   
|
|
|
|
Our Letter to UCLA Graduate Students
November 3, 2009
Dear UCLA Graduate Students,
The UCLA Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) would like to bring to your attention some potential changes to the structure and coverage of the UCLA Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP).
Background
A UC system-wide workgroup was convened in August 2008 to reduce the notable variance in the cost of student health insurance from campus to campus. The range of 2008-2009 costs was from $1338-$2518 (88% difference). The workgroup has recommended establishing a university-wide policy for all Graduate Student Health Insurance Plans (GSHIPs). The purpose of this policy initiative is a supposed $4M-$5M total in savings across the 11 campuses.
Potential Implications for UCLA Graduate Students
Based on the limited information currently available to our committee, SHAC is unable to exactly predict the outcomes of the proposed measures. However at this juncture, SHAC and the Graduate Student Association (GSA) believe that a system-wide GSHIP plan could potentially increase costs and decrease benefits for UCLA graduate and professional students.
This campus has one of the most comprehensive, exhaustive, and renowned healthcare services of any university nationwide. UCLA's GSHIP currently provides the most progressive dependent care, mental health services, and extended gap care and pharmacy benefits of any other UC campus. Loss of these services would have a perceptible impact on graduate and professional students' ability to complete their research and degree programs. Furthermore, UCLA would likely be subsidizing the proposed savings, which would be going to smaller campuses.
Sincerely,
The UCLA Student Health Advisory Comittee
|
| |
|
|
(C) 2009
|
|
|
|
| |
|
