The Brown & White

For some Lehigh students who cannot afford health insurance themselves or for those who do not fall under the coverage of their parents' policy, Lehigh offers a brokered health insurance plan under the company University Health Plans, or UHP.

This plan, which works in conjunction with and is specifically tailored to the needs and practices of the Health Center, offers general medical expense benefits and coverage as stated by the Lehigh plan brochure.

While the plan does offer up to $400 coverage for elective abortions, it does not cover birth control prescriptions. Dr. Susan Kitei, director of the Health and Wellness Center, said UHP does not consider birth control prescriptions medically necessary. UHP does, however, cover the expenses for routine gynecological examinations and pap smears.

Dorothea Lyons, an account executive for University Health Plans Inc., said although Lehigh's particular policy does not allow the coverage of birth control, it is allowed to be covered if used for a covered medical condition, such as an irregular menstrual cycle. If the birth control is used as a contraceptive, then it will not be covered, she said.

According to Lyons, the exclusion for birth control has been part of the plan ever since UHP started servicing the plan as the school's broker.

"Often times when a switch in plan-carriers occurs, the new plan is based on and is sometimes an exact copy of the previous plan, unless there is a request for new benefits, new exclusions or other changes," Lyons said. Lyons had no information about the plan that Lehigh used prior to UHP.

UHP, which serves more than 75 universities nationwide, tailors each health plan differently, Lyons said.

"Some may be very similar to others. Some may be polar opposites and the same goes for price. Some schools' plans cover birth control, some don't. Some plans don't cover prescriptions at all," she said.

"I honestly don't know if a decision will be made in a future policy year renewal to add a benefit for birth control that's not being used for another covered medical purpose," she said.

Kitei said the Health Center does not provide students with birth control prescriptions with the exception of the Depo-Provera injection, a single injection of hormones that is meant to prevent pregnancy and lasts for three months, and the Plan B emergency contraceptive pill.

Kitei also said the Health Center does not have a full service pharmacy, but they do order and stock some very inexpensive medicines, such as certain antibiotics, and they do not charge a fee for those.

"Contraceptives are generally too expensive to keep in stock," Kitei said. "Plus, students use such a variety that we could never have all of the different brands and generics available.

"We stock the Depo-Provera injection because it is something a nurse must administer, but most students who use it have a prescription from elsewhere and we just administer it for free," she said. "We stock the Emergency Contraceptive Pill because it is so important for students to have it available quickly when it's needed."

A student who asked to remain anonymous said although she is under her parents' plan that does cover a birth control prescription, she has used the Health Center's services for emergency contraceptives.

"It's cheaper to go to the Health Center to get a drug like Plan B," she said. "I know a lot of people who would rather get it there than go to the drug store."

Another student who also asked to remain anonymous said she does not know anyone who is covered by UHP but felt obtaining birth control without a health plan would be very costly.

"I know that my parents' policy covers my birth control prescription, but I still have to pay around $30 every time I need it refilled," she said. "I can't imagine what the cost would be on a monthly basis if you weren't covered."

Kitei said some, but not all insurance companies cover birth control prescriptions.

She said students have two main options for inexpensive contraceptive prescriptions. First, she said students could obtain prescriptions from Planned Parenthood, which has a sliding fee scale for students. Second, she said students can talk to their Health Center or healthcare provider about an inexpensive generic version of an oral contraceptive pill. Students may have to be flexible, as all brands of pills do not have an inexpensive generic, she said.

Kitei said Lehigh's health plan, UHP, gives good coverage at a very reasonable cost.

"One potential issue is that the prescription plan requires students to pay up front for medicines, which is difficult for some," Kitei said. "But no medicine ultimately costs a student more than $10 for a generic or $20 for a brand name, after the reimbursement has been completed."

Kitei said having the prescription plan discount the cost of prescriptions immediately would unfortunately drive up the cost of the plan.

"Overall, students have been happy with the plan and we hear very few complaints from those who use it," Kitei said.