TSHC will be closed Tuesday, May 5

Thagard Student Health Center will be closed Tuesday, May 5 for staff training. We will re-open Wednesday, May 6 at 8:00 am.

Thagard's pharmacy has closed.

As of December 17, 2008, Thagard Student Health Center will no longer be operating a pharmacy. Prescriptions will be transferred to CVS Pharmacy #4469, located at 1819 W. Tennessee St. in Tallahassee. This CVS is located on the free bus route within one mile of FSU and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A representative from CVS will be at Thagard's pharmacy from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 18 and 19 to help students with the transition.

Those who had prescriptions with Thagard's pharmacy are not required to take any action. However if you wish to transfer your prescriptions to another pharmacy, you are free to do so by contacting your pharmacy of choice.

For students without vehicles, CVS is considering a delivery service at a modest fee. Information will be forwarded to you as soon as it is receivest.

CVS information:

Phone: 850-576-0147

Web site: www.cvs.com

Address: 1819 W. Tennessee St., Tallahassee, FL

Do you want to know health-related information you can trust?

MyStudentBody.com is the place for students to go for factual information on nutrition, stress, sexual health, tobacco, and drug and alcohol abuse. MyStudentBody.com is an online interactive comprehensive prevention program that addresses the most relevant health-related issues on college campuses today. Click here to learn more about MyStudentBody.com's features and participate in its interactive wellness programs.

Thagard now bills insurance providers directly for health center charges

Beginning August 11, 2008, Thagard will bill the student's insurance company for charges at the health center. If the insurance company does not reimburse us, the charges will be applied to the student's financial account. Students who do not have insurance will be asked to pay at the time of service or defer charges to their financial account. These charges must be paid at Student Financial Services in the University Center, not at Thagard.

Please note: Students who have lab tests done will receive a separate bill from the laboratory. The lab accepts many different insurance plans as payment. Please present your insurance card at the time your lab work is done.

Small group nutrition education sessions are now open to students

Small group (four to five students) nutrition education sessions are held held daily in the nutrition clinic and are free of charge for fee-paying students. The group will cover general healthy eating guidelines and will include:
• Food pyramid and portion sizes.
• Overcoming barriers to eating healthy as a college student.
• Importance of balance, timing, and planning of meals with quick and easy recipes and meal ideas.
• How to avoid distracted eating situations.
• Goal setting – examples of SMART goals.

Call 644-8871 or come by the Health Promotion office on Thagard's fourth floor to schedule an appointment

Smoking Cessation Program now available to FSU faculty and staff

FSU faculty and staff may now take advantage of Thagard's Smoking Cessation Program. It offers one-on-one meetings with smoking cessation facilitators, tips and techniques for quitting, and half-priced cessation aids, such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, nicotine inhalers, nicotine spray, Chantix and Zyban/Wellbutrin. Contact Kevin Frentz at (850) 644-8871 or kfrentz@admin.fsu.edu for more information.

Haven't received your health insurance card?

If you have the school sponsored health insurance and you still have not received your permanent health insurance card, check your local mailing address on file at your blackboard account. That is the address to which the card will be mailed. If you have not updated your address, your permanent card will have a tough time reaching you.

Are you leaving town for an extended stay? Do you have all the medication you will need?

If you have the school sponsored insurance and you want to request a prescription limit override, you must call Aetna Pharmacy Management at 1-800-238-6279 for that override. Do not come to theThagard Student Health Center insurance office to request a prescription override. Aetna Pharmacy Management has advised that the insured student must request any override.

For more information please call the insurance office at 850-644-4250.

Why have birth control prices increased?

The Deficit Reduction Action of 2005, which took effect on January 1, 2007, contained language that eliminated the ability of university health centers to receive low cost birth control from drug manufacturers. The language was originally intended to limit drug companies from abusing a privilege that was granted to them under federal policy; unfortunately, college and university health centers were inadvertently affected by the change in legislation.

The American College Health Association (ACHA) has been working with members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee to fix the problem with federal legislation. ACHA has communicated with many members of Congress and with the Department of Health and Human Services about how college students have been affected by the price increase.

As a student, you can take action by writing or calling Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez. Tell Senators Nelson and Martinez to work with their colleagues on Capital Hill to restore the eligibility of college and university health centers to receive low cost pricing for prescription contraceptives.

Senator Mel Martinez / Tel: 202-224-3041 in Washington
Senator Bill Nelson / Tel: 202-224-5274 in Washington

MRSA Staph Infection

A few college campuses have had reports of MRSA Staph Infections. Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as "staph," are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Approximately 25% to 30% of the population is colonized (when bacteria are present, but not causing an infection) in the nose with staph bacteria.

For frequently asked questions about MRSA Staph Infections, please go to the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website .

Attention! New Federal Laws in Effect.

Any medications containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine WILL NOT be available over-the-counter due to new Federal Laws. Such medications will be available behind-the-counter. You must ask the pharmacist to purchase these medications. There is a restriction of how much can be purchased and you will be required to show a proper ID and sign for medications.

Medications now behind-the-counter:

Advil Flu & Body Ache Advil Multi-Symptom Cold Aleve Cold & Sinus Alka Seltzer Plus Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache Bromaline Claritin-D Dimetapp Dimetapp Infant Drops Genafed Plus Genapap

Mapap Cold Formula Mapap Sinus Motrin Cold & Sinus Mucinex D Robitussin Cough, Cold & Flu Robitussin Cold & Allergy Robitussin Cold & Flu Robitussin Head & Chest Robitussin Night Relief Sineoff Sudafed 12-Hour

Sudafed Nasal Decongestant Sudafed Non-Drying Sinus Sudafed Sinus & Allergy Sudogest Cold & Allergy Sudogest Nasal Decongestant Theraflu Severe Cold Triaminic Cough & Sore Throat Tylenol Cold & Flu Tylenol Flu Vicks DayQuil Vicks DayQuil Sinus

Wondering what to do at FSU or Tallahassee?

Then check out Marquee.fsu.edu, your source for events happening on and off campus.