While Student Blue, the insurance plan offered by the UNC System and required for students without personal health insurance, was created with the intention of helping college students gain medical security, the service has been seen as a financial burden by some.

The health insurance plan was created by the UNC System in conjunction with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. In the 2018-19 school year, Student Blue’s premium was $1,293.88 per semester. The 2019-20 premium is expected to be released sometime later this month.

Adam Schmidt, a third-year studying civil engineering and president-elect of the UNC Association of Student Governments, hopes to delve deeper into the UNC System insurance requirement and Student Blue specifically in his new position.

“I think it’s good for students to have health insurance,” Schmidt said. “When you’re in college, you have a whole slew of things to worry about, and so when you get sick or you have something come up, like a medical issue, having the ability to see a doctor or see a care provider I think is really important.”

While he sees the obvious benefits, Schmidt understands the financial cost can be a burden for some.

“I also recognize that it places a financial burden on students who don’t have insurance through someone else, like their parents or an employer, and they have to opt in,” Schmidt said.

Bethany Meighen, interim vice president for Academic and Student Affairs for the UNC System, said that some universities in the UNC System include health insurance in the cost of attendance. At NC State, the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) cost is included in the student account after course registration, and can be removed by submitting a waiver by the designated deadline.

“For the health insurance, either you need to enroll in Student Blue or you need to take part in the hard waiver process, which means you need to have creditable health insurance,” Meighen said. “It’s for undergraduate students who are enrolled in a minimum of six on campus credit hours, enrolled in a degree seeking program as defined by their institution… and are eligible to pay the campus Student Health Services fee.”

Meighen said that students studying abroad, doing co-ops and student interns are eligible for Student Blue, but not are required by the university to have the plan. Additionally, students can use scholarships and other institutional aid to help pay for Student Blue if needed.

Lacking health insurance can lead to an escalation of sickness, Meighen explained.

“Students get sick and oftentimes when they didn’t have health insurance, and they didn’t feel like they could go to the doctor,” Meighen said. “They would miss class longer, or an ailment that could have been taken care of quicker would escalate and get worse, and then they’d have to go to the ER.”

Meighen said that Student Blue is a gold plan with regards to the health insurance ‘metal’ categories, meaning a lower deductible and low cost.

For general healthcare related questions and concerns, students can visit www.healthcare.gov. For more information on the health insurance requirement at NC State, students can go to the Student Health Services website or contact the Student Health Insurance Office at student-health-insurance@ncsu.edu or 919.515.2563. For more information on Student Blue, students can visit their NC State website or view the Benefits Summary and Student Brochure.