Answering student questions about mandatory health insurance

By Allison Reitz

On April 12, 2006, then-Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney signed legislation making health insurance mandatory for residents of Massachusetts. For seniors on the brink of graduation, this new law raises major concerns.

Heather Clow, a senior English major, explains, “When I graduate, I’m going to be asked all these questions, and people will expect me to know the answers. ‘Where are you going to go? What are you going to do? Oh, and who’s your insurance provider going to be?’”

For students daunted by the world of insurance policies, premiums and deductibles, the answer to that last question is often “I don’t know.” With the July 1 instatement of the law looming in the future, many students feel pressured to find the answer.

Senior Rosemary Larkin admits, “I’m not looking forward to choosing an insurance supplier myself. There are so many types of coverage. How am I supposed to know if I’m choosing what’s best for me?”

For students like Larkin, the act of choosing a health insurance plan is new territory.

Massachusetts already requires that “all students enrolled in institutions of higher education, taking 3/4 or more of the full-time credit load must have comprehensive health insurance,” but few students decide for themselves who will be providing that comprehensive coverage.

UMass Dartmouth makes health insurance available through AETNA on a year-to-year basis for all students. Students may opt-out of this program if they have proof of insurance, which is often provided through a parent’s insurance plan. However, once students’ full-time status ends, their insurance coverage through these providers often ends, as well.

So what do students need to know in order to survive the wild world of insurance?

Most importantly, students should know that there is some leeway. Annette Arabasz, a senior graphic design major, asks, “New graduates have enough to worry about with rent, loans and car insurance. Now we have to worry about health insurance too? The state should at least give us a grace period of a year or so to get on our feet.”

Thanks to new legislation passed under the Dependent Coverage Provision, some non-students can be declared as a dependent and continue receiving their parents’ health care benefits “up to age 26 or two years after losing dependent status according to IRS rules, whichever occurs first.” Basically, this means that new graduates can potentially be declared as a dependent on their parents for insurance coverage (depending on the coverage plan), even if they aren’t officially “dependents” on their parents’ income taxes.

Once that time as a dependent has expired, though, many students worry about mandatory insurance’s affordability. Jeff Trull, a junior civil engineering major, explains, “From what I hear, insurance is very expensive, especially if you don’t have a job that covers it for you. My parents are self-employed, and their insurance seems to be fairly expensive.”

He continued, “I believe in mandatory health insurance for all, at least from a non-financial standpoint. That is, I think that everyone should be covered in one way or another because health insurance is pretty much essential to life. But as far as the money and funding aspect of it goes, [mandatory health insurance] could be tough for some people to afford. I wonder what effect that is going to have on them.”

Junior Retha Charette agrees about the financial impact, saying, “I’m scared. My goal when I graduate is that I really, really need to find a job that gives me health insurance. Otherwise, I don’t know if I can afford it.”

The new law hopefully has an answer for student concerns about affordability. According to Section Three of the Healthcare Reform Act, the state subsidized Commonwealth Care plan includes a plan specifically for 19- to 26-year-olds. The plan covers yearly check-ups with the family doctor, as well as other basic medical needs and emergency services.

Monthly premiums for this service range from a low of $105 to a high of $205. However, the deductibles (which dictate how much of a medical bill than an individual is personally responsible for paying) range from $1,000 to $2,000 and have some students worried.

Clow questions the prices, “Do you go for the low monthly premiums and hope nothing bad happens? Or do you pay more than you can comfortably afford just in case you need hospital care?”

She adds, “Insurance is like gambling. How lucky do you feel?”

For those who share Clow’s sentiment, there may be some relief in the future. The affordability and quality of these plans is still under review by the state. The State Legislature has announced that they are currently discussing a temporary freeze on requiring health insurance for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The final decision should be released before summer.

However, the state also offers subsidized plans based on one’s annual income, which may prove to be more affordable. According to Commonwealth Care’s “Frequently Asked Questions,” monthly premiums that range in price from $18 to $70 are available to individuals who make less than $29,400 per year.

This plan includes a $1 co-pay for generic drugs and a $3 co-pay for all other drugs, as well as for the use of emergency services in non-emergencies. Co-payment charges would be capped at $200 per calendar year.

