As of this year it is mandatory for students to report their private health insurance plans to the University health services. If students fail to be covered by private insurance, then they will automatically be charged $404 per year to enroll in the University Health Plan (UHP).
Having students’ coverage information has enabled the Health Center to develop a more efficient referral process to outside specialists and emergency services by using a new database of student insurance, according to Director of Student Health Services Joyce Walter.
Wesleyan has been a client of UHP, a subset of the Nationwide Life Insurance Company, for the past six years. Each year, the coverage cost is based on the number of claims processed the previous year; for this reason the price rose from $275 last year to $404 while benefits remained the same. Compared to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, which charges $798 per year, Clark at $975 per year and Boston College at $848 per year for similar benefits, Wesleyan’s price is relatively low.
“The overarching rationale for instituting the requirement is to assure that all students have some type of insurance coverage for illness and injury,” Walter said.
“In the past couple of years, we have had quite a few students who were uninsured end up needing to be sent to the emergency department at Middlesex Hospital or to specialists in Middletown who were left with significant fees that became the responsibility of the students and/or their parents,” she added.
This year, out of 2,755 enrolled students, 74 percent waived the UHP by showing proof of insurance, 13 percent are paying for the University Health Plan and 13 percent were enrolled as scholarship recipients, whose insurance cost is covered by the University.
Before the database was established, students were responsible for carrying their insurance information with them if it did not exist in their file. The new policy will also help keep records up to date since few students have the same insurance plans for all four years.
Currently, New Jersey and Massachusetts state law require all students enrolled in colleges or universities in the states to show proof of insurance. Coverage systems like the one at Wesleyan, also known as hard waiver plans, are not uncommon among other academic institutions.
“Our only concern is that every single student has some kind of health insurance coverage,” said Marcia Bromberg, vice president for Finance and Administration.
“As we looked around, there were a number of other colleges that have already instituted this policy and in the past we’ve seen some situations where students without insurance have ended up incurring significant financial bills as a result of not having insurance,” said Richard Culliton, dean of campus programs, who was present at the committee meetings last fall where the policy decision was reached.
“We thought it was important that all students gain access to health insurance to prevent students from needing to leave school for related financial reasons,” he said. “Also, UHP is fairly inexpensive, relative to outside insurance costs.”
“[UHP] offers up to $5,000 of coverage per sickness and up to $25,000 for health services such as emergency surgery that takes place off campus,” Walters said.
Students can also go to the Community Health Center on Main Street for a $5 co-payment when the Davison Health Center is closed.
Additionally, students have the option of adding dependents, such as a spouse or children, to the plan, or other supplemental benefits for an extra fee. The coverage extends to students who decide to go abroad as well.
The plan does not provide prescription drug coverage, however, a shortcoming that the Administration recognizes.
“Unfortunately, [prescription coverage] would make the premium cost closer to $1,200,” Walters said.
Transitioning to the new insurance plan was difficult because many families were poorly informed. The Health Department would like to make it clear that the waiver should be filled out electronically and no cards or information should be sent in my mail or fax.
Some students remain confused about the policy. Rumman Hossain ’08, who has outside private insurance, received an e-mail last week that he would be charged the $404 unless he could provide proof of insurance.
“It was just a hassle to take care of and I didn’t realize it was a big deal,” he said.
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