Interview Possibility: New Law Protects College Students' Medical Insurance Coverage While Attending School, Oct 08-09

This week a new federal law will go into effect that
guarantees that college students across the country 
will no longer have to worry about whether they will be 
kicked off their parent’s health insurance plan if they 
need to take a medical leave of absence. Until now, 
insurers have been ableto limit or eliminate coverage if 
students dropped below full time status. This is just 
what the Morse family faced when their daughter, Michelle, 
was diagnosed with cancer. *

* *

*The new law, Michelle’s Law, takes effect this Friday, 
October 9th, oneyear after it was enacted. The law is 
named for Michelle Morse, who was a student at Plymouth 
State University in New Hampshire. After being diagnosed 
with colon cancer in 2004, she was forced to remain a 
full-time student while undergoing debilitating chemotherapy 
in order to stay on her family’s insurance. She ultimately 
lost her battle to the disease. *

* *

*On Thursday, October 8, from 3pm-6pm ET, and Friday, October 9, 
6am-10amET, AnnMarie Morse, mother, advocate and author of this 
Federal Law, and Daniel Smith, President of the American Cancer 
Action Network, are available for live interviews to discuss 
the following: 
 

• How this law affects students and families across 
  

• the country 
  

• The importance of advocating change in the broader health care
  system to eliminate the many other gaps and cracks that cancer patients fall
  through, as did the Morse’s daughter 
• How AnnMarie Morse changed the law
• Why health care reform matters in the fight against cancer
*Please let us know if we can put you on the schedule for this important message for your listeners. * *Thank you!* *Carole Bennett* *703-671-0054*
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Lecture: Health Care Reform, October 8

The Discoveries lecture and learning series presents

Solving the Health Care Reform Puzzle:
How to Balance Cost, Access, and Quality

Thursday, October 8, 2009
7 p.m.
George Sherman Union Conference Auditorium
775 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston

Perhaps the most complex and controversial topic in America today, health care reform has eluded the best efforts of dedicated and influential politicians for decades. Even President Obama, who arrived in office on a near tidal wave of good will, faces serious resistance to his sweeping initiative.

Most will agree that the main issues are cost, access, and quality. Health care now accounts for 15 percent of the GDP, and yet more than 45 million Americans have no coverage. Even the insured often cannot afford needed services because of sky-high out-of-pocket costs, holes in their coverage for pre-existing conditions, or non-covered treatments. Those satisfied with their care and coverage worry about what change might bring.

So how can we achieve a balance that will satisfy most of the people most of the time at an acceptable price? A panel of Boston University faculty experts will share their insights and analyses.

A light reception will follow the program.
$15 per person.
Please register online by October 5, 2009.

Panelists:

Arlene Ash, research professor of medicine and public health at the School of Medicine, who has been involved in health care delivery issues since 1984, is an expert in the application of statistical methods to questions of public policy.

Gary Young, chairman of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the School of Public Health, focuses on organizational, managerial, and legal issues associated with the delivery of health care services.

Stephen Davidson, School of Management professor of business, policy, and law, conducts research on the management of health care organizations. He is the author of the forthcoming book In Urgent Need of Reform: Saving the U.S. Healthcare System.

Professor Randall Ellis of the College of Arts & Sciences Department of Economics, will moderate. Professor Ellis, president-elect of the American Society of Health Economists, has done extensive work in health care policy research.

Please join us for a closer look at the underlying issues and challenges of the complex health care debate.

Discoveries, a lecture and learning series that taps the strength of the BU faculty to give alumni a deeper look into issues affecting the world and their lives, is brought to you by Arts & Sciences at Boston University and the Boston University Alumni Association.