Mandated health insurance would decrease college enrollment, officials say

By JENN BOGDAN, Capital News Service

Published 11/20/08

ANNAPOLIS — More than 250,000 Maryland adults under age 30 lacked health insurance in 2006, prompting health care officials to call for mandatory coverage for all college students during a House committee hearing Wednesday.

But representatives from Maryland's colleges and universities told the Health and Government Operations Committee that requiring health care coverage for students would raise the cost of higher education and hurt enrollment.

"Many of our institutions that are dependent upon tuition have serious concerns that if they don't meet their enrollment targets within the next few years, that really could have the serious implication of causing some of these institutions to fail," said Bret Schreiber, vice president of the Maryland Independent College and University Association.

Studies in the Journal of Higher Education suggest that for every $100 increase in college tuition for undergraduates, enrollments decline by 2 percent, officials said at the meeting.

College and university officials touted numerous other reasons not to mandate student health insurance, including one study suggesting that individuals who earn a bachelor's degree are highly likely to obtain coverage after they graduate.

That explanation didn't appease Rep. James Hubbard, D-Prince George's. He said today's young adults do not understand the value of health insurance and would be more likely to maintain coverage if it's made an early priority.

"Most people who are young adults, educated or not, who are very healthy, don't want to buy health insurance today," said Hubbard. "They want to wait until they get married or have their first baby or turn 30."

Andy Clark, director of legislative affairs for the University System of Maryland, argued that student health insurance is not necessarily a top priority. One list of health concerns generated by the American College Health Association listed student insurance as 10th on a list of priorities, behind immunizations and sexual health, he said.

"Getting students health care is important, but it's not leading the hit parade of all the other college health issues that students will be dealing with," said Clark.

Rep. Joseline Pena-Melnyk, D-Prince George's, said allowing so many students to remain uninsured was simply not an option. She argued that since international students and student athletes are currently required to have insurance, all college students should be held to the same standard.

Maryland's NCAA athletes are required to be insured under association guidelines. International students are required to be insured under immigration law.

Pena-Melnyk also said she had a hard time trusting the data that suggested student insurance premiums, estimated to cost $1,000 a year on average, would change a student's mind about college since the cost would only account for a fraction of total tuition.

"I can tell you that $1,000 a year was not going to make a difference for me," Pena-Melnyk said of her own experience paying for college. "I hope that you are open to some compromise because we need to take care of those people that are not covered."

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Who's paying? - November 20, 2008

Who does James Hubbard propose foot the bill for mandatory healthcare for the sub-30, 'very healthy' individuals? If the answer is They (meaning We...) I have trouble understanding how this will, in Hubbard's words, demonstrate the importance of healthcare. What it would do was demonstrate the importance of big government which will appeal to the college student until (s)he graduates and migrates from They to We status.

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John Myers - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Health care for all..? - November 20, 2008

Every developed country has a giant pool for health care. Every worker pays into the system. Health care Insurance companies have been in collusion with our corrupt politicians for years. That's why 48 million Americans suffer from not having access to health care. Mind! The number is lower, if you just count citizens and legal residents--not illegal aliens. Those who cannot afford Insurance, turn up at the emergency room. That includes illegal aliens who have been dumped on the hospital steps by parasite employers. Although this is for emergencies only, foreign nationals who arrive receive free health care of which taxpayers become the benefactor--not the pariah employers. Everybody who enters the hospital must be seen, no matter their immigration status. Having learnt the ropes foreign nationals have transformed our once orderly hospital into long waits, overcrowded reception areas and bad service. By federal mandate illegal immigrants must be cared for, even if it's the flue or blood dialysis. Legal population are asked for their Social Security card, while foreign nationals leave without the debt collector breathing down their necks. Read about www.judicialwatch.org winning court cases against parasite employers, illegal immigrant groups and corrupt politicians. www.numbersusa.com is your HQ, to find the ugly facts not lies. www.capsweb.org has different petitions to fight the illegal alien pestilence. Read about the unrevealed war going on at www.americanpatrol.com Our future free of OVERPOPULATION, is up to YOU?

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Dave Francis - Indianapolis, IN - Karma: Bad