Universities Weblog

After her daughter died of colon cancer when her insurance coverage was revoked as a result of having to leave school, a mother fought back.

Student health insurance usually requires the student to be enrolled full-time in order to have coverage, which punishes the students who are so ill they must take a leave of absence, the students who need it the most.

Foster's Online reports:

Over the last year, AnnMarie Morse has led a crusade in the Legislature fighting for the legislation to help college students like her daughter. Michelle's Law was held in committee, where supporters feared the legislation would be squashed.

"This feels just awesome," Morse told reporters after Wednesday's voice vote. "We were never asking for a lifetime, we were asking for just 12 months … for other students like Michelle, I can't change the outcome of their illness, but the whole plan is to ease some of the burden for them. That's why we have insurance."

Although she tried to fight the diseases while maintaining her workload at PSU, Michelle Morse was eventually forced to give up her full-time course load at PSU. She persevered, however, graduating cum laude this past spring.

After Michelle was diagnosed, AnnMarie Morse was shocked to learn her self-funded insurance program would only cover Michelle's expenses if she were a full-time student, which is similar to policies of all companies regulated by the state Insurance Department.

Without the help of the insurance, AnnMarie Morse said her only option was to pay $550 per month for C.O.B.R.A., which is 36-month temporary insurance coverage.
So, Morse said she will continue her fight in the state Senate, and then move on the federal level hoping to add the provisions of Michelle's Law to the ERISA laws.

Did you enjoy this article?