By Morgan McCann (Whetstone Staff Writer)
Health Insurance flyer
Junior Traci Davis was upset after she was charged $400 for not signing a waiver for a new Wesley College student insurance policy.“I never received anything in the mail,” she said. “I think they made you sign up if you wanted the insurance and not just automatically charge you.”
For the first time this school year, students were automatically enrolled into a student insurance plan unless they had proof of comparable health insurance coverage.
The price of the coverage is automatically added into each student’s tuition bill.
According to the administration, each student was sent a letter in the mail about the plan, warning them that they had to sign a waiver or they would be charged for it.
The new insurance policy is only available to full-time students, or those enrolled in 12 or more credit hours.
“I feel that it was an inconvenience to fill out a waiver form if you already have insurance, especially if you’re held accountable if you don’t do it by the deadline,†said freshman Matthew Bundy.
This insurance policy acts like any basic health insurance and provides benefits for students. The only difference is that it’s through the college and you qualify for it automatically, not based on the student or parent’s job.
“I like the insurance plan because it helps those who don’t already have or can’t afford their own insurance outside of Wesley,†said Nichole Reichenbach.
Student Life Dean Mary Alice Ozechoski extended the deadline to Oct. 17 for students to decline the insurance.
“If Mary Alice didn’t extend the deadline I would have been paying for two insurances and it would have messed up my loans and possibly make me drop out,†Davis said.
