From: johncobb@ut-emx.cc.utexas.edu (John W. Cobb)
Newsgroups: soc.college.grad
Subject: Re: Raising Health Insurance Costs, How do GRad Students do it?
Keywords: Health insurance, budget,expensive
Date: 30 Jul 92 16:11:39 GMT
Reply-To: johncobb@ut-emx.cc.utexas.edu (John W. Cobb)
Distribution: usa
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin


In article <14694@umd5.umd.edu>, clayton@lab7.smcm.edu (John Mark
Clayton) writes:
|>
|>Hello,
|>	How do grad students pay for health insurance with the way prices  
|>are? 

Here at UT Austin, there is a long history to this issue. More than 10
years ago (when health costs were <10% of income) UT started providing 
health benefits to Grad. Students who were employed 1/2 time or more. So
almost all Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants were covered. The
mechanism was just like other university employees (Faculty to Janitors).
A health plan (or plans w/ HMO's) was offered fro a certain premium amount.
The unniversity also pitched in a given amount of moeny that could go toward
insurance (called premium sharing). The setup was such that an employee
could buy health and dental coverage and even some life insurance and 
disability insurance with the amount of moeny given in premium sharing. If
the employee was married and wanted to include his/her family, then he could
select a family plan for a higher premium. However the premium sharing
amount remained the same, so the incremental cost to insure spouses etc.
came out of his/her pocket.

This is actually quite good coverage. It has major medical (up to 1M$)
and an 80/20 co-pay, etc. That is it is a real health plan and not some
partial plan that is often offered by student health centers. However in
1988 someone noticed that because of a rewrite of two different Texas 
statutes that had some interlocking definitions that technically employees
who were required to also be students were not allowed health benefits.
Well that set this campus on edge. I have never seen graduate students
more upset. I mean usually we are just quite in our offices, but then we
were outside and making noise. Well to make a long story short after a
great deal of effort, demonstrating, discussing, and arm-twisting we 
managed to restore the benefits and still have them today.

Currently UT (and Texas) kick in $155/month for insurance ($200 if you
choose a family plan). The health premiums are about $130-150/month for
employee alone.

However, there is still a problem. Students who are granted a fellowship
instead of a TA/RA are technically not employees so they are out in the
cold and cannot even buy the coverage. Also some of the sleazier department
chairs changed the TA/RA appointments from 20 hours to 19 hours (1/2 time
= 20 hours/week) without changing the work requirements. So there are still
some students here who have problems. We have a pretty good student health
insurance policiy. It is fairly inexpensive (as health insurance goes) at
around $200-300/semester, but it only covers up to $200,000 and has a daily
hospital room charge cap, etc.

|> Or do you just go without like I believe I'm going to have to do?   

I would highly recommend against it. You are exposing yourself to
financial ruin by doing so. My sister-in-law's significant other is
now significantly in debt from uninsured expenses associated with an
accident. The financial hardship is so great that he has had to interrupt
his education to try to pay off the bills. Flying without a net means you
are risking ending your education if you should had to break your
arm or tear a knee ligament. It is not worth the risk. At least protect
yourself from really large medical expenses.

|>Do you have group policies from your school or a professional  
|>organization?  What are you paying if you do have insurance (it understood  
|>if you don't want to say)?  I'm paying $240 a quarter and have about had  
|>it.  My policy holder feels it's imperative to raise my premium about once  
|>every year.
|>--

NAGS, the national graduate student society (did I get the acronym right?)
offers a group plan that is not comprehensive, but is fairly good and is
comparatively inexpensive that you might look into. I don't have the
details iwth me, but perhaps someone else will comment on the particulars.
If your local carrier is giving you the "premium rachet" treatment, you can
go elsewhere. Even if that is too expensive, try going to local private
insurance agents and asking for a major medical plan. That is get something
like $2000 or $5000 deductible. Then if you get really hurt, you won't go
bankrupt (or even worse be denied or get substandard care because you are
uninsured).

Best of luck, you are going to need it.

john w. cobb
jwc@fusion.ph.utexas.edu