The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced new regulations that could have a devastating affect on the insurance plans relied on by millions of college students.  According to The Wall Street Journal, "college health-insurance plans must comply with the central provisions of the health-care overhaul, ending any speculation that the nation's colleges and universities would be permanently exempted from the new law."

These plans, known as "mini-med plans," have annual caps on coverage limits (usually around $30,000) in order to keep the premium costs low.  These plans offer an affordable option for many college students who are generally much healthier than the population as a whole.

Some people have criticized mini-med plans for not offering enough coverage but the critics overlook the fact that these plans fill a market niche for many consumers.  The end results of the new regulations is that the federal government is imposing a one-size-fits-all, Washington-knows-best policy that will reduce consumer choices.  College students are very likely to see higher premiums as a consequence of this regulation.