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School District May Require Insurance Purchase Before Athletes Can Even Try Out For Sport
June 17, 2009
Escambia County student athletes may be required to purchase insurance from a district approved carrier next year — even if the athlete has adequate private or even military insurance.
Kevin Windham, director of risk management for the Escambia County School District, presented the plan to the board at workshop meetingy.
Under current board policy, if a student provides proof of at least $25,000 in insurance, they are not required to purchase a district policy. The district policies current cost $54 for football players, $20 for soccer players and $9.50 for other sports.
The new plan would require athletes to have the district issued policy prior to even trying out for a sport. The problem, Windham said, is that a student may show proof of insurance at the beginning of a season, but parents may loose that insurance before a season ends. The district issued policy would shift liability in such a situation from the school district to the insurance carrier.
Windham said the district has located policies that would cost as little as $12 per student, regardless of their sport.
“I do not believe in disciplining the majority of parents who follow the rules because some do not. I believe mandatory insurance, unless it is extremely inexpensive, will discourage some from even trying out and will decrease participation,” Board Member Jeff Bergosh wrote on his blog.
“I think the goal of wanting every athlete covered is noble, however a new blanket rule that requires everyone to purchase additional insurance is aggressive; once the idea hits some who already have “gold-plated” Cadillac insurance plans that they are going to have to buy more—I think these people will become vocally opposed. For some it will be a matter of cost, but for more it will be a matter of principle,” Bergosh also wrote on his blog.
The school board voted 4-0, with District 5 Member Bill Slayton absent, to advertise the new rule for public input.
Comments
10 Responses to “School District May Require Insurance Purchase Before Athletes Can Even Try Out For Sport”
All kid’s should be able to try out for sport’s, insurance or not……if they make the team, the school insurance is not that much.
my big issue is,,,, sometime’s they have to go to the doctor for a physical before they are even able to try out. this is not right. the physical should come after they make the sport, they only have a few day’s notice, the child bring’s home all the paperwork, including area for physician to ok before they are able to participate in try-out’s, for all the people who don’t have health care, nor the money to run pay cash at the MD. office, just so they can attempt a sport. that child does not get involved due to lack of fund’s…. The system is not right. The extra school activitie’s keep the child from straying into the wrong crowd,
The School District does get extra funding for children that has problems. I do belive that is why it seems that so many schools would like to see more kids on ridlin and other drugs. Also some students that have bad behavior problems get to stay on the bus, because the District gets money for that.However the District has to have something in place to avoid lawsuits, maybe some kind of waiver that the parent signs??
I sure wish Kevin Windham could find affordable insurance rates for all school district employees! Our insurance rates are outrageous and getting worse. Let’s look into something besides the “self insured” business maybe.
Wow, folks. Let’s freak out over 12 bucks. If it prevents ONE instance of a family losing their insurance halfway through the year and then suing the school system for damages when their snowflake gets hurt…. I’m all for it.
that stings educator, she caint ehlp that hers splellin itnt good.
First of all, Michelle, schools cannot refer children for any type of psychiatric medication. It is against the law! Not even school nurses can do that, least of all counselors! So your source was simply spreading a rumor. The only issues that schools are allowed to test for are learning disabilities and behavior problems that may affect learning. Only a medical doctor can test for disorders, such as autism, that require medication. No, I don’t agree with the district’s newest proposal. We pay enough for private insurance. But please, get your facts straight before making general comments about ALL schools. Perhaps you could go back and learn correct spelling and grammar.
$12 a year, come on guys, if they want to play a sport their socks and jocks cost more than that. It is just another case of the majority who don’t want to pay for anything being subsidized by the minority who do. Pay your fair share, or wait on Osama Obama’s school insurance stimulus package, coming to a school district near you soon.
Thats right …..there are a bunch of crooks at the District.And its about time the taxpayers of escambia county stand up against the crooks.
Another scam for money, what will the county come up with next? Lunch time insurance incase children choke on a fish stick.?
Money strapped family with suffer more especially if it is a large family, then to be told “technicality, your child wasn’t wearing the approved footwear by the county, we are not paying your claim”. then they will be stuck with a huge medical bill on top.
I was told years a go by a school councilor (Brentwood) that schools get extra funding for each child they refer for things such as Ridlin, because it is under a disabilt clause. . And they get Government money for it. Know think how many children you know that are on medications like this? It adds up to a nice little profit doesn’t it. But schools are always crying poverty.
They are only doing it in the best interst of our children, RIGHT!!
I have some ocean front property in Arizona I sell you too….
Just how is the kickback scheme from the insurer going to work because the district is selling these mandatory policies? If you don’t think there’s some amiss here, you’re not looking at the big picture, otherwise why penalize those who already have adequate medical insurance? Remember it says “district approved” carrier, which is code speak for the school district’s favorite insurer, and the more policies that are sold, the greater the financial payoff.