MONDAY,APRIL 29,2002
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3A
HALO HONORS
LINDSEYKILIANY
Irad Orduña, Ontario, Ca., makes a speech after being honored as one of the graduating seniors from HALO,the Hispanic-American Leadership Organization. The group held a banquet and ceremony to say their good-byes and thanks to seniors last night.
Health insurance costs loom for students needing coverage
By Melissa Shuman Kansan staff writer
For Aldon Corle, health insurance is an expensive — but necessary — cost of living.
Corle, a 2001 alumnus, had to search for a new insurance plan when he got married before he came to college. Corle pays $265 per month for a plan that covers him and his wife. He has to have health insurance because it is required for students enrolled at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he will begin classes in the fall.
Health insurance helps pay health care expenses in case of a medical emergency. It can help save a patient from financial ruin because of high medical expenses.
Corte had to find a health insurance plan when he came to college, and at some point most students will have a similar responsibility. Many students are included on their parents' plan for prescriptions and major medical expenses, but this coverage usually ends when students turn 23 or graduate.
Steve O'Neil, a consumer assistant representative for the Kansas Insurance Department, said the requirements for being a dependent on parents' plans differed from plan to plan, but usually had to do with age and student status.
Sue McKelvey is an assistant business office supervisor at Watkins Health Center and files insurance claims for students. She said many students didn't fully understand their own health insurance.
"Most students don't know what a deductible is, what a co-pay is, what exclusions mean, what preventative means, and a lot of times those words are different than what your dictionary tells you." McKelvey said.
She said that understanding terms was crucial to knowing what the policy meant.
"Once you learn what the lingo means,you can get a plan that will benefit you instead of the insurance company," McKelvey said.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's web site. www.bcbs.com has a
glossary with definitions of health insurance terms.
A premium is the amount a health insurance buyer pays for insurance coverage. Corle paid a $265 premium each month for coverage for himself and his wife.
A deductible is a fixed amount that a patient must pay before the insurance company will make any payments. Corle's $500 yearly deductible means he must pay the first $500 of medical expenses each year. McKelvey said most companies offered a lower premium if the buyer agreed to pay a higher deductible.
A copayment is what consumers must pay out-of-pocket for a specific service when they receive that service.
Many plans also have a maximum benefit, which is the most money the insurance company will pay out in a year.
McKelvey said insurance consumers should also know what services their plans covered.
As part of required campus fees, fulltime KU students pay a $92 student health fee every semester that covers routine visits to doctors and nurses at Watkins Health Center during the health center's regular hours.
The fee does not cover prescription drugs, hospital visits or other medical expenses.
Students who do not have health insurance through their parents' plans can purchase health insurance through the University. MEGA Life and Health Insurance is a company that offers health insurance for students at Kansas Regents Universities. In order to qualify for the plan, undergraduates must be enrolled in at least seven hours and graduates must be enrolled in three.
A comprehensive plan through MEGA covers health costs such as x-rays or stitches, and some prescription medications.
This plan charges a premium each semester, and there is a deductible for each injury or sickness.
For the MEGA comprehensive plan, the maximum benefit is $250,000.
Students who are losing their coverage through their parents' plans because they are losing dependency have a grace period of 18 to 36 months under a federal law, said Steve O'Neil, who works for the Kansas Insurance Department.
MEGA Life and Health Insurance, offered by the Regents Institutions of the State of Kansas. The plan is subject to change next fiscal year.
For a comprehensive plan:
$257 for fall and spring semesters
for students under 26
$143 for the summer for students under 26.
$337 per semester for students 26 and over
$187 for the summer for students 26 and over.
The comprehensive plan has a $100 deductible per sickness and injury and a $250,000 maximum benefit.
A limited plan with lower premiums is also available. It has a $50 deductible per sickness and injury, and a $100,000 maximum benefit.
For more information, contact MEGA Life and Health insurance at 1-800-527-5504 or visit their website, www.megainsurance.com.
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act allows students to keep coverage under their parents' plan for up to three years after losing dependent status under many insurance plans. He said students should check their parents' insurance to see when they would need to purchase their own insurance.
Aldon Corle said sometimes it seemed silly for two healthy students to pay more than $200 a month for health costs.
"You pay all this money for insurance, but most students don't get sick all the time, so I try to get the cheapest plan possible," he said.
Contact Shuman at mshuman@kansan.com. This story was edited by Eve Lamborn.
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