Payment of Medical Care Costs for Student Athletes
Effective Date: November 16, 1993; amended January 15, 2009
Board Policy Reference: FFAB
Purpose
Guidelines
- Definition of Student Athlete
- A student athlete is one who participates on an intercollegiate level in any one of the certified sports of the NJCAA, or is a member of the Drill Team or the Cheerleaders, while maintaining full-time (12 credit hours) status during the season of the sport(s) or activity or school year in which they are participating.
Sec. I
The college does not pay for the medical or dental expenses of its student athletes for medical and dental problems that:
- do not relate to athletic injuries and which occur during the day-to-day activities of the student, e.g., sinus infections, cold or flu symptoms, migraines, stomachaches, etc.;
- existed prior to the student’s participation in the Blinn College intercollegiate program; or
- occurred during summer breaks or school holidays unless such injuries occurred during an official authorized practice session supervised by college officials.
Such expenses are the sole responsibility of the student athlete.
Sec. II
Blinn College athletic and administrative personnel will arrange for initial medical (including dental) emergency and necessary follow-up care for its student athletes who are participating as a certified member of one of the college’s intercollegiate athletic teams. This process will occur when the student athlete sustains an injury or illness during the course of an authorized athletic event or practice session, or while traveling in college provided transportation as part of the team to such an event or practice session.
Sec. III
The student athlete and/or his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) health insurance (including dental) coverage is considered the primary coverage for all medical/dental expenses incurred for such treatment. As a condition of participation as a member of an intercollegiate athletic team, the student athlete and/or his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) must agree to disclose this coverage to the college. They must also agree to facilitate the filing, on a timely basis, of a claim against that insurance coverage for the payment of incurred emergency and necessary follow-up medical costs. Payment of related emergency medical expenses which cannot be covered by the student athlete’s insurance will be paid in accordance with Blinn College's Excess and/or Catastrophic policies as secondary to the student athlete’s insurance coverage.
Sec. IV
The student athlete will bring to the attention of the official athletic trainer immediately or as soon thereafter as is reasonable under the circumstances any injury for which he/she believes he/she needs medical treatment or other health services arising out of participation as a certified member of the Blinn College Intercollegiate Athletic Team Activities.