This may be the last summer that health care is free for UW-Madison students who are not enrolled in summer classes, University Health Services said recently.

UHS officials are considering implementing a policy that would charge students $25 clinic fees plus the cost of diagnostic testing if they are not enrolled in summer classes.

About one fourth of total students usually attend summer school, according to the Registrar’s Office. The new plan would cut summer health care for about 30,000 students.

Officials were considering implementing the plan for this summer, but after hearing concerns from Student Services Finance Committee Chair Roman Patzner they decided to push discussion back to the fall.

Patzner said he is vehemently opposed to the plan, calling it an unnecessary cut that would catch students off guard.

“It’s completely unfair,” he said. “Students were not consulted adequately.”

Patzner stated that 95% of student health care costs at UHS are paid for by fall and spring segregated fees, making the new policy unwarranted. He also felt the new plan would disproportionately affect low-income students who need to work during the summer to pay for tuition.

Patzner brought his concerns before Kathy Poi, director of UHS. Poi was receptive, Patzner said, and she agreed with many of his issues.

The policy was possibly going to be implemented this summer, but after hearing Patzner’s concerns, UHS decided to push back the proposal to allow discussion.

“When student government leadership requested that we rescind the policy, they expressed some very valid concerns,” Poi said. “They also requested a more substantive discussion about the policy in the fall. This seemed like a very reasonable request, and UHS is happy to invite ASM into the discussion.”

The policy would still allow graduating and continuing UW students to be eligible for UHS services until the first day of fall classes.

“We need to find a more fair system,” Patzner said.

“Charging a summer fee is not something students will support.”