By Crystal Gross
Welcome back book fees, welcome back room and board, welcome back tuition, and welcome back health fees. Starting in the 2006 fall semester, the University of Louisville is issuing a new policy requiring every student except Health Science students, to pay an additional 35 dollars to their ending bill amount. According to the Health Services website, this new payment is “enhancing its student health services program to address some of the key concerns that students have expressed and to better meet the health needs of all students.” The health fee will bring forth a new facility, expansion of hours and services offered, and the new systems the clinic will use. There is no way that a student can be exempt from the 35 dollars. If a student is enrolled in 6.5 hours or more, and not covered with insurance, then the student will be paying more- a mandatory 100 dollars.Linda Westenhofer, an insurance advocate at the Belknap Clinic, set some facts straight concerning the new health fee. The 100 dollars is not insurance, but it does cover any unlimited amounts of visits to the clinic. It allows a student to receive flu shots or physicals with no co-pay. A student coming into the clinic does not have to deal with an expensive visit to the doctor. It will be taken care of with the 100 dollars they will pay. On top of that, they will receive discounts on lab testing and medications. Prices range from 35 dollars to 145 dollars. Services include physicals all the way to flu shots. A University of Louisville student who does not have medical insurance seemed skeptical. When given all the information, however, Shalonda Travis, a Justice Administration graduate student, stated that “It seems like both parties are getting equal outcome. It seems to give those that maybe can’t afford medical attention an easier and cheaper way to get it.”Students with insurance providers must prove they have insurance in order to waive the extra 100 dollars. But, once again the 35 dollars is there to stay. “Well, we don’t like paying taxes but sometimes we have to do things to better the environment around us. So I’m not complaining about it. Some people will (complain) because we are college students, and coming up with 35 dollars that we can spend elsewhere would be nice. But if this is going to help make our college a better place, then fine,” said Catrice Oliver, a junior majoring in Psychology.But having medical insurance and the new health fee has some positive points. For instance, if a student has to go to the clinic, any procedural cost will be billed to their provider, and 35 dollars will be credited toward the office visit. Westenhofer says that the clinic does not receive money from the school, but rather from other sources, such as students. Yet, Westenhofer believes “It’s a good idea; there will be more services, and extra funds are needed. What the clinic is doing is a really good thing, and it is time that they be recognized and promoted more.”A part time undergrad student will pay three dollars to every credit hour and four dollars to graduate. If the student is taking less than 6.5 credit hours, then they do not have to worry about the 100 dollars. However a student looks at it, they will be paying 35 dollars or 135 dollars, from which U of L will benefit.
