Going to College Question

[Pat Jewett]

I hope to play football next year in college. I don't know where yet. My folks are behind me, but they had a question. Neither of them have a job right now and they want to know if colleges have Medical insurance for student athletes. A friend thought it was just Temporary medical during the season, but if you have to work out all year to get ready, I would think it would be year round. Does anybody have experience with this and could let me know? Thanks!

[Chad Smith]

Pat:

Great question, the answer will vary depending on what college you attend, because each university has a different policy when it comes to 'athletic related injuries', Medical insurance and supplemental insurance. Larger Universities will have a better coverage plan with deductibles, while smaller universities, colleges and ju-co's may only carry 'supplemental insurance' or not have any at all. I took your question to a few of our partnering universities and researched a few articles, here are a few examples for your reference:

Both UConn and the CSUS carry medical insurance policies for athletics-related claims. UConn's policy has a $ 2,000 deductible, paid by the athlete's primary insurance or the university, and a $ 1 million maximum per incident for claims within two years from the date of injury. The CSUS policy covers medical expenses, up to $ 75,000, that exceed any applicable deductible or the total benefits received from any other insurance policy, within two years of the date of injury. The CSUS also provides gap and catastrophic insurance policies for student athletes, student trainers, and student managers participating in club or intramural sports.

In addition to these insurance policies, student athletes injured in a qualified intercollegiate athletic activity are also covered under a catastrophic injury insurance program the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) provides for its member institutions. The policy has a $ 75,000 deductible and provides up to $ 20 million in lifetime benefits.

Of the 11 community colleges, only Gateway, Manchester, Northwestern, and Tunxis have intercollegiate or intramural sports teams. All four carry additional health insurance for student athletes. We have asked for additional information regarding the policies and will forward it to you as soon we receive it.

UConn and the CSUS require all full-time students to have health insurance. The universities automatically enroll students in a school-sponsored policy if students do not waive the coverage. The community colleges, on the other hand, offer all students a college-sponsored health insurance plan and automatically enroll students in an accident insurance policy.

Should NCAA Require Universities to Provide Athletes Health Insurance?

Posted on August 25, 2009
Filed Under Healthcare Reform, Public Health Policy |

After years of concern about inadequate health insurance coverage for college athletes, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) issued a new rule that required athletes to have health insurance before competing. However, the rule, instituted four years ago, never provided a clear standard and left schools without any oversight. While some colleges provide their student athletes with excellent coverage, many schools refuse to accept any financial responsibility for medical claims, leaving students and their families with significant unexpected medical bills.

Erin Knauer, a Colgate University student athlete, suffered a strained back and bulged disk during a crew team practice. After two trips to the emergency room, a week in the hospital, and extensive physical therapy, the 20-year-old freshman faced an $80,000 medical bill. Knauer was diagnosed with postviral myositis, a form of muscular inflammation. University officials determined her condition to be an illness rather than a sports related injury and declined to take financial responsibility for Knauer’s medical bills.

Had Knauer been covered under the university health plan, her treatment expenses would have been paid for by Colgate’s athletic insurance after a $1,000 deductable. Instead, she was forced to exhaust her student health policy worth $25,000 and work two jobs to pay for the $55,000 she still owed. After paying off some debt, she still owes almost $8,000 and is constantly faced with bill collectors threatening to sue her.

Jason Whitehead, a former football player at Ohio University, was airlifted to a hospital after he sustained a serious injury during practice that left him temporarily paralyzed. When he took his unpaid medical bills to his father’s insurance company and to the Ohio University trainers, they both refused to pay the claims. Six years later, while trying to purchase a car, Whitehead discovered he still owed $1,800 in unpaid medical bills.

Some believe that a school should provide student athletes with health coverage while they compete for the institution. Charlie Just, the compliance director at Spalding University, says, “Ethically, it’s the right thing to do.” Others believe that providing student athletes with insurance is just part of the cost of having an athletic program. As David Dranove, a professor of health industry management at Northwestern University argues, refusing to pay for athletes’ health insurance makes just as much sense as telling them to pay for their own equipment and traveling expenses.

Many large universities with nationally recognized athletic programs and lucrative television contracts have the financial resources to afford comprehensive coverage for all their varsity athletes. For example, the University of Iowa paid 4,200 medical bills last year totaling $776,454 and started to pay for uninsured full-scholarship athletes to enroll in the school’s student health care program.

Sadly, many athletes attend schools that do not provide the same coverage and are hit with massive medical bills after being injured. Their stories and the absence of mandated coverage for athletes has prompted calls for change. Advocacy groups such as the National College Players Association are lobbying for legislation to further protect NCAA athletes. Last summer, a number of college players brought a class-action suit against the NCAA and argued that their scholarships did not adequately cover certain living expenses, including medical bills. As part of a settlement agreement, the NCAA was required to create a $218 million relief fund for college athletes.

Given the current financial climate, it could be too financially demanding to require all universities to provide coverage for athletes. However, with health reform looming in the near future, increasing coverage for NCAA athletes could soon become a reality.

Commentary: Student athletes who compete in sports at the college level go through grueling workouts, rigorous training, and push themselves to the limit almost every day. They sacrifice their bodies and march into battle game after game as they proudly represent their institution. However, injuries are an unfortunate reality in any sports and can lead to expensive treatment and rehabilitation. College students lack the financial resources to pay for expensive medical bills and should not bear the risk of injury without insurance. At the very least, schools should inform student athletes of the risk associated with lack of coverage and provide them with a university health plan option. While insuring all athletes under the current system may be too cost-prohibitive, health reform could provide an answer to expanding coverage for college athletes.

The New York Times, July 15, 2009.