Individuals who make over $29,400 a year must choose an insurance plan from within the Commonwealth Choice program, which is similar to Commonwealth Care but is not subsidized by the state. The Commonwealth Choice program encompasses seven insurance providers that have met the Legislature’s plan requirements: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, ConnectiCare, Fallon Community Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, New England Health, Neighborhood Health Plan and Tufts Health Plan

So what happens to people who fail to obtain an insurance plan by July 1? The Healthcare Reform Act allows for a grace period stretching through December 31, 2007. However, beginning January 1, individuals without health insurance will face financial penalties.

Unenrolled individuals will lose their personal exemption on the state income tax, which can be worth as much as $200 per year. Also, for every month that an individual remains uninsured, they will incur penalty fines of approximately $150 per month.

Arabasz dislikes the ideas of the monthly fines and exemption loss, saying, “I think not having health insurance is punishment enough. People shouldn’t be punished for not having it, too.”

Still, she understands the need for universal health care. Arabasz explains, “It’s scary to go without insurance, I admit. But some people just don’t have a choice. Still, no one should come in to a hospital with a shattered femur and walk out with a smiley sticker and a band-aid because they can’t afford the hospital fees.”

Other students, like Larkin, are worried not only about the affordability of the new insurance plans, but also about the quality.

“I know that I’m going to get kicked off my parents’ plan once I’ve graduated, but not having that same level of coverage is scary,” Larkin says. “There are probably some services that I need, but won’t really consider the cost of until I’m paying for it myself.”

The Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, the government agency overseeing the legislative changes, assures necessary services have been considered.

In a statement released on March 8, the Connector board emphasized that despite varying prices for plans, “all offer comprehensive coverage, including inpatient and outpatient medical care, emergency care, mental health and substance abuse services, rehabilitation services, hospice and vision care.”

Full dental coverage is not currently included in any of the plans.

University students should keep in mind that the new legislation only applies to Massachusetts residents. Out-of-state college students are not allowed to take part in the State’s insurance program unless they list Massachusetts as their primary residence. Residents who move out of Massachusetts cannot retain their insurance coverage.

For students who are Massachusetts residents, plenty of resources are available to help in answering any persisting questions.

Students can contact the state’s Health Insurance Connector board at 1-877-623-6765 (or 1-887-623-7773 for the hearing impaired). For instructions on being declared a dependent or non-IRS dependent, review the application form available at www.mass.gov/gic/forms/dependentage19andoverform.pdf.

The psychology of Myspace

By Christopher Boardman

Everything has to change with technology. If a business doesn’t sell and advertise online, it’s losing possible customers. If newspapers don’t publish their content online, they will lose readership. If one doesn’t know their way around a computer, they get left behind. It has happened financially, economically, and now socially. With the booming popularity of myspace.com and other technological forms of social interaction, meeting people the old fashioned way is going the way of the rotary phone.

Myspace.com was established in 2003 by UCLA graduate Tom Anderson and bought by Rupert Murdoch in 2005 for $580 million. Its membership total is well over 100 million as of July of 2006.

Described in its tagline as “A Place for Friends,” it asks you to post your reason for setting up your free profile. Of the options are “Friends, Networking, Dating, Serious Relationships.” As these are all forms and manifestations of social interaction, just how do sociology and psychology interpret “interacting” from behind a computer screen?

“The playing field’s leveled,” said Dr. William Holt of the UMASS Dartmouth Psychology Department, “You hear kids say how hard it is to meet people. Everybody leaves class and puts a cell phone to their ears.”

What happens to everybody who is shut out of such conversations? They might not care and go about their business. But they might feel isolated and turn to Myspace or one of its counterparts, such as an Instant Messenger or a chatroom. “I think that using alternate types, less personal methods allows some false psychological and personal safety and control for users,” said Dr. Andrea MacAuley, UMass professor of Abnormal Psychology. “Removing the non-verbal communication allows us to feel that we can present ourselves in less than accurate ways without fear of being ‘found out,’ ” said Dr. MacAuley.

The lay person might describe this as simple shyness. The Encyclopedia of Mental Health doesn’t go so far as labeling shyness as mental illness, but actually lists symptoms of shyness. It lists behaviors, physiological symptoms, cognitive symptoms and affective symptoms.

