Colleges Skirt Rules on Health Plans, Cuomo Says
Katie Orlinsky for The New York Times
By DANNY HAKIM
Published: April 8, 2010
Andrew M. Cuomo’s office. Many plans also do not cover common situations that affect students, including injuries suffered in suicide attempts or while drunk. And some colleges force students to purchase college-sponsored coverage even if they are enrolled in a parent’s plan or covered by Medicaid.
And while some colleges negotiate broad coverage from insurers, others receive what seem like low-cost plans, but they provide so few benefits that they are among the insurance industry’s most lucrative.
The investigation’s results came at a time when the need for students to have their own insurance may be decreasing, because the federal health care bill signed into law last month will allow parents, starting in September, to keep children on their plans until they are 26. The health care bill will also impose more-stringent payout requirements on large health care plans, including those offered on campuses, though some college plans already appear to be running afoul of state laws.
“Our goal in this investigation is to make sure students are getting a fair deal and the coverage they need when they buy health insurance through their schools,” Mr. Cuomo