PARENT INFORMATION FOR 2020-21
WELCOME TO OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Parents:
On behalf of the Oklahoma Baptist University Sports Medicine staff, I would like to welcome you to OBU. We are pleased to be the healthcare provider for your son/daughter during their participation in Oklahoma Baptist University Athletics.
We wanted to provide an informational packet to you that encompasses the way we operate as a sports medicine staff within the OBU Athletics Department. We also just wanted to inform you, as much as possible, on general information that is pertinent to you as a parent.
We thank you for entrusting us with your son/daughter. The health and safety of your son /daughter is of the utmost importance to us. We pride ourselves on providing the best healthcare possible. I hope you find this information to be helpful and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly via phone or e-mail.
Sincerely,
Ben Cleveland MS, LAT, ATC, CES, PES, SFMA Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine / Head Athletic Trainer Oklahoma Baptist University Office: 405-585-5351 Email: [email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Injury, Illness & Insurance Billable services for/in the Athletic Training Room (Vivature)
PARENT INFORMATION FOR INJURY, ILLNESS & INSURANCE
INJURY & ILLNESS PROCEDURES The Sports Medicine Department is primarily responsible for the delivery of health care to all student athletes participating in Oklahoma Baptists University Intercollegiate Athletic Programs. This health care includes prevention, evaluation, referral, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries and illness sustained during practices or games. Unfortunately, injuries and illnesses occur and we strive to coordinate and provide our student-athletes with the best care available. PRE-PARTICIPATION CLEARANCE Every Athlete is required to have a pre-participation physical PRIOR to their ability to compete in intercollegiate athletics at OBU. Per NCAA regulations, physical clearance MUST be given only a physician (MD) or osteopathic physician (DO). If a physical is performed by a Physician’s Assistant (PA-C) or Nurse Practitioner (NP), then a physician MUST also sign-off. If a physical is turned in with only a PA or NP’s signature, it will not be accepted. Normally, a pre-participation physical exam will be offered, free of charge on a date just prior to the onset of practice. **Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and after consultation with our team physicians in addition to obliging with CDC regulations, we are requiring ALL OBU student-athletes get their physical completed on their own and submit prior to reporting to campus this fall. We realize that this may be an inconvenience, but we want to ensure the health and safety of all student-athletes, athletic training staff, coaches, physicians. With serving nearly 550 student-athletes, we believe this eliminates the issue of any potential virus spreading due to the large mass gatherings that are needed to administer yearly pre- participation physical examinations. With that being said, we view this as a ONE-TIME situation. We fully expect to return to our normal operation of conducting mass physicals in the Fall of 2021. I hope you understand and will respect our decision. The health & safety of our student-athletes is priority #1.** The 20-21 OBU New Athlete Physical & Returner Physical will be sent to each coach and they will forward the email to each student-athlete on their roster. Both documents will also be available on the sports medicine page of the OBU Athletics website (www.obubison.com) We also require a copy of your Primary Insurance Card. If able, provide a copy of your Dental and Vision Insurance Cards.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The possibility of incurring a sports-related injury is a reality for any athlete. The OBU Athletic department has a program that will assist parents if a student-athlete is injured by providing secondary or excess medical coverage for student-athletes participating in varsity sports. This means the family’s insurance is primary and will be billed in every circumstance. After the primary insurance has been billed, the secondary insurance will then be applied. OBU’s secondary insurance is only responsible for varsity sports and does NOT cover injuries sustained while participating in club or intramural sports.
INSURANCE COVERAGE OF STUDENT ATHLETES
• All student athletes who participate in varsity intercollegiate sports at OBU are expected to have primary health insurance which would cover them in the case of an injury sustained while participating in athletic practice or competition. 1. All student athletes must provide a copy of a current insurance card to the Department of Athletics prior to participation in athletics. This has to be done each academic year or anytime your primary insurance changes. 2. All International students MUST have primary health insurance, which will cover them in case of illness as well as an athletic injury. These policies must originate in the United States of America. Policies from countries outside the USA will not be considered valid and will require purchase of the student health insurance with athletic coverage.
