Operations

Western Michigan University and Sindecuse Health Center abide by all federal and state laws and regulations. We protect your privacy. We offer access to all eligible student, staff, faculty and community members seeking quality care. 

  • Billing Insurance

    1. We submit charges to your insurance company if we have a participation agreement with that company.

    2. Your insurance company reviews the charges.

    • They send you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement.
    • They reimburse us for the covered amount minus any copay or deductible we collected.

     3. If an amount owed is due, WMU Accounts Receivable sends you a bill.

    • Health center charges are noted as “HEA1” or “SMC”
    • The date shown is not the date you visited the health center; it indicates the date the charge transferred to the University from the health center. 
    • Follow payment instructions on the bill.

    4. View a detail of your visit charges by logging in to your account on the health center patient portal at https://healthmanager.wmich.edu. Click the “Account Summary” link and then a particular visit.

    • Your account may show a $0 balance, but the amount owed may have been transferred to the WMU Accounts Receivable and still be owed to WMU.

    We reserve the right to collect payment at time of service from patients who are not enrolled WMU students or WMU employees. Those with account holds placed by WMU are expected to pay at time of service. The health center is not allowed to add charges to accounts that are placed on 'hold' by Accounts Receivable.

     

  • Confidentiality

    The confidentiality of your visit and your medical records are essential to providing the highest quality health care. Visits to the health center are absolutely confidential and are completely separate from the rest of your Western Michigan University records. Under penalty of law, your medical records or any information about you may only be released with your authorization, except in certain cases specified by law. Health care providers are required by law to report certain communicable diseases (e.g., measles).

    Students age 18 and over may choose to allow health center staff to discuss their visits with specific people, including family members. Patients must specifically allow this communication by completing a Release of Information form.

    When a student develops a reportable communicable disease, we must provide this information to the Michigan Department of Public Health. The COVID consent form signed by those seeking COVID testing outlines the communication allowed between University units.

    If your hometown physician or a medical specialist you see requests a copy of your Sindecuse Health Center medical record, you must sign a Release of Information form before we can send the records.

     

  • Health care for children

    Children aged 12 years and older

    Children aged 12 and over of enrolled students can be seen at the Health Center and have access to our many professional services. Health care for children requires a membership fee charged on the first professional visit to the health center each semester or session. Health care coverage runs from the first day of classes of one semester or session to the first day of classes the following semester or session.

    Children under 12 years of age

    Children under the age of 12 can be seen at private family practice pediatric offices throughout Kalamazoo. Pediatrics and family practice at Western Michigan University School of Medicine accept new patients with Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield, or other commercial carriers as well as some HMOs.

    Pediatric Clinic 
    (269) 337-6400

    Family Practice Clinic 
    (269) 337-6500

     

  • Payments

    Sindecuse Health Center accepts cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, debit cards (with a Mastercard or Visa logo on them), and Apple or Android pay-by-phone. Western Michigan University students may charge to their University account if their account is in good standing. A service charge is assessed by the University for any unpaid charges over 45 days. All fees under $1 must be a cash transaction. We submit claims to many insurance companies; please bring your insurance information. Patients will receive an explanation of benefits from their insurance provider after a visit.  Sindecuse Health Center does not accept payment for outstanding balances owed to the University.

     

  • Strategic Plan

    Mission

    Sindecuse Health Center provides a broad range of health services to empower the University community to learn, heal, and thrive.

    Vision

    To be the University community’s first choice as an adaptive, inclusive, person-centered health and wellness resource.

    Goals

    1. Provide integrated health services

    2. Foster a healthy University environment

    3. Enhance learning and healthy behavior

     

    Sindecuse Health Center is part of Western Michigan University's Division of Student Affairs, and supports the Student Affairs Strategic Plan.

     

  • WMU Employee Benefit

    Sindecuse Health Center serves WMU employees as well as students. Benefits provided to employees of WMU can go further at the University's on-campus health center. 

    A note about Healthy Blue Living Plans offered by Blue Care Network to WMU employees.

    All WMU employees are welcome to use health center services, whether covered by a participating insurance company or not. Healthy Blue Living plans are part of Blue Care Network which does not participate with the health center to reimburse subscriber charges, except in the pharmacy, and seasonal flu shots. Patients who are covered by Blue Care Network are responsible for charges resulting from their visit to Sindecuse.

    Western Michigan University employees, their dependents and WMU retirees covered by the University's PPO plan #007005281 enjoy these benefits:

    Pharmacy

    • Refill online or via phone and pick up at our drive-up window
    • Low-cost over-the-counter medications available

    Clinic

    Sports Medicine Clinic physical therapy and rehabilitation

    • Physical Therapy at no cost to BCBS PPO plan participants
    • Bronco team physicians who treat WMU athletes
    • Convenient access to quick appointments—call us.

    Lab and X-ray

    International Travel Clinic

    Massage therapy

    Occupational health

    Sindecuse Health Center treats WMU employees injured on the job as part of the workers' compensation system. Employees should notify their supervisor, fill out an accident/injury report form and call the health center immediately for an appointment scheduled the same day. If you cannot go to Sindecuse because it is closed, or you are in a life-threatening emergency, you should go to the emergency room. Non-emergency injuries can wait for the next business day at the health center.  If you go to the ER or another provider, you must follow up with a health center provider as soon as possible to maintain proper insurance coverage. Pre-employment screening is also handled by the providers at the health center.