Health Insurance for USU Students
Mandatory health insurance has been a big issue recently on our fine campus. Many students, faculty and administrators feel that requiring students to have health insurance is neccessary.
Going to Munger's concept of framing, this issue could be "framed" in several ways.
This issue could be seen as a health issue, a neccessary requirement to maintain a high level of health and wellness amonsgt the students here in Logan. Or as I personally see the issue, an added burden to the students least capable of handling it. The majority of students on campus are between the ages of 18-23. Students whose families are middle-class to upper-middle class are going to be covered under their families insurance until they are 23. This is not a big concern for these students. They just fill out the form and turn it in, no out of pocket cost. However, the students that come from working class families that may not have family coverage and are receiveing financial aid are the students that need to buy the health coverage. The students that are struggling to stay in school now have an added cost, the students that have family coverage through their mother or father's insurance do not have a burden yet the students with out this must pay. If you have looked at the policy offered by the University, called First Student, you will find it to be outrageously expensive. I looked at the brochure at the Health and Wellness Center. To Buy the premium for a single student is 1288 for the year. Thier CO- pay are ridiculous, like $25 for lab fees and perscritions. $200 for overnight hospital stays, etc... they only pay 70% of the fees also. It is a horrible plan. Further, if you are with in 50 miles of the Student Health and Wellness Center and it is open, you must go there first...
There maybe some second and third order consequences to mandatory health insurance for students. I think we would be hurting those that have the least means neccessary to deal with the added cost.
Going to Munger's concept of framing, this issue could be "framed" in several ways.
This issue could be seen as a health issue, a neccessary requirement to maintain a high level of health and wellness amonsgt the students here in Logan. Or as I personally see the issue, an added burden to the students least capable of handling it. The majority of students on campus are between the ages of 18-23. Students whose families are middle-class to upper-middle class are going to be covered under their families insurance until they are 23. This is not a big concern for these students. They just fill out the form and turn it in, no out of pocket cost. However, the students that come from working class families that may not have family coverage and are receiveing financial aid are the students that need to buy the health coverage. The students that are struggling to stay in school now have an added cost, the students that have family coverage through their mother or father's insurance do not have a burden yet the students with out this must pay. If you have looked at the policy offered by the University, called First Student, you will find it to be outrageously expensive. I looked at the brochure at the Health and Wellness Center. To Buy the premium for a single student is 1288 for the year. Thier CO- pay are ridiculous, like $25 for lab fees and perscritions. $200 for overnight hospital stays, etc... they only pay 70% of the fees also. It is a horrible plan. Further, if you are with in 50 miles of the Student Health and Wellness Center and it is open, you must go there first...
There maybe some second and third order consequences to mandatory health insurance for students. I think we would be hurting those that have the least means neccessary to deal with the added cost.
posted by mgreen62 at 11:42 AM
5 Comments:
I don't know a whole lot about health insurance plans, but the school's policy does seem a bit outrageous. Although this is true, I wonder if the University is requiring health insurance because it is their best interest. If a student gets a serious illness, does not recieve care because they cannot afford it and do not have health insurance, and then ends up with a disability or worse they die, is the school responsible? Can the student, or the parents of that student sue the school for their lack of involvement? I question this because I read an artical involving a lawsuit against a university because of a student who committed suicide, and the university was found liable.
I think that insurance in about any context is a pretty annoying topic. Having recently had to look at health insurance for my wife and I has given me proof. And I do agree that the option offered through the school is not a very good one. I suppose it is one of those necessary evils that you pretty much need to have even though you hate it. Atleast that is what I am told, though I find the argument unconvincing when I look at how much I will pay and find out that the plan probably still won't cover a lot of the expenses I might have. With how often I have gone to the doctor I am not sure I will ever reach my deductible, and the maternity coverages are even worse. But aside from my own frustrations over insurance, I think I'd have to agree with "green7" that it is probably in the interest of the university to require insurance. And even though the plan offered by the school may not be the best, there are other alternatives available for students to look at.
The Student Health Advisory Committee will be meeting on Friday, February 2 at 1:00 in the Senate Chambers. The committee will be discussing the insurance policy that the University currently offers, and will also be discussing the mandatory health insurance requirement that Mike has brought up. This meeting is open to the public.
Most university students are 18-23, a fairly healthy age population. There have been arguments that the cost of the insurance is outrageously high now, because only unhealthy students buy it, and by forcing everyone to buy it, the costs would come down. That argument sounds legitimate, but I still think it stinks. Students are already paying for the student health center, and can use it for minor things. It doesn't seem right to force healthy students to buy insurance just to lower the costs for sickly students.
I may have a bit of a different perspective coming from the position of having employer provided health insurance. I find the idea that any institution would mandate coverage to be repulsive. If I want to make the choice to risk my health and finances by choosing not to have health insurance that really ought to be my business. My employer doesn't require that I take the insurance offered and they likely have a bigger interest than the university in my remaining healthy. Is it wise to have health insurance, Yes. If someone asked my advice would I recommend individuals choose to have health insurance sure, but to force it on them. That crosses a line.
As a part of the above question, would the university then require/provide access to health insurance for everyone of its employees? If not, my question is what is the justification?
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