PROPOSAL NO. 2005-101 – AWARDS AND BENEFITS – MEDICAL EXPENSES – PERMISSIBLE

Status: Management Council Second Consideration  

 
Intent: To specify that permissible medical expenses (including surgical expenses, medication, rehabilitation, physical therapy expenses and dental expenses) shall be limited to athletically-related injuries or illnesses that occur during the academic year or summer.


Bylaws: Amend 16.4.1, pages 225-226, as follows:

 

"16.4.1 Permissible. Identified medical expense benefits incidental to a student-athlete's participation in intercollegiate athletics that may be financed by the institution are:

[16.4.1-(a) through 16.4.1-(g) unchanged.]

"(h) Expenses for medical treatment (including transportation and other related costs) for a student-athlete that results from an athletically related injury or illness.  Such expenses may include the cost of traveling to the location of medical treatment or the provision of actual and necessary living expenses for the student-athlete to be treated at a site on or off the campus during the summer months while the student-athlete is not actually attending classes.  Medical documentation shall be available to support the necessity of the treatment at the location in question; and

"(i) Medical expenses (including surgical expenses, medication, rehabilitation and physical therapy expenses and dental expenses). for a student-athlete who sustains an athletically related injury or illness;

"(j) Medication and physical therapy used by a student-athlete during the academic year to enable to student-athlete to participate in intercollegiate athletics, regardless of whether the injury or illness is the result of intercollegiate competition or practice; and

"(k) Medication and physical therapy used by a student-athlete (even if the student-athlete is not a full-time student) during the academic year to enable the individual to participate in intercollegiate athletics, only if the student-athlete resides on campus (or in the local community of the institution) and appropriate medical documentation is available to establish that the student-athlete is unable to attend the institution as a full-time student as a result of the student-athlete's injury or illness."

Source: NCAA Division I Management Council [Championships/Competition Cabinet (Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports) (Mountain West Conference)].
Effective Date: Immediate

Proposal Category: Amendment

Topical Area: Awards, Benefits and Expenses


Rationale: Under the current legislation, it is likely that institutions will be faced with issues related to equity when determining which student-athletes should receive expenses for nonathletically related injuries or illnesses because of limited resources. There also is the potential for significant one-time medical/dental expenses that could greatly impact an institution's budgeted expenditures for medical expenses. Further, while the Special Assistance and Student-Athlete Opportunity funds may be used to cover medical expenses (as specified by the respective funds), these funds are institutionally limited. Reimbursement for significant medical expenses would be impacted and the availability of funds for other valid and authorized purposes (e.g., clothing, summer school aid, etc.) would be reduced or eliminated. Finally, there is a potential recruiting advantage for those institutions with greater resources.


Estimated Budget Impact: Varies.

Impact on Student Athlete's Time: None.


Position Statement(s)

 Championships/Competition Cabinet: The cabinet agreed to support the proposal as written. The cabinet noted that the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport also supported the proposal. The cabinet also noted that the Awards/Travel Policies/Bylaw 16 Subcommittee opposed the proposal in favor of Proposal No. 2005-102.
 Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports: The committee supports NCAA Proposal No. 2005-101 as written.


Primary Contact Person:

  Carolayne Henry, Associate Commissioner

  Mountain West Conference

  15455 Gleneagle Drive

  Suite 200

  Colorado Springs, CO 80921

  Phone: 719/488-4043   FAX: 719/487-7240   Email: chenry@themwc.com


History

Jun 24, 2005

Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, Recommends Approval

Jul 05, 2005

Submit; Submitted for consideration.

Sep 21, 2005

Championships/Competition Cabinet; See position statement.

Jan 08, 2006

Mgmt Council 1st Review, Approved - (Yea=27, Nay=23, Abstain=0, Not Present=1)

Jan 09, 2006

Comment Period; Start of Comment Period

Mar 12, 2006

Comment Period; End of Comment Period; (Official Comment Totals: Support = 4, Oppose = 9, Abstain = 0)

Apr 10, 2006

Mgmt Council 2nd Review, Tabled; Tabled in order to gather and review data related to medical expenses and insurance. - (Yea=46, Nay=3, Abstain=0, Not Present=2)

 


PROPOSAL NO. 2005-102 – AWARDS AND BENEFITS – MEDICAL EXPENSES – PERMISSIBLE – MEDICAL INSURANCE

Status: Management Council Second Consideration  


Intent: To permit an institution to purchase a medical insurance policy to cover the medical expenses for any injury or illness sustained by the student-athlete.


