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Kent State student journalists report their findings.
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WHO PAYS?
MAC schools aren’t required to tell athletes who’s responsible for medical expenses
Shanice Dunning
Posted: 4/5/2013 2:00 pm EST
Updated: 4/10/2013 8:54 am EST
When budding young athletes are lured by college recruiters they’re told a lot about the university in attempt to hook them, but one topic recruiters are avoiding is medical coverage.
Jasen Sokol
Samara Sands
Raven Brinson
Tong Guan
Chaoxin Wang
Erika Kerr
Andy Jardy
Case Study: Louisville
Athletic Injuries: Who Pays After Graduation?
Gabriel Kramer and Megan Shaw
Posted: 4/5/2013 2:00 pm EST
Louisville guard Kevin Ware doesn’t have to worry about medical bills now. What his insurance doesn’t cover the university’s will. But what if his nationally televised broken leg doesn’t heal the way it should, what if Ware has persistent problems and medical costs after graduation?
Photo by University of Louisville - flickr photostream
The University of Louisville has not yet responded to our questions, but one person who did is Ramogi Huma, president of the National College Players Association. He says universities need to be far more transparent about who is going to pay for athletic injuries requiring hospitalization. Huma says the current system can lead to some huge medical bill surprises.
“Many of the coaches who are recruiting the players,” says Huma, “are promising the players that if they are injured, the university will take care of it, but in reality the university is not obligated to pay one penny for any sports related injury.”
Confusion about who pays is understandable.
In a USA Today article posted earlier this week, NCAA spokesperson, Stacey Osburn, was quoted saying, “Student-athletes must have insurance covering athletic-related injuries to practice and compete, per rules adopted by NCAA institutions – and in most cases colleges and universities provide that coverage.”
In most cases the university provides that coverage?
Advice to avoid medical bill surprises
Ramogi Huma, National College Players Association
Also Watch: Medical Bill Surprise | Need for Honesty | Universities Fight Disclosure | No Disclosure Policy | Advice for the Student
DISCLOSURES
When universities recruit athletes, do they discuss the risk; do they discuss the potential medical cost; is disclosure required?
| Disclosed risks? | |
|---|---|
| Akron | NO |
| Toledo | NO |
| Kent State | NO |
| Buffalo | NO |
| Ohio University | NO |
| Eastern Michigan | NO |
| Western Michigan | NO |
| Bowling Green | NO |
| Miami | NO |
| Northern Illinois | NO |
| Ball State | NO |
| Central Michigan | NO |
| U Mass | NO |
| Disclosed medical costs? | |
|---|---|
| Akron | NO |
| Toledo | NO |
| Kent State | NO |
| Buffalo | NO |
| Ohio University | NO |
| Eastern Michigan | NO |
| Western Michigan | NO |
| Bowling Green | NO |
| Miami | NO |
| Northern Illinois | NO |
| Ball State | NO |
| Central Michigan | NO |
| U Mass | NO |
| Who pays for treatment? | |
|---|---|
| Akron | Student |
| Toledo | Student |
| Kent State | Student |
| Buffalo | Student |
| Ohio University | Student |
| Eastern Michigan | Student |
| Western Michigan | Student |
| Bowling Green | Student |
| Miami | Student |
| Northern Illinois | Student |
| Central Michigan | Student |
| U Mass | Student |
| Who pays the deductible? | |
|---|---|
| Akron | University |
| Toledo | University |
| Kent State | University |
| Buffalo | Student |
| Ohio University | Student |
| Eastern Michigan | Student |
| Western Michigan | Student |
| Bowling Green | Student |
| Miami | University |
| Northern Illinois | University |
| Central Michigan | University |
| U Mass | Student |
Total Medical Expenses & Insurance
MAC vs Louisville vs Ohio State.
Source: NCAA Expense & Revenue reports submitted by the universities.
Resources
Policies on Disclosure, Insurance Policies & Links
| Policies on Disclosure (PDF) |
|---|
| BGSU |
| Cincinnati |
| Toledo |
| NIU |
| Eastern Michigan |
| Western Michigan |
| Penn State |
| Wisconsin |
| Miami |
| Buffalo |
| OSU |
| Kent State |
| Insurance Policies (PDF) |
|---|
| Illinois |
| BGSU |
| Toledo |
| Northern Illinois |
| Eastern Michigan |
| Wisconsin |
| Miami |
| OSU |
| Mich State University |
| Akron |