University Insurance Fight

A Tipp City teen turned to 2 after fighting with bowling green state university officials after they suggested she should sign up for the university's insurance plan. Lauren Johnson is now attending another college.  Grades didn't keep her from going to the college of her choice but it was her family's insurance plan that did.  I got state lawmakers involved and we're getting results.

"we have bipartisan support, that's always encouraging."
 

What Ohio Representative Diana Fessler is talking about is house bill 495.  If it becomes law, state universities would not be able to require students like Lauren Johnson to purchase the institutions health insurance plan.  Johnson planned to attend bowling green until the university told johnson her families health insurance policy didn't meet their criteria.

"they said that the deductible of 25-hundred dollars was too expensive and that they made this policy so people like student's wouldn't have to spend as much money if i were to have an accident on campus."

State Representative Diana Fessler.

"and when lauren enrolled in, attempted to enroll she was confronted with the decision on the part of the university and said sorry this won't due, you're going to have to up the ante and either change your personal policy or buy into what we want you to have."

Turn to two and the Johnson family notified Fessler about the problem...and she went to work.

"my initial thought was that was the university profiting from the forcing the family to buy into the policy that they preferred the student would have."

Fessler is investigating the money relationship between bgsu and the insurance company and says it doesn't look good.

"this is not a private institution it's a government school, trying to dictate to a family what they believe the family should have in terms of coverage, healthcare coverage for their own family member....i think that's highly problematic."

Fessler says cost is a factor.  The Johnson family told Rep. Fessler if they signed up for the university's plan, it would cost them an extra five thousand dollars a year -- not including Lauren's tuition, room and board.

"i did ask the university to send me all the documentation you have, how you finally decided that the expectation you now have for students is reasonable and necessary and they told me at that time they didn't have any paperwork of that nature."

House bill 495, is now assigned to the insurance committee.  If it gets out of committee, Lauren and her parents may get to testify before state lawmakers.  Fessler says she will also work with Lucas county representative Barbara Sears on the issue until the end of her term.

"representative sears is all over this issue, so from here on out, we're going to be working collaboratively on this bill because she has faced this in her own district."

Since introducing house bill 495, Fessler now has a meeting with an ohio state university lobbyist.  Ohio State and Ohio University are just a few other state schools with an insurance requirement.