12.04.07 
Southeastern to provide health coverage to new students starting in 2008-2009

By Southeastern University

Nationally, health problems are given as the biggest reason why students drop out of college.

Southeastern officials want to prevent students from dropping out of Southeastern for health reasons by providing them with health insurance. Starting next fall, Southeastern will require all new traditional, undergraduate students to have health insurance.

Healthy students perform better in school, says Dr. Paul Williams, Southeastern's health program coordinator. And having health insurance increases the likelihood that students will seek prompt medical care if they fall ill or get hurt. Moreover, students with untreated illnesses could put other students at risk, Dr. Williams said.

All new students without health coverage will be automatically enrolled into Southeastern's student health insurance plan. Students enrolled in Southeastern's graduate, online, Division of Continuing and Adult Education, and ministerial credentialing (The Academy) programs will be exempt from the requirement. Full-time, traditional students who enrolled at Southeastern before the 2008-2009 school year also will be exempt.

While only new, traditional students--those taking 12 hours of credits and any who live on campus--will be required to have health insurance, all Southeastern students--including those enrolled in graduate, online, Division of Continuing and Adult Education, and ministerial credentialing programs--can enroll in the health plan.

The plan, provided by United Healthcare, will cover up to $100,000 in medical expenses for each injury or sickness. Students will be billed an estimated $1,250 for the first coverage year, which spans August 14, 2008 to August 13, 2009. Student loans and grants can cover the new, annual health care premium.

The student health plan will pay 100% of covered medical expenses for procedures performed by in-network healthcare providers and 80% of covered medical expenses for procedures performed by out-of-network providers. Covered students will have to pay a $125 deductible before the benefits kick in when seeing in-network providers; the deductible is $250 when students receive care from out-of-network providers.

Under the plan, students also will receive 100% reimbursement on prescriptions after they pay a $15 co-payment. The plan will reimburse students up to $750 each year for prescriptions.

Student Development Director Bob Schoenherr said Southeastern needed the plan. A committee that researched the issue found that 20% to 25% of Southeastern students didn't have insurance. Moreover, it's unknown how many Southeastern students have inadequate health insurance.

Nationally, more than 30% of 18- to 24-year-olds don't have health insurance, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion. Mandatory health insurance for university students has become a national trend, Schoenherr said.

Dr. Williams said that Southeastern's new plan is one of the most affordable he has seen. Making coverage mandatory at Southeastern increases the number of students insured by United Healthcare and thus decreases the per-student premium cost, he said. Under the plan, Southeastern students also can purchase health care coverage for dependents.

Full-time, traditional students who plan to start during the 2008-2009 school year must submit this waiver form by August 1 (for fall semester) or December 1 (for spring semester) to avoid being enrolled into Southeastern's health plan.