OBU athletic department expects ALL athletes to have primary insurance coverage. If you do not have medical insurance coverage, there are nominally priced accident plans which offer a minimal level of accident coverage for athletic injuries at an extremely affordable price. The Sports Medicine Department can assist you with enrollment into one of these plans. It is highly recommended that you have primary coverage prior to participation. All minimal level of accident coverage insurance plans must receive prior approval by OBU.
OBU’s secondary athletic accident insurance will ONLY cover those injuries that are a direct result of varsity intercollegiate athletic practice or play while a student-athlete at OBU. This means that injuries that are not related to athletics (car accidents, sickness or serious illnesses such as appendicitis, etc.) are not covered. Please be aware that before THE SECONDARY INSURANCE CARRIER can pay any bills, they must be submitted to your primary insurance plan that covers your student-athlete.
If your student-athlete is on an HMO and must see their PCP (primary care physician) for insurance coverage, please communicate this to the Sports Medicine Staff prior to them setting up any appointments. Also, if there are Hospital or Facility restrictions on your primary insurance plan, please communicate this to the Sports Medicine Staff prior to any scheduled tests or procedures.
The student-athlete is financially responsible for all medical expenses incurred during any lapses in primary insurance coverage, regardless of whether the injury is caused through participation in athletics or otherwise. Oklahoma Baptist University does not assume financial responsibility for student-athlete medical expenses when the student-athlete is uninsured. We strongly recommend that student-athletes maintain insurance coverage when participating in any sport-related activity or training, even when the student may not be enrolled in classes.
WE MUST HAVE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION (EOBs, etc.) TO PROPERLY GET MEDICAL BILLS PAID IN A TIMELY MANNER. IF WE DON’T GET THIS INFORMATION, IT IS LIKELY THAT THOSE BILLS WILL GET SENT TO COLLECTIONS. AT THIS POINT, IT BECOMES INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO GET COLLECTION BILLS PAID.
STUDENT-ATHLETE RESPONSIBILITY
All student-athletes have the following responsibilities: • Providing EOBs, bills, statements to the secondary insurance carrier. Monitor claim status via secondary insurance carrier. • Expenses related to non-athletic related injury or illness which is inclusive of any condition(s) that occurs outside an organized, supervised athletic workout or intercollegiate competition for which the student-athlete is not representing the Oklahoma Baptist University. • Expenses related to athletic injury when an athlete decides to obtain a second opinion or chooses a physician not associated with OBU Athletics. • Expense related to condition(s) not arising from practice or competition (such as, but not limited to: domestic accidents, motor vehicle accidents, sexually transmitted disease, eye conditions and/or dental conditions not related to injury). • Unresolved athletically related injury or illness upon termination of athletic participation, withdrawal, or graduation from the University, unless arrangements for provision of medical care for the unresolved athletically related injury or illness is made prior to withdrawal, graduation, or termination of athletic participation.
Student-athletes are NO longer eligible for medical coverage through the Athletics Department if: • Student-athlete quits the sport. • Student-athlete is dismissed from sport. • An injured student-athlete discontinues rehabilitation as prescribed by the Team Physician/OBU Sports Medicine staff. • The Team Physician certifies that an injured student-athlete has recovered sufficiently to reasonably permit him or her to compete, and that student-athlete nonetheless chooses to quit athletic participation.
DENTAL INJURIES
OBU recommends that you wear a protective mouth-guard at all times (as your sport dictates) during participation in intercollegiate athletics. Injuries that occur as a result of athletic participation while the athlete is wearing a protective mouth-guard can be handled as any other athletic injury. Your primary medical and/or dental insurance will be billed first before OBU’s secondary insurance will be billed. You are required to sign a Dental Waiver Form as part of the Athlete Medical Packet. Pre-existing conditions (example: cavities requiring fillings) will be not be covered as per OBU’s pre-existing injury policy and overall secondary injury policy.
PRE-EXISTING INJURIES OR ILLNESSES
The student-athlete is financially responsible for medical expenses related to pre-existing injuries and illnesses. Every incoming athlete will have a complete history and physical examination. Pre-existing illnesses or injuries will be identified at this time. While the Sports Medicine Department may provide treatment for such conditions, the Department of Athletics assumes no financial responsibility for their management. Pre-existing injuries or illnesses not disclosed during the pre-participation evaluation, which are later exacerbated by intercollegiate sport participation, are the financial responsibility of the student-athlete.
