Prohibits public and private colleges and universities from charging students for institution provided health insurance in the absence of affirmative action by the student opting-in to coverage.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change the way Rhode Island colleges and universities handle student health insurance. Currently, many schools automatically enroll students in a school-sponsored health insurance plan and charge them for it unless the student actively requests to be removed (a process called "opting out"). This bill would flip that system around, requiring schools to get a student's explicit agreement — called "opting in" — before charging them for health insurance coverage.

The bill applies to both public and private colleges and universities in Rhode Island. Under the new rules, a school could not add health insurance charges to a student's bill simply because the student didn't take action. Instead, a student would have to make a clear, deliberate choice to sign up for the plan before any fees could be applied. Students who want coverage would still be able to get it through their school — they would just need to actively choose it.

This change would most directly affect college students, particularly those who may already have health insurance through a parent, a job, or a government program like Medicaid. Under the current "opt-out" system, some students end up paying for school insurance they don't need unless they remember to complete a waiver process, sometimes resulting in unexpected charges. The bill aims to prevent those unintended costs. The bill is currently being reviewed by a Senate committee and has been scheduled for further consideration.