For a college student, $372 can go a long way.
That’s textbooks for a semester, an XBOX 360, a credit card payment and health insurance for a semester. Although the latter choice probably doesn’t seem the most appealing, it’s precisely what the UNC System has mandated.
The new requirement won’t have any effect on students who already have health insurance as long as they sign a waiver, but the thousands of students who don’t have insurance will be required to pay $372 a semester for it. While some students feel the decision is a fair one, others completely disagree.
Robert Hayford, the associate director of Student Health Services, explained the UNC Board of Governors found this to be the best solution to what they saw as a substantial problem in the student population – illnesses and injuries costing students several hours of study time and absences.
“I can’t really see any cons in this requirement except for the cost, which is actually a pro considering the low rate being charged,” Hayford said. “The annual rate for the student health insurance is $744 dollars, which is significantly lower than the price other private insurers charge.”
However, not all students see the situation so optimistical ly. Faiza Mus t a fa, a sophomore in biological sciences, said the new requirement is not fair.
“The reason most people don’t have health insurance is not because they are lazy. Who wouldn’t want to do right by their bodies?” Mustafa said. “There are just some people who cannot afford it, and requiring them to spend over $300 a semester on health insurance is just not fair.”
She isn’t alone. Several students complained the new requirement increased the financial burden of getting an education, a burden that now includes a $900 increase in tuition over 2009-2010.
“What’s the point of buying the health insurance if doctor visits at the Student Health Center are free and the pharmacy gives us medicine at a discounted price? It just doesn’t make sense,” added Sameen Mujtaba, a junior in polymer a nd c olor chemistry.
Hayford, however, said the he a l t h insurance is more for t hos e who may run into a situation where they require expensive medical tests or treatment by a specialist, such as an asthma specialist or a cardiologist. In this scenario, the bills may rack up to thousands of dollars, hindering the student’s ability to pay for the rest of their education.
But there are those who do share the same viewpoint as the UNC Board of Governors.
“These few extra hundred dollars are a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with health insurance,” Scott Nedvesky, a sophomore in software engineering, said.
According to a 2009 report from Harvard Medical School in response to nationwide health care reform, outstanding balances on medical bills account for more than 60 percent of bankruptcies in the United States.
Many of those who accrue high medical bills do so suddenly, without anticipating the financial devastation they can cause. These bills can be intimidating and the collection agencies even more so.
“You may have never gotten sick before, but all it takes is one time for you to get tonsillitis or appendicitis, and the bills can seriously add up,” Zain Akhter, a junior in mechanical engineering, said.