Collegiate Times

Members of Virginia Tech’s graduate community have voiced their support after the Board of Visitors agreed in a March 22 meeting to pay 87.5 percent of costs for graduate health insurance plans, up from 82.5 percent.

The financial assistance covers the lowest level of the health insurance plan, which currently offers $50,000 of maximum coverage per year. If a student decides to take on a higher level of coverage, the money offered to the minimum plan would apply toward the higher cost plan.

Laura Freeman, president of the Graduate Student Assembly, said the price of health care could be a “cost-prohibitive” part of attending graduate school.

“We’re excited to see the university make proactive changes to the health care coverage,” Freeman said, noting that the organization’s health care committee had worked on increasing university support for graduate health insurance since 2003.

In addition to the increased financial support, the changes would provide for things such as routine physicals, which was not covered for the 2009-10 plan.

Rebecca French, graduate representative to the BOV, said the increase was important to graduate students, many of whom do not fall under their parents’ health insurance plans and are financially independent.

“We need a resource for getting health coverage,” French said.

Karen Depauw, dean of the graduate school, said that though many students base their decision on where to attend graduate school on education programs and the quality of faculty, she added the treatment of health care stipends could impact student recruitment.

“We will remain competitive,” Depauw said. “But if somebody is offering a better package, we may not get that student.”

For Freeman, the increase in support was encouraging, considering “the budget issues in this financial year and making this commitment.”

Despite her enthusiasm for the increased support, Freeman said there was “a long way to go” in supplementing graduate student health care.

For example, graduate students who took part in assistanceships are not considered Virginia state employees — a policy unlike other states. Freeman said this hurt Tech’s ability to compete with peer institutions.

Depauw said she hoped to increase support of the plan to her goal of subsidizing 90 percent of costs.

She added the university would look for more favorable terms when it submits proposals for a new health care plan in the fall. GM Southwest currently offers the university’s graduate student health insurance, but it was the only company available at the time.

“We’d be looking for a company who could offer a better package,” Depauw said.

One area for improvement could come through increased health insurance support for graduate students who have spouses and families.

Freeman projected that with a price of around $10,000, the cost of placing additional people to an insurance plan could eat up most of a student’s income.

“The costs are extremely high if you have a spouse and children on your health insurance plan,” Freeman said.

Despite the complaints, French considered the increase in university health care support important with budget cuts and rising student fees.

“It’s a small victory, but it means a lot to students,” French said.

A version of this article appeared in the Apr 8 issue of the Collegiate Times.