Reminder: Center for Healthy Living offers back-to-school sports physicals, immunizations

As the 2019-20 school year for dependents nears, Human Resources – Benefits reminds employees that the Center for Healthy Living on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus is available for medical back-to-school needs, including sports physicals and immunizations.

Sports physicals continue to be available for $25 for dependents covered on a Purdue medical plan. Although sports physicals are not covered under the Purdue medical plans, faculty and staff can use their HSA Bank debit cards to pay for the sports physical from their health savings account (HSA) or health care flexible spending account (FSA).

Call 765-494-0111 to make an appointment, or schedule via the patient portal. Be sure to take the required IHSAA form, the Pre-participation Physical Evaluation Form, to the appointment. If the sports physical will be the child's first visit to the center, it is recommended to fill out the New Patient Health History Form in advance and bring it to the appointment to help save time.

Also, back-to-school time is a great time to think about childhood immunizations, and August is National Immunization Month. Immunizations are considered preventive care if included as part of a well-child check and are at no charge for those covered on any Purdue medical plan.

For patient visits not considered a well-child check, the visit is billed as an office visit at either $10 for dependents covered on the Purdue Health Plan and J-1 Visa Plan or $25 for those covered on Purdue Health Plan Plus HSA 1 and Purdue Health Plan Plus HSA 2.  

“School-age children entering kindergarten, sixth grade and 12th grade all have mandatory shots that need to be given,” says Kimberly Porter, family nurse practitioner at the Center for Healthy Living. “Immunizations are very important as they can prevent many terrible diseases and help keep entire populations safe from those same illnesses.”

Porter says that even though some of the diseases in question aren’t seen very often, that doesn’t completely remove the risk of contracting them.

“For the most part, we’ve done a good job immunizing the population,” Porter says. “That’s why we don’t see these diseases as frequently. My advice is to immunize your children today. You could unintentionally place your children in serious, even life-threatening, situations by thinking it won’t happen to them and not having them get their needed vaccinations.”

For more information on services offered at the Center for Healthy Living, visit the center online.  

The center is open 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. Lab hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For medical consultation after hours or on weekends, contact the Anthem NurseLine at 800-337-4770 for assistance or use LiveHealth Online for a virtual appointment.