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University Daily Kansan, September 20, 1983
Health insurance plan could reduce care rates
By MATTHEW HARRISON Staff Reporter
The largest health care insurer in Missouri is currently working with Bell Memorial Hospital at the University of Kansas Medical Center on a new health insurance plan that may eventually care rates for patients by 15 percent.
Richard P. Kreecker, president of Missouri Blue Cross & Blue Shield, which serves more than 500,000 people in the Kansas City area, announced last week that Bell Memorial Hospital was selected as one of 12 Kansas City hospitals that would participate in a new health care plan.
KARON HARRIS, vice president of administration at Missouri Blue Cross, said yesterday that the preferred care plan was aimed at reducing costs by requiring that hospitals selected for the plan, and physicians who join, reduce their charges to Blue Cross preferred care subscribers.
Kreeker called the plan "preferred provider organization" or "preferred grade."
In return, the insurer will provide the hospital a greater volume of patients and faster payment of health bills, she said.
it is said that Blue Cross sent out information about the plan last summer to 32 Kansas City hospitals, and 28 hospitals then submitted bids in July.
The 12 Kansas City hospitals included in the plan were chosen based on the range of services they provide, geographic location, health care fees and the concentration of Blue Cross subscribers at the hospital, she said.
GENE STAPLES, Bell Memorial Hospital administrator, said that the hospital and Blue Cross would agree on a contract this week that should increase the volume of patients Bell Memorial received.
Staples said that if a member covered by the preferred care plan were to go to a hospital that was not a member of the plan, the patient would have to pay 20 percent of his hospital bill.
If the patient goes to a hospital under the plan, Staples said, Blue Cross would pay the entire bill.
Harris said that the plan would be one of four health care options that would be offered to Blue Cross subscribers, possibly by Nov. 1.
because of the reduced rates that the hospitals charge Blue Cross, a patient's premiums should go down an average of 15 percent, she said.
SHE SAID that the new plan would not endanger traditional health care insurance plans because the new plan was merely an alternative that "appears to attack health care costs in a long-term fashion."
Kansas City physicians are currently being recruited by Blue Cross as preferred care members. The physicians must sign a contract requiring them to send a patient to a preferred care hospital, such as Bell Memorial.
Harris said that of the 2,000 physicians in the Kansas City area, 800 are staff members of the 12 preferred provider organization hospitals.
Blue Cross will also monitor the preferred care hospitals to ensure that the costs for health care are kept at a minimum.
The skies over Lawrence provide some dramatic cloud formations as seen here looking up the ladder of a water tower near the Ecumenical Christian Ministries. Lawrence has experienced warm weather in the last week, but the National Weather Service in Topeka said yesterday that temperatures would be in the 60s by tomorrow.
Engineering awards help more minorities do graduate work
By CHRISTY FISHER
Staff Reporter
Minorities should make up 25 percent of the college-aged population to be in accordance with 1980 U.S. Census these groups now make up just 8 percent.
Minorities should also match this level in engineering graduate degrees, but they make up only 2.5 percent of the U.S. workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics
Now minorities have an opportunity to close the gap and to pursue a graduate degree, a pursuit which was only once times financially impossible before.
Minority students wanting to pursue graduate degrees in engineering are eligible for a fellowship that offers a $5,000 internship and a $5,000 annual stipend.
The National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering, also known as GEM, is offering 150 fellowships to members of ethnic groups which are underrepresented in engineering: Indians,
blacks, Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans.
GEORGE ADAMS, director for the consortium, explained the problem: "We are trying to do something about this great disparity. Minorities now earn only 4.1 percent of all engineering bachelor's degrees and 2.5 percent of all master's degrees, whereas they should be earning at least 8 percent."
Julie Patterson, secretary for SCOrMEBE, an undergraduate organization for minority engineers, said the trend was also true at the University of Kansas, where only 4 percent of the undergraduate students and 1 percent of the graduate students in engineering were minorities.
The GEM fellowship program began in 1976, when Theodore Habart, affirmative action director for the applied physics division of Johns Hopkins University, recognized the lack of minorities at the engineering graduate and at the high-tech employment levels.
