R590-240-4. Supporting Facts

(1) Student health programs are offered only to eligible members at institutions. These institutions have an interest in providing affordable health care coverage to their students in order to enable the students to receive limited health care to ensure that progress toward a degree or certificate is not impeded by unattended medical needs. In some instances, student health programs may also be offered to the spouses of students and other dependents of students, as well.

(2) Student health programs are not established to enable the institutions to make a profit from providing health care coverage. Providing or arranging for health care services for students is not the primary purpose of institutions; it is only incidental to the institutions' primary purpose, which is to educate those that matriculate with the institution. In addition, the economic impact on health care providers directly, and the public indirectly, from students receiving medical services and then not being able to pay for those services, is mitigated by providing students at institutions with access to affordable health care coverage through student health programs.

(3) An institution is either a state institution under the direct control of, and supervised by, the Board, or it must be accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. In order to be accredited, an institution must meet strict accounting standards, and be able to demonstrate it is financially solid. An institution must therefore comply with the strict accounting and financial requirements of the Board or the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which would include the need to reflect on the financial statements of the institution any liability for risks the institution assumes, or costs the institutions may incur, for its student health program. Any shortfall in providing health care services at the student health center would become the obligation of the institution.