The healthcare reform debate in Congress seems to be neverending. And with the fate of the legislation up in the air, who knows what will end up in the final product, or if change will take place any time soon.
But regardless of the outcome, it appears the Penn Student Insurance Plan will still be able to offer a high-quality, low-cost plan to students, and that student-insurance plans across the country will similarly not be hurt by the bill. We are grateful that students will continue to receive these same healthcare services they need.
There was potential for students to be harmed by an early Senate draft of a bill that would have put an end to university group-rate plans that tend to be cheaper because the customer pool is young. Thankfully, lobbyists and higher-education institutions worked to change those provisions and ensure that college students don’t become disadvantaged by any new laws. The 9,363 Penn undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in PSIP are people who can’t get insurance of the same quality — or insurance at all — elsewhere, and depend on PSIP when they’re sick. These students don’t need extra fees in a time when money is already tight.
As Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue battling over the legislation, we hope student insurance plans continue to remain secure. Universities and the higher-education lobby — as well as students themselves — should remain engaged in the policy-making process and fight for their interests. The stakes are too high for apathy.
