Some international students still frustrated with university health insurance options

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Central Michigan University Health Service’s recent decision to only allow pre-approved plans for international students has become a cause for concern among many internationals.

Originally the international students would have been required to buy CMU’s health insurance plan at $1,480 per year. After negotiations with representatives from five groups of students on May 10 three alternative plans were also accepted.

Some international students found the results unsatisfactory.

Nigeria junior Evelyn Famutimi said the three alternative plans do not solve the fundamental problem that many international students will now be required to purchase another insurance for an entire year.

“The point still remains that a lot of international students cannot afford to pay for a year of insurance,” Famutimi said.

Health insurance has always been required for international students, but after Health Services took over insurance administration from the Office of International Affairs earlier this year, it decided to more closely regulate by only allowing pre-approved plans.

“It was thought that might be a better way to make sure requirements had been met,” said Angela Smith, assistant director of business services for Health Services. “Otherwise you would have to review every single policy and there is not enough administrative power to look through every policy.”

Famutimi, who is also president of the African Student Association at CMU, said because many international students travel home for several months, such as over the summer, it is unfair to force them to buy year-long insurance in the U.S.

Korea graduate student Mihyang An said she and many of her Korean friends are contending with just that problem. She said she couldn’t just get by with an American insurance plan because it would not cover her at home.

“Most of my Korean friends head back to their country over the summer,” An said. “It kind of wastes money, it’s really bad actually.”

Unfortunately, year-long insurance is required for students because potential health issues that occur while students are off the plan might not be covered once they get back to the U.S., Smith said.

This means any treatments related to those conditions could be denied by the insurance and the patient would have to pay out of pocket, Smith said.

She said to keep the program manageable for the coming year, the decision had to be made to require a year of insurance except for students graduating in the next semester.

“We will monitor and reassess the program continually and will be in contact with the (international) student representatives as we go out to bid for the student insurance company next year,” she said. “If we are able to change this for next year we will certainly consider it.”