Most situations in life, whether big or small, come with a downside and an upside. For instance, in February, I was happy and relieved that my divorce was finalized. The upside of that meant that an unhappy 15-year marriage ended. The downside made me worry, because according to North Carolina law, my health insurance also ended. I’m self-employed, so minimal coverage health insurance was going to cost me close to $200 a month. I decided to join the ranks of the uninsured and take a risk rather than opt to forego groceries, heat, or gas for my car. The upside: my children and I were well-fed, warm, and mobile. The downside: there was always a nagging fear of “what if.”A glimmer of hope came when I found a CCE health insurance survey in my mailbox in the spring of 2008 asking if I would be interested in a student insurance plan. I filled out my survey and encouraged others to do the same. According to Rita Serotkin, CCE dean of students, there was not a definitive reason why health insurance had never been offered to adults. She said that it was a subject that had not been discussed during her time at Guilford. Serotkin said that a student stopped her and asked if health some type of coverage could be offered for CCE students. Serotkin took the request to Guilford’s president, Kent Chabotar, and Jerry Boothby, vice president for finance and administration. Chabotar and Boothby thought that this was an idea that should be pursued if enough students were interested in the coverage. The survey was used to find out how many students would be interested in health insurance through Guilford.

The results from the survey showed sufficient interest, so with approval from Chabotar and Boothby, the administration began their search for the carrier with the right price and right coverage. UnitedHealthCare won the bid. CCE students were given the opportunity to enroll through an obscure form received through the mail. I usually read everything closely, so thankfully I noticed that it was offered. There was no brochure or information about the coverage. The only information provided was that the cost was only $369.00 for twelve months of coverage. Even though I wasn’t sure what was covered, I thought this unknown something would be worth more than the known nothing! I finally did receive my coverage information and found that it was well worth the cost. I don’t have well visits, but there are certain health screenings covered along with most sick visits to a hospital or a physician. It’s definitely coverage that takes away the nagging fear. There were not many students who enrolled in the insurance plan and Serotkin believes this was due to the lack of information and lack of publicity. She stated that in the future she would love to see more students benefit from the insurance. Serotkin said, “If it benefits any student, then it is a good thing . The insurance gives them a way to take care of themselves without a huge financial hardship.” CCE students can enroll at any time during the year, adding this to their Guilford bill. The cost is pro-rated based on the number of months of coverage and the expense can be covered by financial aid. If you have an interest in the coverage, UnitedHealthCare has finally provided the insurance brochures to the CCE office. If you like to see what you are getting before you pay, then drop by Hendricks Hall to pick up more information. As usual, life gives us ups and downs. The upside to all of this: thanks to Guilford, I am no longer an uninsured statistic. The downside: I graduate in May, so I’ll lose the coverage. The upside: I graduate in May and I’ll just worry about the rest later.