For example, a behavior might be “Inhibition and passivity,” coupled with physiological and cognitive signs of accelerated heart rate and negative thinking. This translates to affective symptoms of self-consciousness.

Nicotine gum offers the benefit of the actual addictive component without the lung cancer, emphysema and bad breath. Myspace offers the social interaction without the effects of shyness. You get all the positives without the negatives, but at a price.

“It can be a detriment,” said Dr. Holt, “When you get to meet face to face you are socially unprepared.”

Indirect communication is not harmful when utilized in moderation. But one’s bedroom taking the place of a bar or a friend’s house and the keyboard taking the place of one’s voice isn’t healthy.

“Most of the people in my practice who use computer-aided social interaction are lonely,” said Dr. MacAuley, “Different people use them to different extents; some to meet others, some to interact with friends only and some to form relationships.

Thus, these systems are not completely problematic; they are a way of reaching out to the world. However, using (these systems) as a sole method of interaction is problematic because of the loss of a great deal of information.”

Computer-based interaction is not without its success stories. Nicole Paulo, a sophomore at UMASS Dartmouth met her fiancé Ted Ekholm on Myspace. “We talked for a week or so on Myspace and then on the phone,” said Nicole, “I wasn’t going to agree to meet him before I talked to him on the phone first. After a few conversations, we realized how much we had in common.”

Nicole recalls a friend initiating her to Myspace and her own need to branch out. “I was single, and tired of the guys in my area, so I figured ‘What the heck,’ ” said Nicole, “I was scrolling through pages when I came across his picture. I took a glance at his profile, decided to friend him, and shortly after, received a message from him. That’s how it all started.” And it will culminate with Nicole and Ted’s wedding on October 11, 2008.

Not every Myspace “friend request” will end in picking out an engagement ring. Establishing a serious relationship with a cable modem for a matchmaker doesn’t garner encouraging odds.

Dr. Robert Steinberg’s triangular theory of love breaks relationships into three levels; intimacy, passion and commitment. A relationship has a better chance of surviving with more than one of these components present.

Say an aforementioned shy kid trolls Myspace with hopes of falling in love. Then factor in Dr. Holt’s position that constant indirect communication makes for malformed social skills. If a person doesn’t have it in himself or herself to ask an IM partner for a phone number, it may be difficult for them to become intimate, passionate or committed.

However, not everyone uses Myspace for romantic purpose. Teenage users might see Myspace as a first step.

“Teenagers seem to use Myspace more than college kids because of their limitations regarding getting out socially,” said Dr. Andrea MacAuley. “Their self-esteem issues are more significant and as a result, these types of services provide a way of limiting the personal exposure and giving them a chance to spend time formulating their thoughts without fear of reprisal. With college age students who are more in the stage of developing an identity, I have seen more of a tendency to try out different identities with this type of interaction.”

This isn’t a black and white picture of socially inept versus social butterfly. Some people use Myspace for reasons other than evasion of traditional social interaction and dating.

“It’s pure convenience,” said Case High School Senior Justine DaSilva of indirect communication. “But you will never see me texting my boss or sending him a Myspace message.”

“It depends on the situation,” said UMASS Dartmouth Senior Brendan Machado. If I’m really friends with someone, a phone call is fine but if I’m just meeting a girl a text is better since it is easier to break the ice.”

Email, chatrooms and Myspace are divisions of an all-inclusive club which also takes in the excluded as members. Some people use them to keep up with friends who have moved away. Some may even use them to flirt without the risk that comes with giving someone the wrong idea. Whatever the use, social interaction must evolve in conjunction with advancement of technology.

Advertising club is back in business

By Veronica Ouellette

The Millennial Link Advertising club is back and ready for business.“We had a class last semester (Advertising/Marketing 421) and midway through the semester, we decided that we wanted to get the advertising club back and running again,” according to President Dan Kenneally. “We contacted the old advisor, Dr. Jack Corrianne’s to try and get the wheels turning again. He told us he had a bank account and audiovisual equipment that we were allowed to use. That got us rolling.”

