Students will not be able to take advantage of affordable services mandated in the Affordable Care Act of 2010 at the Student Health Center.

The act mandates most insurance companies to provide preventative services without out-of-pocket charge. But since N.C . State doesn’t have agreements with insurance plan networks, most students must still pay out of pocket. Local and national university medical leaders disagree about whether that policy needs to be changed.

August revisions to the act, which will take effect in 2012, extend further preventive coverage to women. This includes HIV and cancer screening in addition to wellness visits.

These services and more — including flu shots, counseling and mammograms – are paid for in full by insurance companies through partner health care providers considered “in-network.”

However, according to Vivature Health, a billing company that caters to university health centers, coverage under the act will not be available to young Americans attending colleges with out-of-network health centers. NCSU’s health center is one of them.

Dr. Glenn Egelman , former medical administrator at Bowling Green State University and currently with Vivature Health, said most university health care services do not bill insurance or have network agreements with insurance plans.

“If student health services do not change this procedure, the student is going to have a choice: either they get their care on campus and pay money out of their pocket or the student goes off campus,” Egelman said.

However, NCSU students who pay the group rate for University-offered health insurance can receive these services without out-of-pocket costs.

When Egelman was at Bowling Green in 2005, he made the decision to convert the health center to an in-network provider.

“At Bowling Green, we increased revenue in the health center by $0.5 million each year when we started billing insurance,” Egelman said. “I chose to outsource the billing function to Vivature Health, where I’m now working.”

Vivature works specifically with college campuses to bill students’ insurance plans, allowing the campus to offer in-network care without the hassle of billing insurance themselves.

Robert Hayford , associate director of student health services at N.C . State, said those companies are not cost efficient for the University.

“Companies like Vivature make their money by taking a percentage off the top of each charge they bill to an insurance company on behalf of physicians and medical practices. N.C . State Student Health researched utilizing this company just a few years ago and learned that for their service, they would charge an unreasonable percentage,” Hayford said.

In light of this charge, student health fees would increase, according to Hayford .

Yet, in the face of the benefits offered by the Affordable Care Act, Egelman still insists student health centers need to become in-network providers.

“The whole point is to offer preventive services, and if campuses are creating a financial barrier, then they are not economically providing students with the health care they need and deserve,” Egelman said.

Hayford said none of the state’s universities are in-network and the system could save students money by joining a billing company together, which NCSU suggested the UNC Board of Governors research.

“By having all 16 UNC System universities contract with a company like Vivature , the best percentage rate possible for contracting and billing services could be obtained than if each university were to pursue this endeavor individually,” Hayford said.

Hayford said it is possible, however, that insurance companies would force student health to become a public health care vendor, which would mean competition with non-students for appointments and treatments on campus.

Egelman still insists the time is now for student health to act.

“I have deep respect for your student health service – it is one of the best in the country,” he said. “If the school wants its students to benefit from the Affordable Care Act, then either they need to get in-network on their own, or outsource the function to a company.”

With this debate in mind, Megan Rodgers, a sophomore in environmental sciences, said she still doesn’t mind having to file for out-of-network benefits to pay for health services on campus.

“The prices depend on your insurance, but the nurses are accommodating and they help you figure out how you can make the most of the insurance you have,” Rodgers said.