ASMSU to look at low-cost student health care

ASMSU is looking into creating a low-cost student health-care plan in light of possibilities that the university will make health care mandatory for all MSU students in the future.

ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

The idea was presented Thursday at the Student Assembly’s Policy Committee meeting. ASMSU spokesperson Portia McKenzie said although the idea is in its infant stages, the group is looking into various ways it could fund such an endeavor. She said university officials raised the possibility of mandatory health care for all students at the Oct. 12 forum to discuss Olin Health Center’s potential relocation.

McKenzie declined to offer specifics as to how the group might go about creating a student insurance plan because there are no specific plans yet.

“The university offers its own health-care service for students,” she said. “ASMSU is looking into providing an option that is cheaper than the university’s plan.”

McKenzie said ASMSU also is looking at the possibility of continuing to offer insurance plans to students post-graduation.

She said students would have to have graduated from the university and paid the per semester ASMSU tax, which is currently set at $16.75, to qualify for post-graduation health care.