National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2001
« back to 2001 | Back to NCAA News Archive Index
Insurance benefits also expanded for patients needing home care
|
The NCAA News
Insurance benefits also expanded for patients needing home care
The NCAA has extended catastrophic injury insurance protection for member institutions through July 31, 2003.
The Association will continue to pay 100 percent of the insurance premium.
The current catastrophic injury insurance policy provides up to $20 million in lifetime benefits to varsity student-athletes (including student coaches, student managers, student trainers and student cheerleaders) who are catastrophically injured during qualifying play or practice, or during travel related to those activities.
The current policy has a $50,000 deductible, which will increase to $65,000 beginning August 1, 2002. The policy provides benefits for medically necessary care and treatment in excess of all other available benefit plans.
For catastrophically injured student-athletes who are considered permanently disabled under the terms of the plan, additional special and disability benefits are available. Among those are monthly disability payments, home modification and assimilation/rehabilitation benefits.
American Specialty Insurance Services, Inc., of Roanoke, Indiana, continues to act as the service and administration representative for the program.
NCAA President Cedric W. Dempsey also announced the expansion of benefits for skilled, private duty nursing care received at home. "The benefits will be retroactive for student-athletes who are permanently disabled due to a covered accident that occurred on or after August 1, 2000, which is the beginning of the policy," Dempsey said.
Previously, benefits for care at home were limited to $100,000. That limit applied whether skilled or custodial care was required. The policy would have provided (up to its limit) for the cost of medically necessary care in a medical facility. The $100,000 annual limit for care at home, however, was inadequate to allow for extended skilled care in the home.
After extensive review of the policy, Mutual of Omaha -- the insurance company for the program -- agreed to modify the policy to provide specifically for skilled, private duty nursing care at home. The annual policy limit for skilled, private duty nursing care at home is $250,000 annually. The limit for custodial care remains at $100,000 and is included in the overall $250,000 limit.
"We believe this provision will allow the eligible student-athletes and their families greater flexibility in determining the best possible course of care for those who need skilled, private duty nursing care but may want to stay in their homes," Dempsey said.
A presentation on the Catastrophic Injury Insurance Program will be featured at the 2002 NCAA annual Convention. Representatives from the program administrator, the insurance company and NCAA staff will explain the policy and its benefits, and answer any questions the membership may have. Individuals in the membership interested in attending the presentation should consult Convention registration materials for more information.
The $15,000 increase in the deductible that will become effective August 1, 2002, is due to the inflationary costs of health care and to protect the existing benefits under the catastrophic injury insurance program. Dempsey requested that the membership make special note of the deductible increase and check their own portfolios to make sure new coverage limits are in place. Member institutions are responsible for coverage up to the deductible limit.
The program is an occurrence-based program, so any claims made based on injuries occurring on or after August 1, 2002, will be subject to the new deductible.
A brochure containing a summary of the program benefits may be found on the NCAA Web site at www.
ncaa.org. On the left-hand menu, click on "Administration and Governance," then click on "Insurance."
Those with questions about the program or who want copies of the policy may telephone Juanita Sheely at the national office at 317/917-6425. Her e-mail address is jsheely@
ncaa.org.
Reporting catastrophic injuries
When a catastrophic injury occurs
To assist the membership in reporting claims, American Specialty offers a claim help line at 800/245-2744. The number is monitored 24 hours a day.
Claim-reporting information sheets have been mailed to athletics directors at member institutions. Athletics directors are asked to share that information with those on their campus responsible for reporting claims.
To report a catastrophic injury, an institutional representative should call the American Specialty Catastrophic Injury Service Line: 800/245-2744.
The institutional representative should provide the following information:
Name of student-athlete
Name of hospital
Name of school
Date of injury or death
Place of injury or death
Type of injury sustained
Name of primary attending physician
Contact names and phone numbers (institutional representative and injured person's spouse, parent or guardian)
Name and address of primary insurer
Catastrophic injuries include:
Spinal-cord injury
Severe head and neck trauma
Partial or complete paralysis
Injuries resulting in severely diminished mental capacity or other neurological injury that results in inability to perform daily functions
Irrecoverable loss of speech or hearing (both ears) or sight (both eyes) or both arms or both legs or one arm and one leg
© 2010 The National Collegiate Athletic Association
Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy