The costs of attending ASU might be going up.
While this probably comes as no surprise, the reason why might be new to you: Many public universities are looking toward mandatory health insurance for their students.
That's right. If mandatory meal plans and mandatory on-campus housing proposals for freshmen doesn't scare those of us with cash-strapped wallets from attending ASU, students who are not covered by a health insurance plan may soon be forced to purchase insurance before being allowed to attend -- if ASU follows suit.
According to The Associated Press, the trend of requiring students to purchase health insurance in public universities is catching on nationwide. Schools such as the University of Connecticut, Ohio State University and all 10 schools within the University of California system require students to have health insurance for enrollment, and the University of Utah is now considering this requirement.
Health insurance at ASU is currently optional. The coverage is offered through UnitedHealth Group with available plans for single students as well as those with spouses and families. Single-student coverage for the 2005 spring semester was $683.
How many of us have an extra $683 to shell out?
Granted, insurers have found through surveys that anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent of students are without any health care coverage. Proponents of this plan argue that, when facing even a minor health problem, students who are not covered must deal with extreme and unexpected medical bills that may force them to drop out of school. They say mandatory coverage would help cushion unexpected medical costs and prevent students from dropping out.
And they're right. Dropout rates will surely decrease if enrollment is down to begin with. While many younger college students are covered by their parents' health insurance, those who are not covered will be forced to pay this extra cost. Chances are if they weren't covered to begin with, the cost of coverage might likely hold them back from considering a school that requires it.
"[If ASU required health insurance] I would definitely look into going into a different college if I didn't have it," said Brian Berg, a marketing junior insured under Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. "Even with ASU being the business school that it is, I would look into a lower-ranked college if it would save me these expenses."
In a letter to Ohio State students in September 2003, Student Health Services required all international students to purchase OSU-sponsored health coverage in 2002 and urged all students to do so.
"It has been our experience that international students who purchased health insurance coverage through other carriers often found themselves under-insured when they needed that assistance the most," the letter read. "Health care in the United States is very expensive ..."
It's enlightening to know that public universities are looking out for their students' health so much. But while we're cracking down on those who are uninsured -- forcing them to buy into health plans just to enroll in a public university -- why not force giant businesses such as Wal-Mart to provide better and more accessible benefits to their employees?
According to a Commonwealth Fund study on "The Growing Share of Uninsured Workers Employed by Large Firms," more than one of four uninsured individuals work for or has a family member who works for a large firm.
Never mind the fact that these are larger firms that generally bring in more money.
If the state truly looked out for the well-being of citizens and is concerned with the rising costs of health care, regulators should start looking at revamping the health coverage big businesses supply their employees to improve overall health coverage, not toward college campuses.
Lily Yan is a journalism and political science junior who is lucky if she could afford lunch for the week, let alone a mandatory health insurance plan. Reach her at lily7174@msn.com.
