The end of 2024 was met with a number of high-profile stories from across the globe. Yet, one story captured a high level of interest on campus and worldwide. On Dec. 4, 2024, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare was fatally shot while entering an investor’s meeting. In the following weeks, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. A handwritten document Mangione was carrying at the time of his arrest cited a distaste for UnitedHealthcare (UHC). More specifically, it pointed to UHC’s disproportionate market share, profits and poor coverage. The event triggered a national conversation on the private health insurance industry.
UnitedHealthcare and the University of Utah
UnitedHealthcare has a special tie to the University of Utah. It’s the school’s health insurance provider and covers approximately 3,700 international, graduate and undergraduate students and their dependents. Recent public discourse about UnitedHealthcare has been largely negative. However, according to post-visit surveys issued by the Student Health Center (SHC) in 2023-2024, Utah students were generally happy with healthcare at the U. 97-98% of students expressed overall satisfaction with Student Health, which is the primary administrator of insurance through UHC.
One potential reason for the disconnect between public and student sentiment on UHC is in policy group differences. Associate Director of Accounting and Finance at the Student Health Center Gillian King explained the unique position of student health insurance within UnitedHealthcare.
“We are fortunate that we work with UnitedHealthcare Student Resources, which is its own unique division under the UnitedHealth Group,” King said. “It functions very differently … it’s tailored for student needs and is not looking at coverage the same way UnitedHealthcare does.”
Utah students and their dependents are eligible for a healthcare plan under UnitedHealthcare Student Resources (UHCSR). This plan is not available on the general market. The Student Health Center selected this plan after a competitive bidding process that is repeated every five years to reflect the student body’s needs. The current plan will serve U students from fall 2024 through spring 2029.
U Student Experience
Still, feedback on Student Health is not universally positive, particularly for those with specialized medical needs. One graduate student, who wished to remain anonymous for privacy concerns, recounted her experiences with Student Health and UHCSR.
She stated Student Health was “pretty good about making appointments quickly,” but was surprised to learn her women’s wellness exam would be performed by a physician’s assistant rather than an OB-GYN.
“It was … a process,” she said. “Not great.”
Student Health is part of the Office of Student Affairs. Student Affairs also oversees the U’s Counseling Center and Financial Wellness Center, but not the University of Utah Hospital network. With a few exceptions, Student Health is staffed by Student Affairs employees. These employees are mostly nurse practitioners rather than doctors from the University Hospital.
The student also encountered problems while seeking reimbursement for a non-hormonal birth control allegedly covered by UHCSR. After purchasing the birth control, she said she received a series of conflicting messages from UHCSR. The first stated that she needed prior approval, then a later message said that they couldn’t approve without a doctor’s note. She was then told she’d need a prescription, instead. The student said the process was complicated and time-consuming.
“I just kind of gave up,” the student said. She now pays for birth control out-of-pocket.
Other Experiences with UnitedHealthcare Student Resources
Issues with UHCSR are not limited to the U. An expose on one Penn State student’s experience from 2023 summarized the problem: colleges represent “large and potentially lucrative account[s]: lots of young, healthy students paying premiums in, not too many huge medical reimbursements going out.”
Young adults are less likely to require expensive medical care than older adults, allowing healthcare companies to offer more comprehensive plans while maintaining similar profit margins. Yet, when those profits are threatened by students facing complex medical issues, UHC Student Resources has been reported to revert to delaying coverage, overbilling or declining to cover certain procedures for students.
Health Literacy at the U
King said navigating health insurance and health literacy can be complicated for students. In an attempt to better support students, the U’s Student Health Center added a new role last fall — a health coverage case manager. The role is currently being filled by Janis Gibson.
“She doesn’t only help folks navigate their own student health insurance plan,” King said. “But she also helps any student at the University of Utah understand what their health insurance is. [She’ll] go through their plan with them if they have questions about cost, expectations, [or] in-network providers.”
Students with questions about using insurance should reach out to [email protected]with a request to speak with a health coverage case manager. Assistance is offered to all students, including those with non-university health insurance or students currently uninsured.
Regardless of coverage status, King said, “we want to be here to be a resource for you.”
Our reporting at The Daily Utah Chronicle is ongoing. Students at the U who wish to share their experiences with health insurance are encouraged to reach out to Grace Maya at [email protected].
