Baldwin Wallace University will no longer be offering student health insurance beginning this coming 2013-2014 school year. According to an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, this action by the university is in response to the rising costs insurers now impose due to the higher coverage requirements enacted under the recent federal health care reforms.
The requirements of college – sponsored student health insurance programs have been restructured under the Affordable Care Act. These plans have had to raise their standards, making them more like other insurance programs.
These mandated changes in health care plans have significantly raised the insurance premiums schools would have to pay for their students. George Richard, Assistant Vice President and Director of University Relations for the BW, was quoted in the Plain Dealer saying that these increases would have raised BW’s rates per student from $400 to as much as $2,000 for next fall.
According to the same Plain Dealer article, colleges and universities around the country have been taking similar actions with their student insurance plans.
Despite the university dropping its student health insurance plans, this should mean little to no change for the majority of BW students.
Most students do not enroll in BW’s insurance plan.
“All services will remain the same,” Lauren Bara, Director of Health Services at BW, said.
Bara said that health and counseling services will still be available for all full time, part time, and commuter students, as no insurance has ever been necessary.
There is no charge to see a nurse or physician; however, there may be charges for medications, injections, laboratory tests, and medical equipment and supplies, according to Bara.
The only service that will really be affected by the loss of insurance
will be laboratory tests. Laboratory charges are already discounted and will be charged the same to all students, Bara said.
“Overall, the university not offering student health insurance will have minimal impact on services provided to the students at the health center,” Bara said.