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Show Jj November 19, 2002 'll :th Page mm xrn3T7T j Freshman Secures Futures for Students Jeremy -St- A. already covered with my parents insurance so I Fi- Johnson ag-Writs Little did gured, Why bother? Then she thought, Wait a minute they should be able to get somebody to cover them. The wheels of what her brother, Ben Jones, described as her tenacious mind began to churn. Jones knew what to do by instinct. Her experience in health insurance coverage started back when she worked for her brother as an administrative fresh- 20-year-- man Megan Jones know the pivotal role she would play in Westminster Colleges aca- 2002-200- 3 demic year. Virtually unknown to the rest of the student body, Jones, a resident of Sandy, has attended Westminster for less than a year and in her short time has provided a vital service to her fellow assistant at Colonial Life students and the schools and Accident. administration. While working for him, Last summer the Westminster administration Jones got her Utah insurfaced a desperate situation ance license which allows the recipient to sell health when the Allen J. Flood insurance legally in the Company cancelled the state of Utah. After six schools student health insurance plan. The abrupt months Jones left when the action couldnt have come business expanded to go to school and Find an employat a worse time for er who would provide Westminster Executive tuition reimbursement. and Treasurer Steve Morgan, During those six months Vice President of Student Jones said she came across many college students who Development and were very unclear about Enrollment Management Philip Alletto, and Dean of the possibilities of health insurance. Students Students Carolyn Perkins. werent aware that health The new academic year insurance plans existed just was a month away when the previous provider made for them, said Jones. She also said that many stuits decision to cut the dents opted not to take schools plan for having too many claims for so few insurance because they felt The it wasnt affordable. participants. problem is that if they get Scrambling to Find a new provider, Morgan and hurt or sick they arent Alletto pitched their interest going to be able to afford to local and national health that either. So they are take care providers. The compa- more of a risk financially nies pursued either would by not having coverage not take the school or gave than by having it, said such poor options at outra- Jones. Jones knew that stugeous prices that the prodents needed as many posal was more a risk to students than to the opportunities available to provider themselves. Two them as possible. She of the companies looked phoned her brother Ben hopeful right before the fall about the letter. She explained the letter and the semester, but the deal obvious reality, to her, that crumbled because of existthe school should be able ing circumstances. to find a provider. With With hope, exhausted the administration, through Ben on the case, the colPerkins, released a letter in leges student health care dilemma was one step late August notifying stucloser to being resolved. dents of the desperate With one phone call health care provider situamade as a result of an act tion. The letter gave stuon an intuition one person dents a choice of three set the wheels in motion to alternative healthcare resolve what had perproviders. The letter was meant as a stopgap until a plexed and exhausted the efforts of an administration provider was found. a few months earlier. And While the administrayet who would know? tion continued the search, the stopgap letter was sent Would anyone care? Could anyone realize the magnito the student body. Jones tude of Megan Jones mere received the letter with act on an intuition? mixed impressions. I was Probably not. Young about to throw the letter Megan Jones took thl extra away, said Jones. I was -- Vice-Preside- nt Megan. Ben said, We were close growing up until life got complicated with careers and school. Ben called Megan about the results. It surprised me how fast he found a provider, but then again it didnt. Ben is really motivated, said Megan. In the conversation Ben asked Megan who he should contact at the step when most others would have figured, Why bother? Its not my problem." Jones made it her problem with a solution. According to Ben this has been a characteristic trait of Megans all her life. Megan is a person who is always Fighting for a cause, said Ben. With the phone call made, brother Ben, a motivated individual by nature, according to sister Megan, began to make phone calls When asked about the fact that many students dont school. Megan suggested take advantage of the health that he call the administrainsurance plan and what she tion office.- Making the call would like to say to these initially to the dean of students office, Ben spoke with students Jones said, I ' to healthcare providers, in Perkins who transferred him encourage students to take his realm of the healthcare world. It took four phone advantage of the plan. Call to Morgan. Bens office to find something Ben said Morgans greatcalls and I had a willing that will work for you there provider," said Ben. Within a est concern was finding a are options within the plan." week and half of his sisters provider who would cover Jones most enduring initial phone call and only maternity. Overall Morgan four phone calls later Ben was impressed by the whole message to students is not to had a provider for the coltag team effort and said, Its assume that you cannot afford health insurance wonderful when one of our lege. because the initial cost. The students steps forward to The relationship reality is that you will not be between Megan and her help out with schools probable to afford the resulting lems. This is a perfect exambrother Ben is described as costs if something happens to a close one by both parties. ple of effective student involvement. you. Were good friends, said - t 4 '' J " W '20 : . Megan and Westminster College are a natural fit for each other. She graduated in a class of 15 students from a small private liberal arts high school much like Westminster, Realms Of Inquiry. Majoring in history, Jones would like to teach in a small private school much like Realms Of Inquiry. 4 T c -- . , ( : ijt' fs& J'7 J1 f jrzL j,K 7 7 7 T' r- -' . p ' ft i i A ' ifrT3Tt.Ar I 1 . . .KBK8S& WAs niMMv s t0!infurr g mss |