1STUDENT HEALTH CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES

November 29, 2001

Members Present: Lori McKee, Chair, Karin Diener, Patricia Frank, Ann Hales, Melanie Martin, Chelsea Stipe, Michael O’Larey, Tony Mahung, Brian Thompson

Members Absent: Michael Ellis, Jera Elsa, Wendy Floren, Becky Keele-Smith, Paul LaPorte, Leslie Robbins, Jason Rogers, Luis Solis, Becky Ramirez, April Vise, Patricia Chavira

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes of the October 25, 2001, meeting were approved with the correction that Tony Mahung should have been listed as present.

OLD BUSINESS:

Open House: Sixty-five people attended the open house on 10/31/01. Lori McKee noted a need for greater participation from SHAC members. Some individuals who had volunteered their services for this occasion, did not attend. Suggestions for future improvement included more preplanning among SHAC members and shortening the event’s time frame from three hours to two hours.

Flu Shots: The SHC received 600 doses. Any student is eligible to receive a flu shot, the cost is $10.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Pharmacy System: The Pharmacy began using its new computer system on 11/20/01. It is working effectively and has presented few minor problems. The new system fills prescriptions, prints receipts, provides information on food and drug interactions, checks for allergies, and is capable of printing literature in English and Spanish. The old system will continue to be run as a back up to keep records already stored in that system for requirement of maintaining Pharmacy records for three years. Please note that Pharmacy information is also recorded in a patient’s medical record, which record is kept indefinitely. An insurance tracking component is being worked on and is hoped to be operable by Fall 2002. Another feature being looked into is an interface with wholesale drug companies to facilitate ordering and obtaining pricing information.

2. Stats: The number of patient visits in October was up 529, or 12.03% compared to the same period last year. Prescriptions were up 5.52%, Lab was up 7 7.2%, Xray was up 30.19%, and shot room visits up 8.27%. Physician On-Call occurrences were down by 4, but up 17% for the year. Saturday clinic was down by 3, and down 11% for the year. There has been no flu documented yet this year.

3. SHC Proposal for Mandatory Insurance for Foreign Students:

Currently, foreign students must have insurance to be a student at NMSU. Visa Type F must have insurance with repatriation. Visa Type J just have a minimum of $50,000 coverage plus repatriation. There are no requirements or guidelines for the type of insurance a student must carry. All foreign students are coded as foreign and must present proof of their insurance to CIP. When proof is presented, CIP puts a waiver on the account for insurance and the student does not have to buy the SHC insurance.

Student Health Advisory Committee Meeting - Minutes

November 29, 2001

Currently, only forty-five foreign students are enrolled in the SHC system. Lori McKee reviewed problems which are difficult hurdles when a foreign student has an insurance coverage other than the SHC coverage. Many outside insurance policies do not cover TB testing or any subsequent necessary Xrays. A hold on a foreign student’s account will not be released unless a foreign student has fulfilled the mandatory TB testing requirement. It is also more difficult for the SHC to advocate on behalf of a student through a third party. Any holds placed on a student’s account because an outside insurance company has not yet paid an outstanding claim cannot be released by the SHC. Only claims through the SHC endorsed policy can be released by the SHC.
In addition, there is the problem of students coming in with proof of insurance, and then subsequently dropping coverage.
Ms. McKee feels the waiver system is failing and would like to propose a requirement that all foreign students must carry the NMSU endorsed health plan. She would like to present a proposal to the new Vice Provost for International Programs in the Spring and asked members to be thinking about this idea and to offer input. Ms. McKee sees the need to establish criteria for coverage and would like to meet with CIP, members from this committee, and with foreign students who would like to participate in a discussion on what to do. The intent is to determine a system which better serves the students as well as the universtiy. The CIP committee will probably meet sometime in January 2002 regarding this issue.
Ann Hales questioned whether there could be exceptions if someone showed they had a good policy, as long a minimum standards were met. She also indicated the concern of making one rule for foreign students and others for non-foreign - is it discriminatory? We need to be sure students are not paying for the same thing twice.
How do you make sure a student is maintaining his/her insurance coverage?
Brian Thompson suggested the Industrial Engineering students might take this on as a project to review a better process.
Melanie Martin brought up the question of who would scrutinize various policies to ascertain what is contained in them and whether they meet requirements.

4. Insurance Renewal: Lori McKee stated that the university may go out to bid in the Spring 2002. A system that would allow students to follow their claims electronically is a feature that would be investigated. Ms. McKee asked members to think about what students want. Is there an interest in pursuing a cafeteria style of choices?

Other:

Insurance Committee meets usually twice a year. There was no Fall 2001 meeting; the next meeting will probably be in March 2002.
The SHC is open through 12/21/01, except for the morning of 12/18/01 when staff will be in training. The SHC will reopen on 1/02/02 after winter break. There is no Physician On-Call service from 12/17/01 through 1/4/02.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

The next meeting is: Thursday, February 28, 2002, Room 167, Student Health Center.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________________________________

Lori McKee, Administrative Director, Student Health Center

Chairperson