Spring Break
Health insurance for students increases
Leslie Shambo
Issue date: 3/31/04 Section: News
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Student health insurance can be a confusing subject, and one that many students attempt to avoid, particularly when they realize how expensive such policies can be.
"I'm just on whatever my parents use," said Steven Barbeau, senior individual studies major. "A 'family plan' type thing."
However, students at Western Illinois University may not need to rely on their parents for health insurance any longer. On March 22, the Board of Trustees approved the plan for a self-insured health insurance program at Western.
Under this plan, submitted by Peoria's HCH Administration, students will pay a premium of $244 for six months of coverage between 2004-05.
According to a recent university relation's press release, this new premium is a 12.5 percent increase from the previous fee, but the additional funds will allow the university to establish a reserve fund to help reduce Western's exposure to an "unusual claims experience."
Western's current Student Accident and Illness Insurance Plan is designed to harmonize the services provided at Beu Health Center. During the 2003-04 school year, the premium sat at $217 per semester. The benefits for this particular policy are listed on the Beu Web site at www.student.services.wiu.edu/beu/.
The new self-insured health insurance program will use the current health system as a base.
However, according to Barbeau, the availability of coverage may not be the main problem.
"Is this an article about how much students don't know about their insurance plans?" he asked.
Though the Beu Web site claims that 7,000 students use the Student Accident and Illness Insurance Plan, some students remain skeptical.
"I just think that most students are covered by their parents, because why would they pay $200 more if they can just waive it?" said Alison Rosenberger, junior communications major.
A variety of students cited Blue Cross Blue Shield, State Farm Insurance, Health Alliance and United Health Care as their insurance carriers, to name a few, and many said they relied on their parents' health insurance plans.
"I'm just on whatever my parents use," said Steven Barbeau, senior individual studies major. "A 'family plan' type thing."
However, students at Western Illinois University may not need to rely on their parents for health insurance any longer. On March 22, the Board of Trustees approved the plan for a self-insured health insurance program at Western.
Under this plan, submitted by Peoria's HCH Administration, students will pay a premium of $244 for six months of coverage between 2004-05.
According to a recent university relation's press release, this new premium is a 12.5 percent increase from the previous fee, but the additional funds will allow the university to establish a reserve fund to help reduce Western's exposure to an "unusual claims experience."
Western's current Student Accident and Illness Insurance Plan is designed to harmonize the services provided at Beu Health Center. During the 2003-04 school year, the premium sat at $217 per semester. The benefits for this particular policy are listed on the Beu Web site at www.student.services.wiu.edu/beu/.
The new self-insured health insurance program will use the current health system as a base.
However, according to Barbeau, the availability of coverage may not be the main problem.
"Is this an article about how much students don't know about their insurance plans?" he asked.
Though the Beu Web site claims that 7,000 students use the Student Accident and Illness Insurance Plan, some students remain skeptical.
"I just think that most students are covered by their parents, because why would they pay $200 more if they can just waive it?" said Alison Rosenberger, junior communications major.
A variety of students cited Blue Cross Blue Shield, State Farm Insurance, Health Alliance and United Health Care as their insurance carriers, to name a few, and many said they relied on their parents' health insurance plans.
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