Spring Break
State bills focus on health insurance
Chris Speight
Issue date: 3/10/09 Section: NEWS
Two proposed Texas bills going before the Senate and House would make universities educate students about what kinds of health insurance are available to them, but would stop short of requiring health insurance of them.
Under the law, universities would educate students about university-sponsored health insurance. Most students, however, will not need health insurance to be enrolled.
"The current code, as it is written, addresses health insurance, as it is required for students in medical and dental schools," said June Brownlee, the assistant director of the Health and Wellness Center at NT.
NT currently offers a health benefit plan, said Brownlee. Currently the plan is offered through United Health Care Student Resources. International students are required by law to have health insurance coverage at NT, she said.
One of several studies conducted by the Legislature was on health insurance, said Marian Wallace, a legislative analyst and part of the staff of Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, author of the Senate bill calling for higher education health insurance.
"Through the studies conducted the Legislature has realized that students needed to be made aware of the different [health insurance] policies available to them, particularly when they are just entering college," Wallace said.
Wallace said she expects both SB 1179 and HB 1875 to pass, because there is no real opposition to them.
"It doesn't require students to have policies, it's just making them all more aware," she said.
Brownlee said that the most immediate and direct impact NT would face if the bills pass would be the initiation of a system by which students can demonstrate to the health center that they have health insurance that meets the standards that NT has set forth.
"If this bill passes, I suspect that the requirements for NT's health policy will be the same for any students, international or domestic," Brownlee said.
Brownlee said another plus to the proposed House bill is that one can include a health insurance policy purchased from the university in one's overall financial aid package.
"I have no idea if the bill will pass or not, I know there is a lot of push to have health insurance," Brownlee said.
She said some states, such as Massachusetts, require all college students to have health insurance.
"Personally, I would love to see all college students with proper insurance coverage," Brownlee said. "No college wants to lose students for any reason, but when you lose a student due to health reasons, it's extremely sad."
The Texas Legislature will vote on the bills by the end of May, Wallace said.
"If either bill passes Legislature, it will most likely take affect in the beginning of September, 2009," she said.
Under the law, universities would educate students about university-sponsored health insurance. Most students, however, will not need health insurance to be enrolled.
"The current code, as it is written, addresses health insurance, as it is required for students in medical and dental schools," said June Brownlee, the assistant director of the Health and Wellness Center at NT.
NT currently offers a health benefit plan, said Brownlee. Currently the plan is offered through United Health Care Student Resources. International students are required by law to have health insurance coverage at NT, she said.
One of several studies conducted by the Legislature was on health insurance, said Marian Wallace, a legislative analyst and part of the staff of Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, author of the Senate bill calling for higher education health insurance.
"Through the studies conducted the Legislature has realized that students needed to be made aware of the different [health insurance] policies available to them, particularly when they are just entering college," Wallace said.
Wallace said she expects both SB 1179 and HB 1875 to pass, because there is no real opposition to them.
"It doesn't require students to have policies, it's just making them all more aware," she said.
Brownlee said that the most immediate and direct impact NT would face if the bills pass would be the initiation of a system by which students can demonstrate to the health center that they have health insurance that meets the standards that NT has set forth.
"If this bill passes, I suspect that the requirements for NT's health policy will be the same for any students, international or domestic," Brownlee said.
Brownlee said another plus to the proposed House bill is that one can include a health insurance policy purchased from the university in one's overall financial aid package.
"I have no idea if the bill will pass or not, I know there is a lot of push to have health insurance," Brownlee said.
She said some states, such as Massachusetts, require all college students to have health insurance.
"Personally, I would love to see all college students with proper insurance coverage," Brownlee said. "No college wants to lose students for any reason, but when you lose a student due to health reasons, it's extremely sad."
The Texas Legislature will vote on the bills by the end of May, Wallace said.
"If either bill passes Legislature, it will most likely take affect in the beginning of September, 2009," she said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Coldplayer1988@veriz
Kip Mooney
posted 3/10/09 @ 11:07 AM CST
The photo in the print edition is of ESPN personality Dan Patrick, not the State Senator from Houston!
Brian Stephens
posted 3/10/09 @ 11:43 AM CST
Classic!
charlie mcrae
posted 3/10/09 @ 5:13 PM CST
LOL @ photo!!!
Paige
posted 3/31/09 @ 1:31 PM CST
This article is wrong- the bill refers to students attending "general academic teaching institutions" OR medical and dental units- that means ALL of us will be subject to this. (Continued…)
Post a Comment