Florida universities to weigh mandatory health insurance for students [View All]

Florida universities to weigh mandatory health insurance

About 30 percent of Florida Atlantic University students who visit the school's clinic don't have health insurance, meaning expensive medical treatments must come out of their own pockets or are out of reach altogether.

It's a problem that university health officials say increases dropout rates and one that they hope to remedy with a recommendation to require students to have insurance before enrolling in classes.

The state Board of Governors, which oversees Florida's 11 public universities, will discuss the issue today in Tallahassee when it hears a report from Florida State University - the only state university that now requires students to have health insurance.

"We believe that health services are here for a variety of reasons, but there is no more important reason than the retention of students and making sure they meet their academic goals," said Lesley Sacher, director of FSU's student health center. "Even though this age range believes they are bulletproof, they are as likely to get into a bike accident, need their appendix out or get really sick as anyone."

But some student groups aren't sold on the mandatory health insurance suggestion, saying it's another financial burden during a time when families are struggling with higher education costs.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/03/25/a2a_studhealth_0326.html