Brigham and Women's Hospital
(Information as of November, 1998.)
Brigham and Women's Hospital
is close to BU.
When asked why people might choose Brigham and Women's
versus other hospitals, their Care Coordinator replied that they
provide a broad range of services and are culturally
diverse.
Primary Care
Those using Brigham and Women's as their primary care provider may
choose a primary care physician from their group of Brigham Internal
Medical Associates (BIMA). They are also affiliated with several
neighborhood health
centers.
Assistance Programs
For those interested in financial assistance, the hospital will find
the best financial assistance program that meets their needs (if any).
Thus, you may qualify for any one of a number of programs, including MassHealth, Healthy Start, Children's Medical Security Plan,
Senior Pharmacy Program, Center Care, Free
Care, etc.
Full-time students (plus, all international students) must normally
purchase the BU Student Health Plan or some equivalent insurance.
However, the hospital assesses each individual's case, so these
students, full-time or part-time, international or American, may still
qualify for financial assistance.
As a last resort, they enroll people in the Free Care program.
Free Care
Because Free Care is the plan students are most likely to qualify for,
we list some specifics about using Free Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital
below.
See a general description of Free Care,
including how to qualify, before proceeding.
- Services at Associated Health Centers
-
Coverage for services at those locations usually requires extra
paperwork.
- Services from Contractors
-
There are some doctors that practice in the hospital, but are not
affiliated with it. Their services aren't necessarily covered
(although their services can sometimes be covered through some other
means).
- Coverage Exclusions
-
There are a few non-critical services that are not covered, except
under emergency conditions (e.g., ophthalmology, plastic surgery, etc.)
- Prescriptions
-
Prescriptions are covered when they are filled at the hospital's
pharmacy.
- Dental
-
There are no routine dental services, only emergency dental services.
Applying
You can talk to someone about financial assistance programs at Brigham
and Women's by calling 1-800-732-5164. Since there is more the one
department for financial assistance programs, someone at that number
will determine who best for you to talk to.
In order to apply for financial assistance at the hospital, they prefer
that you go in to see their Care Coordinator. You should call them in
advance to ask what documentation they require.
Applicants can receive medical services while an application is being
processed.
Additional Information
Look at the hospital's web site
(http://www.bwh.partners.org)
for more information about the services they provide.
To contact the Graduate Student Organization on healthcare issues, send
mail to healthcare@gso.bu.edu.