Last spring, the institution of a $420 mandatory health fee for all WU students brought many to challenge the fee’s necessity.
Into the summer, some remained skeptical, and even refused to pay the fee when sending in tuition checks.
Now that the year has begun, the tension appears to have died down, and Student Health and Counseling Services is working within new guidelines to meet students’ needs. With the adoption of a universal insurance policy, lower costs, and increased effectiveness, Health Services has made visible changes by putting the health fee to use.
The Health Services website describes the $420 as a student health fee “designed to improve the health and wellness of the entire WU community.” The fee will allow universal health insurance coverage for all full-time students, and will help improve on-campus health and counseling services. Coverage is provided by an organization called The Chickering Group.
Dr. Laurie Reitman, director of Health Services, says that the new fee is not merely for insurance coverage, but part of a comprehensive revision of Health Services. Over the last few years, Health Services has added a number of services for students, but Reitman did not think the revisions were adequate enough.
“It became apparent to me that we were not keeping up with our peer institutions in terms of health and wellness,” said Reitman.
Despite attempts to better their services, Health Services was delayed by funding problems. Health Services was losing money every year, though they were financed by the university. There were services that students were asking for that Health Services did not have the money to provide.
A task force was assembled to investigate improvements for Health Services, and the outcome was the establishment of the $420 health fee.

New prices

Students now pay a $10 co-pay for each visit to Health Services, unlike in the past when visits were free. Lab work completed at the Health Services office is free.
The number of free psychological counseling sessions, however, has been reduced from ten to eight. Students may pay $30 for the following seven visits, when they will be referred to an outside professional.
The fee provides universal health insurance, covering those who may not have insurance, are international students, or are financially independent. Now all full-time students are covered by the health plan and have the option to buy a “premier medical plan,” which provides more comprehensive coverage.
Reitman justified the insurance aspect of the health fee by pointing out that while a few services went up in price, most went down and the quality of care has improved. She also said that WU’s health fee covers both a standard health fee and an insurance policy, which costs less than many universities charge for a health fee alone.
The administration considered adopting a waiver system to allow students who have health insurance to opt out of the plan, but they later decided against it. Reitman cited a study of Cornell University’s waiver system that found it to be inefficient and burdensome, leaving students without insurance. Under WU’s system, Reitman points out that all students will be insured.
Reitman said that students’ WU insurance can serve as a supplement to their private health insurance. Deb Harp, associate director of Health Services, said that the university insurance plan has a $100 deductible, where most private plans have at least a $250 deductible. Also, if students choose to list a second insurer when they pay their health fee, Health Services will coordinate payments with them automatically to cover services that the university health plan does not.
Reitman believes that once more students use Health Services this year, they will begin to see the changes and gain confidence in the care that Health Services provides, and they will take advantage of Health Service’s resources.
With the help of the health fee funds, Health Services hopes to operate within its budget.

For more information about the new health fee and the changes within Health Services, check out the website www.rescomp.wustl.edu/~shcs or stop by their office in Umrath Hall to pick up a pamphlet.

Contact Alli Gilmore at [email protected]

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