Billing and Online Payment

For questions about a bill or the cost of a service, please contact Patient Accounts at (617) 496-8700 or billing@huhs.harvard.edu.

Patient Accounts will be closed from 1:00pm-2:00pm EST daily.

Harvard University Health Services is committed to price transparency. Price transparency is the practice of making the cost of medical services readily available so that patients can compare the prices between different providers and understand the potential cost of care before receiving treatment. When you know what to expect to pay for your healthcare services, you can feel more prepared to explore your options as you navigate your care with us. HUHS provides cost estimates upon request, although in some instances, your health insurance plan type or the inability to predict specific treatment plans may impact its ability to provide exact estimates for your out-of-pocket costs.

• For more information about eligibility and insurance plans accepted at Harvard University Health Services, please visit our Eligibility and Insurance Page.
• If you have questions about your Harvard Student Health Fee, Harvard-sponsored Student Insurance Plan (SHIP), or Harvard University Group Health Plan (HUGHP), you can reach the Member Services Department at (617) 495-2008 or email MServices@huhs.harvard.edu.
• For patients with University-sponsored Blue Cross Blue Shield High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), please reach your BCBS plan directly at (888) 389-7732.
• For our Retiree patients, please contact your Harvard-sponsored Medex or Medicare plan directly for more information about your insurance coverage and benefits.
• For cost estimates of our most common healthcare services, procedures, and treatments, please visit our Patient Cost Estimate Page.
• You can reach our Patient Accounts Department at (617) 496-8700 or email PriceEstimates@huhs.harvard.edu for questions regarding pricing.

What is an annual preventive health exam (physical exam)?

A preventive health exam is an annual physical exam during which your primary care provider provides preventive care such as routine check-ups, screening tests, and immunizations when you are symptom-free and have no reason to believe that you might be sick.

Does insurance cover annual preventive health exams (physical exams)?

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance plans can no longer charge patients copayments or deductibles for an annual preventive health exam. 

Under what circumstances would I be charged a copay for an annual preventive health exam (physical exam)?

When a complaint of a new problem or a new problem is discovered as a part of an annual preventive health exam, or an ongoing or chronic problem has become worse or unstable. The change is significant enough to require additional work from the provider, such as a change in medication or additional tests being ordered (lab, X-ray, EKG, office procedure). Insurance plans consider these treatments/diagnostics as sick visits.

Your insurance plan does not charge a copayment or deductible for preventive health exams. If a sick visit occurs during your annual preventive health exam, your insurance plan may require you to pay a copayment or deductible for the additional workups. We will send you a bill for the unpaid copayment or deductible after we receive payment for your visit from your insurance plan.

Understand your health insurance benefits:

We encourage you to contact your insurance plan to understand your health insurance benefits for an annual preventive health exam and/or about charges for a sick visit (diagnostic care) that is performed during your annual preventive health exam. 

• For patients with Harvard University Group Health Plan, contact HUGHP Member Services at (617) 495-2008 or mservices@huhs.harvard.edu.  
• For patients with University-sponsored Blue Cross Blue Shield High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), contact your BCBS plan directly at (888) 389-7732.

If you have questions about your patient statement, please contact Harvard University Health Services Patient Accounts at (617) 496-8700 or email billing@huhs.harvard.edu.

Starting January 1, 2022, copays, co-insurance, and deductibles will no longer be waived for medical and mental health telemedicine visits not related to COVID-19. Your cost for telemedicine services is determined by your health plan and may vary by the type of service you receive. Refer to your plan’s summary of benefits for details.

Your costs for covered COVID-19 telemedicine services, as well as for COVID-19 in-person services, will continue to be waived when applicable. 

If patients have questions about their cost-sharing on telemedicine visits at HUHS, they will want to contact their health plan:

• HUGHP members or Students enrolled in the Student Health Fee can contact Member Services at (617) 495-2008 or mservices@huhs.harvard.edu
• BCBSMA HDHP members can contact BCBSMA Member Services at (888) 389-7732