University Business - October 2011 - (Page 18)

BEHIND the NEWS S TAT S W AT C H U Med School Mental Health Insurance Snap Shot BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES STRUGGLE WITH HEALTH IN surance costs. While most people think of doctors’ visits when they think of health insurance, mental health and substance abuse treatment fall under the same umbrella. A recent study by a group of Harvard researchers from the Cambridge Health Alliance, found treatment coverage for medical school students is on the low end of the scale. Of the 115 med schools analyzed, fewer than 22 percent provide students with complete coverage, without co-pays or coinsurance, for mental health and substance abuse treatment. “We weren’t surprised, but [were] disappointed,” says lead author Rachel Nardin, assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and chief of neurology at Cambridge Health Alliance. The coverage for medical students is as bad as that for the general public, she adds. The idea for the survey came from a colleague beginning a lecture by asking students if they knew about problems in access to healthcare. Most reported having problems accessing mental health care. According to the report, medical students have higher depression rates and comparable substance abuse rates to their peers. These conditions can negatively impact their future performance as doctors, Nardin cautions. The survey revealed a wide variety of plans, some of which had “draconian visit limits or cost sharing.” “Our goal isn’t to shame medical schools. We understand they are struggling with the same cost pressures other employers are,” says Nardin. “This is a case study of a larger problem with our health care system.” She said most schools are aware of the gaps in coverage and that some supplement insurance with student health clinics and confidential sessions with faculty members. However, students can be leery of getting help from a professor who might be grading them down the line. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution. “I think schools should continue to look at the issue and improve where they can,” says Nardin. “And I think schools should advocate for broader healthcare reform that will get us all out of this problem.” —A.M. Mean Greens: A dining hall whose purpose is evident from the décor Filling a Vegan Need in Texas % of Schools With Unlimited Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coverage Type of service Outpatient Mental Health Treatment Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Inpatient Mental Health Treatment Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment % With Unlimited Coverage (no limits) 37.4% 28.6% 43.2% 36.4% Based on data provided by the 115 schools surveyed, with above percentages based on those offering coverage for MHT and SAT. Source: Cambridge Health Alliance (published in Journal of American Medical Association, Sept. 2011) THINK THAT A VEGAN DIET IS AN OXYMORON IN cattle country? Not so at the University of North Texas, which has made following a plant-based diet very much a reality by building the Mean Greens dining hall. The idea for the vegan-only hall was developed out of student demand, and served an average of 4,500 students a day in the first week after opening August 22, shares Ken Botts, director of special programs for UNT Dining Services. “Students vote with their feet,” he says. “By showing they really, really liked it, we knew we made the right decision.” The culinary staff worked all summer to develop vegan recipes that would actually taste good. With offerings including pasta, sushi, desserts, fresh grilled vegetables, paninis, and even pizza, students have a wide variety of options. “There’s a lot of flavor going on and you don’t miss the dairy products, you don’t miss the meat and the cheese and all that,” says Botts. UNT has five dining halls on campus—three more than most campuses of its size—so having the space to convert one to all vegan wasn’t a problem. Dining Services was able to repurpose and redecorate the existing “healthy options” dining hall. Not only are students thrilled about the new campus eating option, but Botts says the administration and dining services staff have received an outpouring of support from the community. He has even received calls from a university in Germany looking to mimic UNT’s efforts, and a newspaper in Jerusalem looking to report on it. “The feedback was just off the charts,” he says. Visit http://dining.unt.edu to access the full Mean Greens menu. —K.D. 18 | October 2011 universitybusiness.com http://dining.unt.edu http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - October 2011

University Business - October 2011
Contents
Editor's Note
College Index
Ad Index
Behind the News
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Human Resources
Cloud Email
Tuition Setting
Campus CFO
Independent Outlook
End Note

University Business - October 2011