Ohio University’s student health insurance tends to be lower annually compared to other universities in the state.
“There are so many aspects of an insurance policy that can cause a major difference in pricing,” Anna Wenning, OU ‘s Student Insurance Administrator, said in an email.
OU students pay two six-month long installments of more than $800 during the Fall and Spring Semesters for university health insurance — totaling more than $1,600 per year.
Individuals beginning a plan during Spring Semester pay nearly $1,000, which covers costs from January to mid-August.
Students utilizing the policy during the summer will pay more than $400, covering costs from May to mid-August.
OU student health insurance, provided by United Healthcare Student Resources, covers about 15 percent of the Athens student population, said Katie Quaranta, OU spokeswoman.
As of Fall 2013, about 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students were enrolled at the Athens campus.
OU’s student health insurance does not cover acupuncture, dental treatment and circumcision, among 24 other limitations.
Kent State University, Ohio State University and Bowling Green State University are among some of the schools that have health plans exceeding $1,800 per year.
“(Student plans) would be easy access to get health insurance,” said Ali Murphy, a junior studying communication sciences and disorders, who does not utilize OU’s plan.
Miami University and Toledo have some of the lowest rates out of Ohio public institutions at about $1,300 and $400 for one plan option, respectively.
Wenning, who collects feedback from students about OU’s insurance policy, often works with Student Senate to address perceived problems with the university’s policy.
“The (health insurance) policy is for the students, and therefore, the students should, and do, make the decisions regarding policy changes,” she said.
In 2011, a group of students proposed that “transgender services” be a payable benefit under the student health insurance policy.
That proposal, which has since been approved, now allows up to $25,000 per policy for services such as hormonal or surgical procedures.
“Insurance premium rates are determined by the insurance company based on how the insurance has been used in the past by the insured students, as well as changes made to the policy year-to-year,” Wenning said.
The student rate for health insurance has increased over the past few years, and the main factor behind that increase is the Affordable Care Act.
“The ACA requires insurance companies to include medical benefits for specific services (such as preventative care) and have specific policy parameters in which they have to abide by as determined by the government,” Wenning said.
Schools in large cities, such as Ohio State University, may have comparatively more expensive health plans.
“Ohio State is self-insured, and they have several major medical facilities on campus and very close by in a large city,” Wenning said. “This plays a huge role in the cost of care, accepted reimbursement rates and network fee schedules from the insurance companies.”
@megankhenry
