University of Arkansas mandates student health insurance

22. February 2008 by Jon Moss.

At the University of Arkansas, student health insurance has been taken into the University’s hands. Every student is automatically enrolled into the school’s minimal health insurance plan. With a charge of $6.77 per credit hour, students receive care by physicians, registered nurses, and other healthcare professionals at the University’s health center. The fundamental health insurance plan covers basic things like office visits but other services require an out of pocket expense. Some vaccines and immunizations can be a substantial cost from a student’s perspective. Since prescriptions are not covered under the student health insurance plan, some students seek assistance from a parent’s employer plan or their own student Arkansas Health Insurance plan from an outside provider.            Students will receive coverage for most services performed at the Student Health Center but in the case that a student needs an MRI; the maximum coverage of $2,000 can be met quickly. About 70% to 80% of students at the University of Arkansas receive additional assistance from another health insurance provider. At other universities, about 1/3 of the students in Arkansas have no form of health insurance. This is becoming a growing trend among young adults. The high costs of health insurance has drove many students to opt out of a health insurance plan as the cost has become unattainable at this time in their young lives.

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