Bylaws: Amend 16.4, pages 220-226, as follows:

"16.4 Medical Expenses

"16.4.1 Permissible. Identified medical expense benefits incidental to a student-athlete's participation in intercollegiate athletics that may be financed by the institution are:

"(a) Athletics mMedical insurance;"

[Remainder of 16.4.1 unchanged.]

"16.4.2 Nonpermissible. An institution may not finance student health insurance if the insurance is provided or offered to the general student body only on an optional basis.  However, if such insurance is required for a particular group of students (e.g., foreign students), such expenses may be paid for student-athletes who are members of such a group. Only such required fees may be paid as a part of an institutional grant-in-aid for student-athletes."

Source: NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (Mid-American Conference).

Effective Date: August 1, 2006

Proposal Category: Amendment

Topical Area: Awards, Benefits and Expenses


Rationale: In 2004, the membership adopted Proposal No. 2003-139, which permits an institution to pay a student-athlete's medical expenses for any injury or illness, regardless of when the injury or illness occurred or if the injury or illness was athletically related. Proposal No. 2003-139 did not permit institutions to purchase medical insurance to cover the cost of these types of expenses. Given the high costs associated with health care, this proposal is a logical next step in providing student-athletes with medical care. Oftentimes, students have inadequate health insurance, particularly when purchased through the institution's student health insurance office. An institution, without some form of health insurance policy covering non-athletically related injuries and illnesses may not be fiscally capable of assisting these student-athletes. A blanket insurance policy to cover expenses for student-athletes who become injured or ill in nonathletically related situations (car accidents, illness) can be purchased at very affordable rates with little or no impact on the institution's budget. Furthermore, compared to the expense incurred by paying these expenses outright, a blanket insurance policy could save institutions thousands of dollars. This proposal will allow member institutions to determine the most cost effective way to cover this expense, while maintaining the benefit to the student-athletes. Finally, this proposal is permissive in nature, and will enhance student-athlete well-being by providing institutions with an affordable way to cover the expenses for injuries and illness.


Estimated Budget Impact: Permissive legislation. Could result in cost savings to institutions who cover medical costs of its student-athletes.

Impact on Student Athlete's Time: None.

Position Statement(s)

 Championships/Competition Cabinet: The cabinet agreed to oppose the proposal as written. The cabinet expressed concern with the cost to institutions associated with this proposal and prefers Proposal No. 2005-101. The cabinet noted that the Awards/Travel Policies/Bylaw 16 Subcommittee and the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport supported the proposal.


 Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports: The committee supports NCAA Proposal No. 2005-102 as written.


Primary Contact Person:


  Dell Robinson, Associate Commissioner

  24 Public Square, 15th Floor

  Cleveland, Oh 44113

  Phone: 216/566-4622   FAX: 216/696-2622   

  Email: drobinson@mac-sports.com

 

History

Jun 24, 2005

Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, Recommends Approval

Jul 15, 2005

Submit; Submitted for consideration.

Sep 21, 2005

Championships/Competition Cabinet, Recommends Defeat; See position statement.

Jan 08, 2006

Mgmt Council 1st Review, Forward w/o Position - (Yea=37, Nay=14, Abstain=0, Not Present=0)

Jan 08, 2006

Mgmt Council 1st Review; Defeated a motion to initially approve the proposal. - (Yea=20.5, Nay=29.5, Abstain=1, Not Present=0)

Jan 09, 2006

Comment Period; Start of Comment Period

Mar 12, 2006

Comment Period; End of Comment Period; (Official Comment Totals: Support = 12, Oppose = 3, Abstain = 0)

Apr 10, 2006

Mgmt Council 2nd Review, Tabled; Tabled in order to gather and review data related to medical expenses and insurance. - (Yea=46, Nay=3, Abstain=0, Not Present=2)