• Loading stock data...
Thursday, January 2, 2025

After Years of Criticism, NCAA To Offer All Athletes Post-Eligibility Insurance

  • The program, offered by the NCAA, will commence on August 1, 2024.
  • It offers athletes two extra years of medical coverage of injuries that took place while playing.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA has been heavily criticized over the years for its lack of oversight regarding medical coverage for athletes, particularly regarding the injuries they may have suffered as a result of playing. It’s finally offering a response.

On Wednesday, the NCAA announced that it will offer additional medical coverage to college athletes through a “post-eligibility insurance program.”

The program, which will commence on August 1, 2024, will provide athletes in all three divisions two extra years of medical insurance after they finish playing to cover injuries that took place while playing.

The NCAA estimated that the program’s annual premium will be $26 million. The policy will have a $90,000 “excess limit” for each injury, but will have no deductible — meaning athletes won’t have to pay a certain amount before the NCAA takes over. 

“Student-athletes deserve the coverage offered in this plan, no matter their division,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement.

The program comes from recommendations by the NCAA Division I Transformation Committee, which disbanded in January after providing recommendations to the NCAA about how to best improve the association. The Transformation Committee suggested last year that the governing body “formalize” each division’s expectations for medical care.

The program, however, is not a mandate that all schools must offer a certain type of insurance, as some federal bills have suggested. Instead, it will be an association-funded offering.

While athletes are required to have medical insurance, the NCAA doesn’t mandate that schools pay for their medical expenses. Some schools, however, already offer programs of this nature.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Bryce James, LeBron’s Second Son, Commits to Arizona

James also had offers from Ohio State and Duquesne.

SEC Upsets Fuel CFB Bowl Season Intrigue As Ratings Rise

TV ratings and attendance are healthy for many non-CFP bowl games.
Jan 1, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Fans line at the front desk of the Sheraton hotel after the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame was postponed after an attack on Bourbon Street.

Sugar Bowl to Proceed Despite Louisiana AG’s Desire for Delay

The Notre Dame–Georgia matchup is on after calls to delay it further.

Featured Today

Dec 31, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) walks out to the rink before the Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field

Glitzy NHL New Year’s Eve Winter Classic Showcased Connor Bedard’s Star Power

The business of Bedard—on full display—is crucial for the NHL.
Pop-Tarts bowl tropfy
December 27, 2024

‘I Want to Play in That Game’: How the Pop-Tarts Bowl Went..

The bowl has players saying, “I want to play in that game.”
NHL Winter Classic 2024
December 26, 2024

NHL, TNT Pinning High Hopes on First New Year’s Eve Winter Classic

Can the dream setting of Wrigley Field lift flagging viewership?
Nov 23, 2024; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers students celebrate during the fourth quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Reser Stadium.
December 23, 2024

How the Pac-12 Rose From the Ashes in 2024

The conference went from uncertain future to remarkable comeback.

Ryan Day Quiets Calls for Firing, Pockets Bonuses for CFP Wins

Ohio State’s head coach has secured at least $350,000 in bonuses.
January 1, 2025

Sugar Bowl Postponed to 4 p.m. ET Thursday After Deadly Attack

The game was pushed by around 19 hours due to the attack.
January 1, 2025

Texas Survives CFP Test, but Ewers May Face Ultimate NIL Dilemma

The Longhorns quarterback could receive a huge NIL deal to transfer.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
The Dartmouth men's basketball team is attempting to form a union.
December 31, 2024

Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Players Withdraw Petition to Unionize

The athlete-employment movement suffered a major blow—but isn’t dead yet.
Sep 28, 2024; Boise, Idaho, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) and quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) celebrate during the second quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Albertsons Stadium.
December 31, 2024

Boise State Is the CFP Outlier Doing ‘More With Less’

“We are blue-collar,” Broncos athletic director Jeramiah Dickey tells FOS.
Jim Mora Jr
December 31, 2024

UConn Coach Jim Mora Jr. Threatens Rivals Over ‘Tampering’ In Portal

Mora said he would “pursue all avenues to hold you accountable.”
Entrance of Rose Bowl stadium
December 30, 2024

College Football Playoff Ticket Prices Plummet for Quarterfinals—With 1 Exception

Three games have get-in prices of less than $40.