The University might remove abortion coverage from next year’s mandatory student health insurance plan following a student complaint earlier this year.

The Health Services Advisory Committee started looking into the issue after the student complained about the current coverage earlier this semester.

More students have voiced concern since then.

Another change to next year’s plan could be the addition of birth control coverage.

The BG News reported in an article June 9 that some students were upset with the lack of coverage for birth control.

The committee is currently waiting to receive insurance proposals from 15 different vendors, according to Robin Sinn, associate professor at University Libraries and committee member. Whether abortion and birth control are covered next year could depend on the cost of each in the proposed plans.

Some students who complained about the abortion coverage don’t want to pay for others’ abortions through the plan because of moral objections, according to Maria Khoury, student committee member.

But last year, only one abortion was covered under the University’s plan, according to Glenn Egelman, director of the Student Health Center and consulting committee member.

The abortion cost $300, but the cost to students paying into the plan was very minimal.

“We’re looking at 10 cents per student,” Egelman said.

Despite the low cost, some students still object to the coverage.

Gina Tortorella, president of Falcons for Life, thinks the actual cost to each student is insignificant.

“I think it’s more the principle of it. It doesn’t matter how much it is,” Tortorella said, adding that if the University offers the coverage, it should be something most students agree with.

But not everyone believes morality should be the key issue in the decision.

Mary Krueger, director of the Women’s Center, thinks abortion should be covered simply because abortion is legal.

“I can understand it would be a moral conflict for some people, but it’s a legal health care procedure,” she said.

And Krueger said she doesn’t like saline breast implants but would still pay for the coverage because the implants are legal.

Another possible objection to the coverage is it encourages abortion.

But Sinn said it’s her personal opinion the coverage doesn’t increase abortions on campus but just offers coverage for students who would already want the procedure.

“Just because insurance offers it, doesn’t mean everyone’s going to do it,” Sinn said. She compared the abortion coverage to that for broken bones – just because it’s covered, someone’s not going to jump off a roof and break their leg.

But Tortorella disagrees.

“It seems they’re making abortion an easier choice,” she said. Tortorella believes the coverage isn’t going to discourage students from possibly becoming pregnant but makes it easier for students to choose abortion once they’re pregnant.

But even if the coverage continues, students with moral objections still have the option of purchasing a different plan that doesn’t cover abortions.

“Anyone is able to purchase comparable insurance and waive off the student plan, so if someone has very strong objections, they could buy another plan,” Egelman said.

Egelman believes there’s an important distinction to be made in that students are required to have insurance but not required to have the University’s plan.

And Egelman doesn’t want students to panic or become upset that the committee is considering the issue.

“The bottom line is we’re just looking into it,” he said.

Abortion isn’t the only issue the committee will be looking into. Birth control is also being debated.

But whether birth control will be covered in the new plan depends on the cost to students.

According to Egelman, birth control isn’t in the current plan because it can be bought at the University’s pharmacy for less than students would pay for it under the current plan.

Egelman said the committee will look into whether the cost of coverage in the vendors’ insurance proposals for next year would be appropriate for everyone paying into it.

For changes in both abortion and birth control coverage, the decision will come down to what’s in the best interest of the students and what the students want.

“We have to look at the moral and financial issues,” Khoury said.

Egelman thinks the best way to get feedback from the students would be to conduct a survey.

“Unsolicited feedback may not be very representative of the student body,” Egelman said.

But as one of three student members on the committee, Khoury wants to hear what students think about the issue so she can best represent them.

“We can’t make a decision for undergrads if we don’t know what undergrads want,” she said.

And Khoury wants students to continue voicing their opinions now so the plan will be preventative and not temporary, needing to be fixed later.

“It’s easier to prevent something than to clean it up after it’s happened,” Khoury said.

‘#160;

Where to find the morning-after pill

BGSU Student Health Services Cost: $22 Open December 19 through 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed December 24 to January 2 Open January 3 until January 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jaks Pharmacy at the Wood County Hospital Cost: $50

Kroger Pharmacy Cost: $37.59

Meijer Pharmacy Cost: $ 37.06

Wal-Mart Not available Wal-Mart has a nationwide corporate policy against selling the morning-after pill

The Pharm Currently out-of-stock at the Bowling Green store

Rite-Aid Currently out-of stock at the Bowling Green store