ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

“It was really done to allow students choices,” Spencer said. “It’s different from the university plans that can be kind of a cookie cutter as far as what you get.”

The plans are portable and allow students to keep their coverage after graduation, Spencer said, adding that it is often less expensive for students to get their own health insurance than be covered by their parent’s insurance.

Keeping costs down was a priority of the assembly’s, Spencer said.

“Students can take it with them and lock in their premiums at a young age,” she said.

The health care plans allow students to cover a minimum of basic office visits to covering major medical needs, Spencer said. They are competitive with the university’s Aetna-based plan, she said.

“On average, we’re finding that it is comparable or less expensive for all the plans we’ve been able to run for the average student,” Spencer said.

Spencer said the university is moving toward requiring health insurance for enrollment, something she said is a national trend among universities.

About 20 percent of students at MSU do not have health insurance, ASMSU spokeswoman Elizabeth Brumfield said.

“With this plan, you can go to any doctor anywhere,” Brumfield said. “If you’re abroad, you can use it. If you’re in your hometown, you can use it.”

A student assembly subcommittee has been working on developing a plan since a bill was approved in November, which allowed the group to work with an insurance agency to create the specifics. The committee worked with the Michigan Programmers Insurance Agency to negotiate the plans.

“This was part of an initiative launched by ASMSU in order to give more options to students,” said Justin Epstein, ASMSU’s Academic Assembly chairperson. “The idea is that it’s flexible.”