Iowa State University Thielen Student Health Center
POLICY Manual
Number: 900
Name: Sliding Fee Discount Program
Category: Administration
Date Effective: 6-1-2017
Departments Affected: All
Date Last Revised: 1-18-19
Owner: Director Reviewing Authority:
Leadership Team
Date of Review: 1-18-19
Pages: 4
Status: Current
Page 1 of 5
INTRODUCTION:
This Sliding Fee Discount Program (SFDP) is designed to provide discounted medical services to actively
enrolled students at Iowa State University (henceforth called “patients”) who have no means, or limited
means, to pay for their medical services (Uninsured or Underinsured). The SFDP does not apply to those
services or equipment that are purchased from external providers and vendors, including reference
laboratory testing, medications from the TSHC pharmacy, and other such services, or to travel clinic
services.
The sliding fee is intended to be the payor of last resort. All charges must be submitted to applicable
insurance prior to application of the sliding fee scale. Patients who elect not to have certain types of
charges sent through insurance are not eligible to have the sliding fee scale applied to those charges.
In some circumstances, a withdrawn student or recent graduate may continue to receive care from the
Mental Health Department for purposes of continuity of care. In such cases the requirement to be
actively enrolled may be waived and the Sliding Fee Scale applied for mental health visits.
NONCOVERED SERVICES UNDER TSHC’S SLIDING FEE DISCOUNT PROGRAM
Certain services that are deemed elective and/or involve external providers and vendors are not eligible
for a sliding fee discount.
Lab tests performed by Reference Labs (tests that TSHC sends out for completion)
Medications from the TSHC pharmacy (either prescription or OTC)
Services provided by the Travel Clinic
POLICY STATEMENT:
Thielen Student Health Center (TSHC) offers a Sliding Fee Discount Program (SFDP) to patients who are
unable to pay for their services. TSHC bases SFPD eligibility on a person’s ability to pay and will not
discriminate on the basis of protected class status (e.g., age, gender, race, sexual orientation, creed,
religion, disability, national origin, etc.) as identified in Iowa State University’s policy on Discrimination
and Harassment.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services determines the Federal Poverty Guidelines which
are used by TSHC used in creating and annually updating the sliding fee schedule (SFS) to determine
eligibility for discounted medical services.
PROCEDURE: The following guidelines are followed in providing the Sliding Fee Discount Program.
1. Notification: TSHC notifies patients of SFDP by:
a. Payment Policy Brochure available to all patients at the time of service.
b. An explanation of our SFDP and our application form available on the TSHC website.
c. Placement of SFDP notification in the clinic check-in area.
