UNIVERSITY
Fee cards cause health insurance mix-up for GTFs
By Colleen Pohhg
fcmurald Reporter
University fee cards issued to
international graduate teaching
follows show a charge for
ASUO health insurance, which
has led SOTtlo (il l s to trelieve
they do riot have .1 choicer
among the plans available to
thorn
Diane Kao. a union reprttsen
(alive of the (Graduate Tear hlng
Fellows Federation. said that
despite the 1 hurge for ASIJO In
ternational Student Health In
Glasses/Ccmtacts/Exams
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surance, "this docs not moan
international (i TPs an’ locked
into buying one kind of insur
ancc "
All international students
must carry ASUO health insur
ance, except for international
GIF*, who may choose be
tween the ASUO plan and one
offered through the GTFF,
called Preferred Health North
west
The two plans differ signifi
cantly In price and benefits
The ASUO International Plan
costs $400 for an unmarried
GTF, whereas the charge for the;
union plan is ST72
"Everybody needs to com
pare insurance plans and sec?
which Pits them best. Kao said
The Federation plan requires
(ill s to complete an applica
tion about their health history
According to Preferred Health
Northwest, it has approved
about 07 percent of (i l l appli
cations
In contrast. ASUO insurance
has no application process
Anyone' who enrolls and pays
the fee is automatically ac copi
ed
I think this program is really
good,” said AStJO student
health insurance coordinator
Cathy Curran There is no de
ductible at the Student Health
Center and this year they have
increased the benefits to (dub
Sports and increased mental
health coverage from S300 to
St 000."
The ASIK) health plan was
criticized last year for being un
responsive to student ques
tions.
"In general, this year they
have been more responsive
with student claim questions
and problems," Curran said
The charge listed on the fee
cards may have led some CTFs
to purchase a plan without
knowing they have a choice t>e
iwnon two health insurance
plans, Kao said
"For international students
who puv lor ASUO insurance
and discover they want to
choose the other plan, they
should see about a refund." she
said.
International GTFs who pur
chased ASUO insurance can re
quest a refund and will receive
a check for the full amount in
about a week or two, Curran
said The Federation has begun
attempting to clear up things.
"Wo have attended interna
tional student orientation meet
ings and we have also noted
their options in our newslet
ter," Kao said. "It’s a shame i>e
cause the whole issue causes
frustration among the interna
tional GTF community."
Article 22 of the collective
bargaining agreement between
the University at the Federation
— the GTF labor union — al
lows all international GTFs a
choice in insurance coverage.
"Wo are not trying to sell
people insurance by any
means," Kao said "We are just
making sure their rights (to
have a choice) are protected."
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