Some international students are confused what their coverage under the university’s health care plan is. This confusion was widespread, even the Student Union was unaware of exactly who was covered.
“International students often came to us and said, ‘Yeah, I wish the international plan that the university provides…would cover my prescription drugs, and I wish I had more coverage for counseling or physio,” said Ben Graham, STUSU VP Admin. “Lo and behold it turns out it does.”
International students pay $630 each year for an international health plan called “guard.me.” That plan is akin to what Canadian students already receive through their provincial health care. All students pay $317 a year for health and dental coverage, essentially everything provincial health care does not cover. Things like prescription drugs, prosthetics and eyewear.
Some international students thought they weren’t covered by the supplementary health insurance, and their coverage only extended as far as “guard.me.” Second year psychology and economics student Esteban Rivera is one of those students.
“I had no idea we were covered without ‘guard.me,’” said Rivera.
Although Graham was unsure how, he blames this lack of understanding on a breakdown in communication.
“Where the miscommunication came in I’m not sure. How long [this has] been going on, I have no idea. It could have been a couple years,” said Graham. “But that always seemed to be the trend, that international students aren’t covered.”
Rivera is unsure why students like him were unaware of the extra coverage.
“I’m not sure the reasons why most of us weren’t aware of this, but it might be because we have more [things] covered under guard.me,” said Rivera.
Even with the confusion over the health care coverage, Rivera is glad he has coverage through the university.
“Guard me is expensive but I guess it gives you security,” said Rivera. “You [know] in what things you’re covered and you are covered in all major medical emergencies.”
