MU student health plans to charge lab tests

The general health fee will not increase for students.

By Krissy Tripp

Published April 23, 2009

The Student Health Center will begin charging students for lab tests beginning July 1.

Student Health Center Director Susan Even met with the Missouri Students Association to discuss the student health center fee. The student health fee will not be increasing, but instead, students will be charged extra for services including lab tests.

MSA Senate Speaker Amanda Shelton said she wasn't there for the in-depth financial analysis, but is looking into more information regarding the change of fees.

"Without having that information, but knowing that their fee was kept flat, it's not surprising some fees will increase," Shelton said.

Dale said by adding lab test fees the Student Health Center will be able to maintain the current student health fee. All students with six hours or more pay $92.78 each semester. The fee changes to $75.71 for those enrolled in summer classes.

"I think if you put us up against other Big 12 schools, we're behind in charging students for lab testing," Dale said. "It was a luxury for our students to have those included in their fees."

According to other Big 12 schools, MU is one of the last to begin charging for lab tests.

Mai Hester, health services spokeswoman for the University of Kansas, said student health fee increases have become a trend and those fees never covered lab tests.

"Any sort of testing we do has a charge and that's always been the case," Hester said. "Student health fees have increased this year, but they've been increasing slightly for the past few years."

Sherry Bell, University Health Services consumer education and outreach coordinator for the University of Texas, said their health center charges for all lab tests, but they don't charge student health fees.

"We get our money straight out of tuition," Bell said.

The University of Nebraska Health Center charges for lab testing as well. Lab testing fees ranged from $12 to $37, but the student health fee at Nebraska is only $29 per semester for full time students. Part time students pay $2.40 per credit hour in health fees.

Dale said MU's Student Health Center will charge somewhere between $10 and $20 for lab tests.

About half of the students visiting the Student Health Center are there to take one of the five most common lab tests, Dale said.

"The primary goal of this is to charge students who would be using the lab tests while not increasing fees for the student body as a whole," Dale said.

The student health fee will continue to allow students to see a primary health care provider at the Student Health Center.

Only university insurance and a few others include the Student Health Center in their plans. Students with plans that aren't through the university won't be able to use their plans to help pay the lab testing fees.

Dale is unsure of why the Student Health Center isn't accepted by many insurance plans.

Shelton said she thinks the price increase could be considered steep for a student's budget.

"I hope it doesn't become a representative trend," she said.