Brigham Young University-Idaho has reversed its decision to reject Medicaid as a waiver to its Student Health Plan.
The Rexburg-based university issued a statement and an apology for the turmoil the decision caused in a campus-wide email Monday night. Earlier this month, students discovered the decision to reject Medicaid when registering for classes.
As part of the registration process, students are required to either have adequate health insurance coverage or participate in the Student Health Plan. BYU-Idaho’s initial decision came with no apparent warning.
After several media articles, the university claimed the change was due to the impracticality for the local medical community to provide for the healthcare needs for the tens of thousands of students enrolled annually. Many local medical providers disputed that claim and said they are ready for the 2020 Medicaid Expansion in Idaho.
A growing group of BYU-Idaho students have been actively campaigning for the university to reverse its policy over the last week, while an article about the issue appeared in the New York Times on Sunday. ( East Idaho News)
