Two weeks ago, President Barack Obama proposed mandating health coverage for all citizens. Despite a potential for federal mandate, the University of Minnesota should change its own which reads, âÄúThe University of Minnesota requires all students who are registered for six or more creditsâĦhave health plan coverage. By requiring students to have health plan coverage, the University ensures all studentsâĦcan maintain good health, which is essential for academic success.âÄù Healthiness surely helps academic success, but in reality health insurance is not necessary for maintaining good health, nor can it categorically guarantee it. How many times did you visit the doctor in the past year? Could you save money by paying for visits out of pocket instead of paying for insurance? And whether younger Americans are disproportionately uninsured because of affordability concerns or because they are less likely to need medical care, shouldnâÄôt insurance be their rightful decision? The University should revise its mandate to require only those in the dormitories have coverage. For younger students âÄî often on a parentâÄôs health plan âÄî large lecture halls and tight living make health coverage a reasonable requirement. For older students though, living off of campus and losing parentâÄôs coverage mean the mandate can be an unnecessarily expensive burden. It would be Impressive indeed if the University could exhibit the grace to grant older students their freedom on a decision as personal as health care.