Should school districts require health insurance for sports participation?

[Middleman]

Our school district has a policy that a young person must have health insurance in order to participate in sports. I know this has changed since my now grown kids were in high school. I'm not sure when it changed, but it's now a requirement here.

I'm wondering, what business is it of the schools? As long as they are not responsible financially, why do they care? I heard from another parent that some kids, whose parents lost their benefited jobs, aren't able to participate this year.

The school offers health insurance, one of those school policies. I wonder if they get a cut of the profits from that? It just seems odd to me that they are requiring this now.

 

[Douger]

There should be no sports in school.College included.
School is for education.
Sports are a private dealio.like boy scouts or karate lessons..............which I HIGHLY recommend.

 

[Greenbeard]

Quite a few universities require that you be insured just to attend. Should that policy spread to primary/secondary schools? Honestly, it won't really matter in a few years. But it does make a certain amount of sense if the school is allowing the child to be in a position where they could get injured/incur medical costs.

Even now, there are precious few reasons a child should be uninsured. Even if a parent loses his job, Medicaid and CHIP are both there to assist kids in families all the way up to 300%+ of the poverty level.

School districts are only going to get more involved, now that the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge was launched last week.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Our school district has a policy that a young person must have health insurance in order to participate in sports. I know this has changed since my now grown kids were in high school. I'm not sure when it changed, but it's now a requirement here.

I'm wondering, what business is it of the schools? As long as they are not responsible financially, why do they care? I heard from another parent that some kids, whose parents lost their benefited jobs, aren't able to participate this year.

The school offers health insurance, one of those school policies. I wonder if they get a cut of the profits from that? It just seems odd to me that they are requiring this now.

Does it ever occur to these sorts of busybodies that it's the PARENTS' job to make sure their kids have healthcare, and that it's extremely offensive of them to barge in and try to usurp that responsibility? What if the parents happen to be able to pay out-of-pocket? And it seems illegal and discriminatory to me to deny any child the right to participate in extra-curricular activities (which is actually a legally-defensible right in my state).

 

[bromiley]

Higher health-care costs, contracted teacher-salary increases, and a mandated spike in the district's contribution to the state teachers' pension fund are some of the main cost drivers fueling the deficit, school directors have said.

 

[Charles_Main]

Higher health-care costs, contracted teacher-salary increases, and a mandated spike in the district's contribution to the state teachers' pension fund are some of the main cost drivers fueling the deficit, school directors have said.

Those lying SOB's Unions are never bad. Never I say!!!!

 

[Zander]

Our school district has a policy that a young person must have health insurance in order to participate in sports. I know this has changed since my now grown kids were in high school. I'm not sure when it changed, but it's now a requirement here.

I'm wondering, what business is it of the schools? As long as they are not responsible financially, why do they care? I heard from another parent that some kids, whose parents lost their benefited jobs, aren't able to participate this year.

The school offers health insurance, one of those school policies. I wonder if they get a cut of the profits from that? It just seems odd to me that they are requiring this now.

Does it ever occur to these sorts of busybodies that it's the PARENTS' job to make sure their kids have healthcare, and that it's extremely offensive of them to barge in and try to usurp that responsibility? What if the parents happen to be able to pay out-of-pocket? And it seems illegal and discriminatory to me to deny any child the right to participate in extra-curricular activities (which is actually a legally-defensible right in my state).

Nanny Stater's everywhere are rejoicing!! Next up, GRADE EQUALITY! Why should any child feel inferior?

 

[chanel]

Our school district has a policy that a young person must have health insurance in order to participate in sports. I know this has changed since my now grown kids were in high school. I'm not sure when it changed, but it's now a requirement here.

I'm wondering, what business is it of the schools? As long as they are not responsible financially, why do they care? I heard from another parent that some kids, whose parents lost their benefited jobs, aren't able to participate this year.

The school offers health insurance, one of those school policies. I wonder if they get a cut of the profits from that? It just seems odd to me that they are requiring this now.

That's interesting Middleman. I doubt highly that the school gets a cut, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone on your school board is selling those policies.

In NJ we have to advertise NJ Family Care to all students who do not have health insurance, but I don't think they are required to purchase it.

My guess is that there may have been a few costly lawsuits at your kids' school. People who have their medical bills paid generally don't hire a lawyer. More and more "educational decisions" are now being made with only question in mind "How do we avoid getting sued"?

Those school policies won't be worth squat in the next few years. Here's the article about college plans:

Hot Air ObamaCare may end student health-care insurance at colleges

 

[Luissa]

They did this when I was high school, I think they might have even done it when I was junior high. It is probably so they don't have to end up paying for all the medical costs if your child is injured. It is a way to cover their asses. Just think of it as their version of LNI.

 

[chanel]

My son's college requires it and so did the rec. teams that my kids played on when they were little. Not school though.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Quite a few universities require that you be insured just to attend. Should that policy spread to primary/secondary schools? Honestly, it won't really matter in a few years. But it does make a certain amount of sense if the school is allowing the child to be in a position where they could get injured/incur medical costs.

Even now, there are precious few reasons a child should be uninsured. Even if a parent loses his job, Medicaid and CHIP are both there to assist kids in families all the way up to 300%+ of the poverty level.

School districts are only going to get more involved, now that the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge was launched last week.

Let me see if I understand you here. The federal law that requires me to buy health insurance allows schools, which are required by law to accept students, to force parents to buy their children health insurance, or not go to school?

No, you can't be saying that. The law requires school districts to enforce it.

Again, that does not make sense, so please tell me, how is the business of the school district if a child has insurance? Aren't they required by law to provide any medical care a child needs, even if they don't have insurance? Does this mean that when a child gets medical care, like an abortion, the parent will be responsible even if they did not give prior permission?

 

[Greenbeard]

As near as I can tell, no one is talking about any federal law in this thread. This is about local school district policies. Some states require children to have their immunizations to attend schools, for example. Nothing particularly shocking there.

 

[Cecilie1200]

They did this when I was high school, I think they might have even done it when I was junior high. It is probably so they don't have to end up paying for all the medical costs if your child is injured. It is a way to cover their asses. Just think of it as their version of LNI.

They have release forms that you sign that say they are not responsible for your child's injuries (provided they aren't due to the negligent actions of the school district's employees).

 

[chanel]

I've heard those release forms aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Not sure if that's true or not.

 

[Ravi]

Our school district has a policy that a young person must have health insurance in order to participate in sports. I know this has changed since my now grown kids were in high school. I'm not sure when it changed, but it's now a requirement here.

I'm wondering, what business is it of the schools? As long as they are not responsible financially, why do they care? I heard from another parent that some kids, whose parents lost their benefited jobs, aren't able to participate this year.

The school offers health insurance, one of those school policies. I wonder if they get a cut of the profits from that? It just seems odd to me that they are requiring this now.

Our schools require it...if the kids don't have it they offer a low cost alternative so everyone can participate.