The Florida Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability found that requiring all students at Florida’s public colleges to obtain health insurance would increase the cost of college by 5 to 7 percent for students who do not already have health coverage.  The report notes that the legislature could impose the mandate in three ways.  The state could follow the Florida State University (FSU) model, requiring all students to obtain minimal levels of coverage and offering an optional university plan, require students to obtain university-provided coverage, or allow individual colleges to choose whether or not to require health coverage.

From the report:

All state universities offer health insurance plans, and Florida State University has required all new students to carry health insurance since 2007. Adopting a similar statewide requirement would guarantee that students are covered in case of accident or illness, could reduce student withdrawals from college, and could improve universities’ ability to negotiate insurance policies. However, it would increase uninsured students’ cost to attend a state university by 5% to 7%, which could limit access to state universities if financial aid is not increased to cover the cost.

Unlike doctors’ offices, most university health centers do not bill students’ health insurance policies for visits. Currently, only three state universities have established systems to bill student insurance policies. While billing insurance may provide an additional source of revenue for health centers, it may not be cost-effective for centers that offer limited services or that have a high percentage of uninsured students.

Full report: Florida University Students Pay $68 Million for Health Services (PDF | 1.95 MB)

The Florida Legislature. Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. (2009). University students pay $68 million for health services; mandating health insurance would produce benefits but raise uninsured students’ cost of attendance 5% to 7%. Report No. 09-40.