For those who don’t know what exactly the advertising club is, it’s more than just a club. “We are a student ad agency whose goal is to reach out to surrounding businesses,” exclaimed Director of Research, Rich Oakley. Kenneally said, “We are a full-fledged ad agency. Right now, we are competition-based. We eventually want to switch gears and start working with local businesses within the community.”

This isn’t the first time that the advertising club has been on campus, “Originally, the ad club was called the Omni-Ad club, formed in the early 1990s,” said Dr. Catherine Curran-Kelley, Millennial Link advisor. “The whole impetus behind that was that it would be an agency for clients. This first year, we focused on the American Advertising Federation (AAF). It’s an industrial association that has student chapters across the U.S. (For) next year, different people in town have asked me about it {student run ad agency}. If we do that without charging, that’s one thing. I have to look at what I need to do to get that accomplished.”

The name change was based around their marketing class. “With the American Century Investment internship, our goal was to raise awareness in the American Century Investment name, as well as investing for generation Y, also known as the millennial generation,” Kenneally said. Ferreira elaborated, “We were linking the company to the millennials, so we named ourselves the Millennial Link.”

This semester, they worked on a competition with Coca-Cola as their client. The district competition was held at Johnson & Wales Inn in Seekonk on April 28. “It’s an AAF Nationwide competition,” Kenneally said. “The goal of the competition is to raise awareness with a multi-cultural aspect with a demographic of 13-24 years old.” Second Vice President, Carlos Ferreira, said, “We have to come up with all advertising, promotional strategy, and budget. It’s an all-inclusive ad campaign.” Oakley explained that, “We’re going against 100-150 schools in 12 districts, all we have to do is raise consumption of Coca-Cola products. The winner of each district goes to nationals, which is in Tennessee.”

Ferreira explained their strategy for the competition, “We came up with an idea of having a promotion that is a competition between high schools and colleges. The two high schools and colleges with the greatest ratio between codes collected and student population will get a concert from a star performer at their school, free of charge. There’s a charity twist (also). Each school (that wins) gets to pick a charity and that charity gets $25,000.”

“The competition lets them interact with a major client,” Curran-Kelly said. “They got a case book from Coca-Cola and a $15 million budget they had to spend. (The case book) is the situation Coke finds themselves in that they want the students to address.”

Although they did not place at the district, they are still considered winners.“We were the smallest group there,” Curran-Kelly said. “They competed against other groups that are a class funded by their school to compete. There’s no shame in competing against people who have been working on this for 30 weeks. We had about five (weeks). Given all the obstacles that they had, they did incredibly well.”

“The Marketing Communications Director from Coca-Cola told me that he thought our presentation went really well. He enjoyed it,” she said.

Kenneally said, “Although we did not do as well as we had hoped in the NSAC, we took away from it some very useful information for next years competition. If we can place more emphasis on the first draft of the case book, then we can concentrate on the presentation aspect for the weeks leading up to the competition. My hat goes off to Ashley {Souza}, Brent {West}, Lisa {Julian}, and Rich {Oakley}, they represented the UMass community and the Millennial Link with class and dignity, and Brent especially, who poured so much energy into the creation and implementation of the campaign.”

The ad club is an experience for all members according to Curran-Kelly “The AAF competition, the National Student Advertising Competition, is probably one of the better known competitions. If you go into a company and say ‘I competed in this,’ they know exactly what you are talking about and how much work went into it. One student just got back from California and has a job interview with Saatchi & Saatchi, an advertising company that would never step foot on campus.”

In order to continue the success of the organization in the future, recruitment is a majority priority next year. “90% of the agency are represented by seniors, and that is why we are huge right now on recruitment,” Kenneally said. “We need underclassmen to step up and take the reign of the organization. I will be here next semester to make sure that will happen because the ad club did go away before and we don’t want that to happen again.” “We don’t look for just business majors. Anybody from any college in the university are needed,” he said. “Look for flyers around campus for general interest meetings.”

It’s going to be up to the new members to keep the club going. “Most other schools (have) the competition as a class,” Curran-Kelly said. “We’re hoping next year (the club will be part of a class). I talked to the CVPA dean to have them issue independent study to students. It’s a huge undertaking and I don’t know if students want it as a class.”