College students make up the largest group of uninsured Americans, according to findings made by Aetna. Approximately one in three students between the age of 18 and 24 is without insurance, and while these young people may feel invincible, they are subject to illness and accidents at a rate no different than many others. While some students are fortunate enough to be covered by their parents’ policy, most depend on having access to a college provided facility to meet their basic health care needs. Florida A & M University reports that roughly 40% of their incoming students have no health insurance, and so the onsite clinic does everything it can to act as an outpatient facility and treats everything it has the capacity to. Unfortunately, for students like 20 yr old Simkins, finding out she had anemia and neutrophilia and will require the expertise of a Hematologist, means that the clinic will not be enough. The University does offer a health plan ranging from roughly $150 to $600 a month, but it is not manadatory. The college has considered making the health plans mandatory, meaning that all students would have some type of coverage. For students like Simkins, this could matter a great deal. Do you think health insurance should be mandatory among college students? Young people are often unaware of the importance of health insurance, what can be done to educate them?

1. Jon Henderson Says:
   December 13th, 2008 at 6:18 pm

   Yeah, insurance for everyone in Florida. That is only civilized…