Nationally, health care options are in the balance with the Supreme Court set to decide on national health care legislation within the next week. But at this university, the future is more certain, officials said.

Regardless of whether President Obama’s health care reform is ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, students will see increased benefits and lower costs in their university health insurance plans next year as the payout cap jumps from $150,000 to $200,000, University Health Center Director Sacared Bodison said. Although the university could have to increase coverage in the 2013-14 academic year as payout requirements rise, should the Affordable Care Act remain in effect, the university may be able to keep premiums from rising too sharply, Bodison said.

State-run health care exchanges – a new affordability option that would serve as a marketplace for purchasing health insurance – may be an area of exploration for universities, said Matt Celentano, deputy director of the Maryland Health Care for All Coalition, the state’s largest health care consumer coalition.

“It’s like bulk-buying at Sam’s Club,” Celentano said. “If you’re buying bulk, you’ll get the better rate.”

The university will likely benefit from its large student population, as its size may act as insulation from the brunt of the health care legislation’s major changes – for example, universities may be required to eliminate payout caps altogether after 2014.

“We’re not as impacted as private institutions in the area,” said David Rieger, assistant benefits director. “We have 200,000 people between the university system and state agencies – the cost per person can go down significantly.”

Although a broad swath of colleges have already dropped limited-benefit plans as a result of increasing premiums, Bodison said this university has no plans to drop insurance plans despite potential increases in costs.

“Right now, we’re waiting along with everyone else as to what the Supreme Court ruling will be,” Bodison said. “It will dictate the benefits of a future we cannot predict.”

Yet some students, such as junior economics major Tchad Bruce, said they still worry rising costs could be burdensome to students.

Bruce said he pays the university’s health insurance requirement out of pocket.

“As of right now, both of my parents are not employed, and it’s just been an added cost that I didn’t use once during the school year,” Bruce said. “I’m sure I’m not the only one in this type of situation, and if prices increase it will just add stress to students like myself paying our way through college.”

Although the state and insurance companies have a tight grip on student insurance plans, the university could also fight premium costs by promoting wellness and healthy lifestyles and by creating pools to offset risk, Celentano said.

“They always say prevention is the key,” he added.

For now, the university still must wait – both for the Supreme Court to decide on the health care legislation and on the state to make any changes to its own policies on premium increases and coverage levels.

“There’s very little the university can do,” Rieger said.

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