Elon University Health Services will be offering health insurance for students and changing their billing process next academic school year, according to Vice President for Finance and Administration, Janet Williams.
Students who do not have health insurance coverage will have the ability to pay for the new Elon University Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina plan.
“There is an increase in the cost for the students separate from the tuition increase because not all students will be opting into Elon Blue Cross Blue Shield plans,” Williams said.
Student Health Services will also have a new model for billing next academic year.
Health insurance has “always” been a requirement for students, Williams said, and this will not change in the upcoming academic year. According to a statement from the university, the student health insurance plan will be made available as a “complement” to the existing insurance requirement.
“This is an opportunity where we are offering health insurance to students who don't have health insurance,” Williams said. “We believe that it's an ethical and really proper thing to do to offer insurance to students who don't have it.”
Today, if a student visits health services for an appointment, they don’t need to show their insurance card or pay a copayment. Students only pay a student health fee annually and a fee for issued tests or immunizations through their bursar’s bill or out of pocket.
According to Williams, copayment fees will be paid by the university in the new plan. The change that will occur next year allows Elon Student Health Services to file a claim with the student’s health insurance plan for the additional costs beyond a co-pay, according to university spokesperson Owen Covington.
Students who already have insurance through a personal coverage plan or a plan under their guardians will not have to sign up for the insurance the university offers.
Dean of Students Jana Lynn Patterson was not available for immediate comment on this story.
“More information will come out about how, if you already have insurance, how you can upload your insurance and then opt out of the university offered Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plan,” Williams said. “So this is another part of our health and wellness initiatives to support our students.”