SECONDARY EXPENSES FOR ATHLETIC-RELATES INJURIES AND ILLNESSES
OBU’s secondary insurance will cover most excess costs (those your insurance won’t pay) for athletic-related conditions while the student is a varsity athlete at Oklahoma Baptist University. The Department of Athletics carries a supplemental or excess insurance policy, which covers the majority of the secondary medical expenses for up to two years from the date of injury. Any residual balance after the secondary insurance has paid is the responsibility of the student-athlete. If the student athlete graduates, medical care must still be provided by OBU Sports Medicine team physicians or approved physicians to be covered. It is your responsibility to provide an EOB to our secondary insurance carrier for payment. If they do not have this information our secondary coverage is unable to pay the remaining balance. OBU secondary insurance is only financially responsible for medical referrals made by the Sports Medicine Staff.
ATHLETIC VS NON-ATHLETIC INJURIES
An athletic injury is defined as an injury or illness that occurs as a direct result of participation in intercollegiate-sanctioned conditioning, practice or competition. When an athletic injury occurs, your primary insurance will be billed. Any costs your primary insurance does not pay will be absorbed by OBU’s secondary insurance and you will not be financially responsible for the balance. You may receive an Explanation of Benefits from your insurance. Please forward copies of these immediately to the Sports Medicine Department so the secondary billing process can go into effect.
REPORTING INJURIES/ILLNESSES including CONCUSSIONS
All injuries and illnesses must be reported to an Athletic Trainer of the Sports Medicine Staff immediately and prior to initiating care. Whether during the season or off-season the student athlete is required to communicate with a member of the Sports Medicine Staff prior to initiating care. In an emergency or in the absence of an athletic trainer the athlete must report the injury and any care provided as soon as possible. All injuries will be evaluated, documented and kept on file in the athletic training room. Failure to do so may result in loss of benefits through the University’s athletic insurance policy.
Please notify an athletic trainer immediately if you have suffered a head injury, you need to be evaluated for a concussion. Signs and symptoms of a concussion include headache, dizziness, confusion, amnesia, nausea, double or fuzzy vision, feeling unusually irritable, concentration or memory problems. TREATMENT REFERRALS
If the athletic trainer determines the student-athlete needs to be referred for further evaluation or diagnostic testing, the athletic trainer will coordinate care and arrange appointments with one of the Physician Providers to OBU Athletics. The athletic trainer will make sure you see one of the Physicians in a timely manner in the Training Room or at their office. OBU secondary insurance is only financially responsible for medical referrals made by the Sports Medicine Staff. Any referrals made by anyone other the OBU Sports Medicine staff will be the financial responsibility of the student-athlete. Any restrictions of providers/facilities/Hospitals by your primary insurance are your responsibility to communicate to the Sports Medicine Staff prior to referral. SECOND OPINION
Parents and student-athletes have the right to choose other medical professionals other than those associated with Oklahoma Baptist University. If you choose to have a second opinion, or seek a physician on your own, Oklahoma Baptist University is not financially responsible for ANY expenses incurred. It is the student athlete’s responsibility to turn in all medical records including a written release for participation in association with the second opinion. If you have received treatment from an outside physician, Oklahoma Baptist University Department of Athletics may NOT: ▪ Render any follow-up care; or, • Allow the student-athlete to participate until the following conditions are met: • The Director of Athlete Medical Services has received written clearance from the attending health care provider. • The student-athlete has received medical clearance from the Head Team Physician to resume athletic participation.
REHABILITATION SERVICES
Most of the injuries that occur will need some type of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation after an injury is available on site in the Oklahoma Baptist University facilities and supervised by the Sports Medicine Staff. We have relationships with Physical Therapy clinics in and around Shawnee. The OBU Sports Medicine staff can/will refer athletes/patients for rehabilitations services as needed or directed by the Team Physician.. DRUG TESTING
Random testing for banned substances will occur throughout the year and be performed by an outside agency. Refusal to consent to random drug screening will disallow athletic participation. Some prescription medications contain banned substances. Therefore, please provide a list of medications taken and update with any changes immediately. MEDICATION
• PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION: you are required to have a doctor’s note stating that you are taking a prescription drug for a specific cause, including dosage (does not birth control). This is mainly for ADHD medication. We require ALL necessary documentation regarding an ADHD diagnosis and current medication. This way it is on file and if it comes up positive on a drug test we have the information needed. Otherwise, we wait (which means NO activity) until the letter arrives and have been cleared for participation.
• OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATION: please ask an athletic trainer before you take any medication. There are ingredients in certain medications that will produce a positive drug test; for example: EPHEDRINE in Sudafed.
BILLABLE SERVICES FOR ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM SERVICES (VIVATURE)
To the Parents/Guardians of Oklahoma Baptist University Student-Athletes:
On behalf of the Athletic Trainers and the Team Physicians, Oklahoma Baptist University Sports Medicine is pleased to be the healthcare provider for your son/daughter during their participation in the Oklahoma Baptist University Athletics program.
In order for our staff to provide the best possible care to your student athlete, it is vital that you provide complete and accurate insurance information. If your insurance information changes for any reason, we would appreciate you updating the information as soon as possible
Please note: Insurance must be on file with the Oklahoma Baptist University Department of Athletics and Oklahoma Baptist University Sports Medicine prior to being cleared by the team physician for participation in intercollegiate athletic practice and competition.
We have a secure online system (Blue Ocean) for you to provide the requested insurance information. If your son/daughter has not already received an email with instructions on how to log into the Blue Ocean system, or if you have questions when filling out the information, please contact the athletic trainer for their sport. Please be sure to complete the insurance section including uploading clear pictures of the front and back of your medical, dental, prescription, and vision insurance cards. Please also complete the parent/guardian information including subscriber date of birth.
When student athletes require medical care for an injury or illness, the charges are applied to the student-athlete’s family medical coverage. For injuries related to direct participation in Oklahoma Baptist University sanctioned practices and events, the copays, coinsurance, and deductibles will be covered by Oklahoma Baptist University Athletics.
With increases in the costs of providing health care, we have decided to offset these rising costs, by billing primary insurance carriers for physician prescribed rehabilitation and treatment services rendered in the Oklahoma Baptist University Athletic Training Rooms. This should facilitate a continuation of improving health care services without putting the financial burden on you or your student-athlete. Any out of pocket costs that are to be paid by you will be paid by Oklahoma Baptist University. Please note with the changes in the healthcare legislation, your premiums will not go up due to these types of claims, nor will your student-athlete be negatively impacted and labeled as uninsurable. Please note the following important information about charges, health insurance and health insurance information: • We will not bill you, your son or daughter for these services - only the insurance company. We will pay any member responsibility.
You will receive an EOB (Explanation of Benefits) in the mail or online each time a charge is filed. THIS IS NOT A BILL. Please send us this EOB and we will take care of any amounts due.
Some samples of the types of services for injuries related to direct participation in Oklahoma Baptist University sanctioned practice and events you may receive a bill and or an EOB for: - Hospital Charges - Lab Work - Radiology - Anesthesiology - Surgery Bill - Doctor Visits - Rehabilitation - Emergency Room Visit - Ambulance Charges - Counseling Services
When you receive a bill or EOB for these or any other services related to your athlete’s injury, please forward a copy to us at: Ben Cleveland – Director of Sports Medicine / Head Athletic Trainer [email protected]
Oklahoma Baptist University 500 W University Shawnee OK 74804 FAX: 405-585-5347
Please Note: If these charges are not due to injuries related to direct participation in Oklahoma Baptist University sanctioned practice and events you are responsible for the payment(s). Some insurance carriers will only send payment(s) to you, the policy holder, and not directly to provider. If this happens, you will be responsible for forwarding the payment(s) to the provider.
If your insurance information changes, if your child does not have insurance, or if you have any questions please contact Ben Cleveland at 405-585-5351 or your child’s athletic trainer.
We look forward to caring for your son/daughter throughout their time here at Oklahoma Baptist University. Respectfully,
Ben Cleveland MS, LAT, ATC, CES, PES, SFMA Timothy M. Geib, MD Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine Team Physician