participate in the Student Health Insurance Plan

2. The Student Health Insurance Plan contains a broad network of participating doctors/hospitals throughout Massachusetts.

3. No authorization is needed for MRI's or other diagnostic procedures. 

A common scenario that we have seen in sports medicine is a knee injury of an athlete who has waived the Student Health Insurance Plan. If our sports medicine team decides that the athlete’s injury warrants  an MRI, it is common that the student would need to go home and use the hospital or radiology department that is covered by his/her insurance company. Also, if elective surgery were needed, the student would again have to return to the hospital and surgeon that is covered by his/her insurance plan. As most students are not from the greater Boston area, this can present a logistical challenge to coordinate their healthcare and to continue their studies.  

It is also important to acknowledge that:

Harvard University will NOT act as a secondary provider towards medical payment in the event of an injury/illness during athletic participation.

All medical bills incurred by the student-athlete are the responsibility of the student-athlete, parent(s) or guardian(s). Harvard University does not cover expenses that are not covered by the student-athlete’s primary health insurance, even if the injury is suffered during a practice or competition.

BEFORE YOU WAIVE THIS STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN

• Carefully evaluate whether your existing health plan will provide adequate, comprehensive coverage in the Boston area.

• Check to make sure our team physicians are included in your family insurance network.

• Carefully examine the HUSHP coverage details.

The comprehensive information is accessible through the Harvard University Health Service’s website http://huhs.harvard.edu

1. Only upperclass athletes who had a previous physical at University Health Services (UHS) can have clearance performed at Dillon Field House.
2. Any freshman or upperclassman who has not had a previous physical at UHS must call 496-3249 to schedule an appointment to be seen.
3. Clearance for upperclass athletes is to be performed according to scheduled times and dates. If there is a time conflict athlete must reschedule with supervising athletic trainer (and is at the discretion of supervising athletic trainer).
4. Preseason Sports Clearance Schedule - TBD

Athletic Training Room Policies

1. All student-athletes must shower before receiving treatment in the athletic training rooms.
2. The use of cellular phones is PROHIBITED in the athletic training rooms
3. Whirlpool temperatures, in hydrotherapy room, are to be managed by Sports Medicine Staff Only.
4. All personal belongings & sports equipment (coats, shoes, boots, backpacks, bats, sticks etc...) should be left in the locker room or outside the athletic training rooms during the visit.
5. Both athletic training rooms are coed. Appropriate dress is required at all times.
6. Student-athletes should not use any equipment in the athletic training rooms without supervision by a member of the sports medicine staff.
7. Please refrain from using inappropriate language or creating excessive noise while in the athletic training rooms.
8. Absolutely no food or glass drink bottles are allowed in the athletic training rooms at any time.

Concussion Policy

Click here to read the full concussion policy (pdf)

Videos
• Concussions: Don't Hide It, Report It, Take Time to Recover
• 30 second PSA: NCAA Concussion Awareness

Video
• The Student-Athlete with the Sickle Cell Trait 

Articles
• Background on sickle cell trait and the NCAA 
• Sickle Cell Trait - A Fact Sheet for Coaches (pdf)
• Sickle Cell Trait - A Fact Sheet for Student-Athletes (pdf)
• Sickle Cell Guidelines (pdf) 

ADHD Treatment

• NCAA Reporting Form (pdf)  
• NCAA Guidelines to Document ADHD Treatment with Banned Stimulant Medications (pdf)

Articles
• Experts stress need for acclimation with conditiong drills
• Rhabdo requires prompt diagnosis, treatment
• New cardiac study reaises questions about diagnosis and response
• NCAA resources help student-athletes beat the heat
• Football and Heat Illness - Background on Heat Illness and NCAA Football (pdf)

• Dillon: M-F 7am-12pm; 1:30-7pm
  617.495.2200 Phone
  617.495.8591 Fax
• MAC: M-F 1:30-7pm (unless otherwise posted)
  617.496.3465
• Weekend hours are dependent on "traditional season" practices and events.