Stanford cuts HMOs for dependents

fiestynurse · Jul 23, 2001

The Orange County Register

July 22, 2001

"Stanford cuts HMOs for dependents"

By Margie Mason, The Associated Press

"About 250 students with dependents received letters earlier this month informing them a new health-care plan would be offered, but a premium increase of as much as 60% was expected. Many students said they can't afford those rates and were embarrassed by an accompanying flyer detailing public-assistance plans available for low- or middle-income families in Santa Clara County."

Jeffrey Martin, an engineering doctoral student with a wife and fivechildren:

"I feel appalled that a world-class university like Stanford would let a situation come about whereby implying students should get public assistance for their dependents."

Comment: Really? The university of such notables as Alain Enthoven and Milton Friedman is endorsing public-assistance health plans for family members of their own students? Surely it must be a practicum in applied economics. They wouldn't really.... Naw, it must be a joke. Some sense of humor!