Brianne Umhoefer hasn't had health insurance since she was 13. She was covered by Florida KidCare, a federal program, and then - suddenly - she wasn't.
"My mom just never got me back on, I guess," she said.
Umhoefer, a UF sophomore, is just one of the many students without health insurance.
Insurance for college students was not addressed in the health care bill that was approved by the Senate Finance Committee on Oct. 13.
Umhoefer said even the lower-cost plan offered by the health care center costs too much for her.
She said the last time she visited a doctor was a year and a half ago because she rarely gets sick.
"But I will definitely be getting it when I'm out of school, doing my thing," she said.
About 9.4 percent of UF students don't have health insurance, according to the 2008 Healthy Gators Student Survey Report.
Student Health Care Center director Dr. Phillip Barkley said there have been concerns with the lack of opportunities for universities to provide health care as the bill starts to emerge.
But Barkley, who is the former president of the American College Health Association, said members from the organization met with the finance committee to voice their opinions.
"We are now cautiously optimistic that the issue will be resolved," he said.
Bruce Vogel, an associate professor in the department of epidemiology and health policy research at UF, said students have never been a high priority for legislators.
