A new health care cooperative aimed at farmers and the self-employed is set to launch next month in the Milwaukee metro area. Graduate students who may no longer be covered by their parents' insurance, however, are still left out in the cold.

The cooperative was formed by Assembly Bill 5, which Gov. Jim Doyle signed last month. The bill expanded previous legislation that put limits on how many health care cooperatives could be formed in Wisconsin.

The co-op legislation specifically focuses on forming alliances of farmers, the self-employed and small business owners so they can engage in bargaining with different insurance carriers to provide affordable medical coverage for those groups.

According to a 2002 University of Wisconsin Program on Agricultural Studies, 18 percent of dairy farmers do not have health insurance.

John Reinemann, the senior aid to Rep. Curt Gielow (R-Mequon), who helped author the bill, said the bill removes two limits on previous legislation.

"Earlier legislation said only five co-ops could be formed in the state and they had to be formed by 2007," Reinemann said. "This allows the thousands of people who are interested in participating in a cooperative to have systems opened in their areas."

Currently the co-op only focuses on farmers and the self-employed that do not have access to health insurance, but it could include individuals such as graduate students and recent college graduates in the future.

"There is no reason to think that this co-op cannot be expanded," said Cathy Mahaffey, a consultant for the Co-op Care Program for the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives.

Marquette first year graduate student Phu Tran does not have health insurance. Although he is a full-time student, he is no longer covered by his parent's health insurance plan because he is over 21.

"I'm looking at an insurance program now that is for people with no real income," Tran said. "It costs $35 per month for six months but is very basic coverage. It does not cover dental or eye care."

Since Tran is a Marquette student he is able to utilize Student Health Service; however, he says he would join a health care co-op if he could sign up for a reasonable price.

"Many college students do not realize how inexpensive health care plans can be," said Jill Becher, the manager of corporate communication for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wisconsin, a health insurance provider.

Becher said a healthy 18- to 29-year-old male is eligible for a high deductible, low cost plan for only $55 per month. She also said there is a temporary plan ideal for recent college graduates. The temporary plan provides short-term medical coverage for catastrophic events and hospital stays, but not preventative health care.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield covers full-time students until the age of 25 under their parents' plans. If a student is not full-time, he or she is only covered until the age of 19.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 15, 2005.