"AS A GOVERNMENT contractor, we had to have a written affirmative action program in which we had to hire African American employees," he said. "The number of minorities
with undergraduate degrees was 1 percent while the number of graduate degrees was less than 1 percent 1 percent and had to do something about the supply."
The program began with eight employee laboratories and 19 universities which awarded 16 fellowships with $3,000 in stipends. Now, about 400 qualified applicants each year apply to the program, which is sponsored by 42 hightech companies and research laboratories and 40 engineering schools.
Although KU is not a GEM member, students here can apply to do graduate work at one of the 40 member schools nationwide.
DAVID KRAFT, dean of the School of Engineering said, "At one point in time, for some reason, we chose GOPP (Graduate Professional Opportunities Program) instead of GEM. One of my recollections about the program is that they don't allow the students to pick what university they want to go to. Instead, the school must be a member university.
Habarth said the program had been successful in increasing the number of students to 48.
engineering graduate degrees were declining nationwide.
Adams said a high number of graduates finished the program — 83 percent of GEM students finish the degree program while only 67 percent finish graduate degrees nationwide.
"Last year, our program graduated 44 students with master's degrees in engineering." Habarbit said. "That accounted for 10 percent of all minorities getting master's degrees in engineering."
AS WELL AS benefitting university engineering programs in their recruiting efforts, the program benefits large corporations.
A STUDENT applying for the award must be a U.S. citizen with junior year standing in an accredited engineering sequence. Interested students must obtain records that indicate abilities to pursue graduate studies in engineering.
The application deadline to be considered for 1984 is Dec. 1. Fellowships will be awarded by Feb. 1, 1984. For further information contact: Howe-Forster School of Education for Minorities, P.O. Box 337, South Bend, Ind., (219) 329-7183.
By CHRISTY FISHER
Endowment Association says donors value thank-you notes
In a recent letter to Dear Abby, a woman complained that parents should also send thank-you letters to children in order to their sons and daughters in college
sense of gratitude for the generosity of others, the wells of charity will eventually dry up," she said.
In that stack of letters, some students tell their life stories, some send blessings, others send cards. One person even sent a straight "A" report card to show the donor exactly how the gift contributed to his education
"We've had a lot of positive response to the program," said Menaqun. "Our trustees like it because they can keep in touch with the students.
"FOR THOSE who give the money as a memorial for a lost son or daughter, it means a lot to them to get a letter from a kid they helped through school. Others give money because they believed what it was like to be in school."
ALTHOUGH SOME parents don't write thank you notes, Endowment Association and financial aid officials think many students do.
"The administration thinks there is a lack of commitment by some parents, in paying for the student's college fees," he said. "I think it's a good idea to allow students with the students thank donors for funds they receive for the student's college."
Steve Menahug, coordinator of public relations for the Endowment Association, said he received 250 to 300 letters and donors acknowledging their thanks.
Staff Reporter
PRE-MED CLUB MEETING
ALDERSON AUD. KS UNION
TUESDAY - SEPT. 20th
8:00 - 9:00
funded by the Student Activity fee
However, Steven Dorssom, assistant regional administrator for financial aid, said that he thought more parents should attend school or sons or daughters get through school.
However, the Kansas University Endowment Association doesn't think that the wells of charity will come up because of a lack of gratitude of parents.
Freshmen
"The donors are not looking for thanks. That's not why they do it," said Marian McCorkill, assistant to the president of the Endowment Association. "Most give donations in a private way. I think they want to know that they have been appreciated. Although they're not looking for a thank you, I think it is wonderful when the students do it."
All interested in filing for freshman class officers pick up applications at BOCO office 110B Union. Filling Deadline 5:00 September 22.
LAST YEAR, the Endowment Association added the name of the donor or the trustee to the bottom of each check so that 3,500 KU students could personally thank donors for more than $4 million in aid.
He said that the chance to express gratitude was also an advantage for the program.
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"I think the response from the students has been wonderful, but that's not to say the parents are not grateful." McMearl said. "Speaking as a mother of two college students, I think the students are responsible for their own life.
100K back to mom and dad to write their letters. They are responsible for themselves."
— Apply at Schumm Food Co. office
"Although it helps mom and dad tremendously, a lot of times they are not around when the students get their check. Besides, the students shouldn't
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