Health Care Experiences

GAU will be approaching the Board of Trustees on Thursday July 14th to press them about our current health care coverage. This is a Do-It-Yourself health care plan that is not comparable to other health care plans across the state and GAU strongly believes that this should change in several ways. Some of the proposals still on the bargaining table:

Remove the year wait on preexisting conditions
Reduce the maximum-out-of-pocket (currently $1000)
Begin phasing in multi-tiered plans so that GAs (and other students) have access to options in quality health care (such as vision, dental, coverage for partners/dependents)

The SIUC health care plan is not regulated by the new federal government Affordable Health Care Act — which would require some of the changes we are asking for — and is not regulated by insurance laws in the State of Illinois. If changes are to be made only public pressure will get the SIUC administration to change the benefits– exercise your free speech rights and turn out for this event.

We need to hear more from graduate assistants who are dealing with the student health care plan. How has the coverage worked for you? What were your experiences dealing with the Student Health Center, local hospitals, and other health care providers? We would like to carry those stories to the Board of Trustees and let your voices demonstrate the coverage we have is inadequate and needs to be changed. Feel free to send us your stories at our email address (gau.siuc@gmail.com), on our website (http://gaunited.org), or on Facebook!