[GSAUCR] GSHIP Health Care Plan for 2009-10

[President GSAUCR]

Graduate Student Community,

We wanted to take a minute to communicate to you the outcome of the
negotiations for the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan for
2009-10. Unfortunately, the extremely dire budget situation limited
our ability to expand the level of coverage, nevertheless, we were
able to maintain the previous level of coverage, secure a few new
benefits and take some other steps to ensure the limitations imposed
by the budget do not have an unduly harsh impact on the level of care
or out of pocket expenses.

Specifically, the plan for academic year 2009-2010 covers several new
benefits that the state has mandated all health care plans must
include. These include no cost HIV testing and no preclusion of
coverage for injuries incurred while the individual was under the
influence.

The new plan covers the $10 increase in co-pay that the Campus Health
Center will begin charging next year, so we will continue to be able
to use the facility with no out-of-pocket expense for visits. A
transgender surgical benefit of $15,000 maximum was also added.

Finally, because of the dire budget situation, no increase in
prescription drug coverage or physical therapy benefits could be
included in the plan itself.  The university administration and the
Campus Health Center have agreed to make a total of $21,000 available
for hardship cases. Thus, individuals who exceed the covered $7,500 in
prescription drug benefits will have access to a grant of up to $3,000
to cover the costs of those drugs. There is also a similar hardship
fund of $15,000 available for those students who go beyond the covered
number of physical therapy and acupuncture visits.  Again, the limit
is an additional $3,000 per individual.  Both funds will be dispensed
on a first-come, first-served basis, until exhausted.  Joshua Knapp,
the incoming GSA GSHIP Chair, will be working closely with the Campus
Health Center next year to ensure that graduate students in need of
this assistance have access to these programs.

As mentioned above, the massive budget shortfall at this campus, the
UC system, and the State itself greatly impacted the outcome of these
negotiations.  We want to thank all of you who signed our petition or
sent in a letter supporting our negotiation efforts to provide the
best healthcare the University could reasonably provide.


Sincerely,

Joshua Knapp
GSA Health Insurance Committee Chairperson (09-10)

Laura Bellew Hannon
GSA Health Insurance Committee Chairperson (08-09)

Gary Coyne
GSA President (09-10)
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Graduate Student Association
University of California Riverside
www.gsa.ucr.edu
Office: (951) 827-3740
Fax: (951) 827-6358