Student health care premiums to rise
Premiums for Cardinal Care insurance for students will rise from $432 to $516 per quarter for 2004-05, a 19 percent increase. Cardinal Care is a comprehensive plan created for Stanford students and provides access to Stanford physicians and hospitals.
Students overwhelmingly have indicated that they want access to Stanford physicians. The high cost of care at a research and teaching facility with the latest in medical treatments and technology is one factor driving increases, said Dr. Ira Friedman, director of Vaden Health Center. Friedman also cited rising prescription drug costs and increased costs associated with mental health treatment.
Student rates for Cardinal Care rose last year by 17.4 percent. Friedman said he expects that rates will continue to increase annually, but not as sharply.
Cardinal Care provides insurance for 35 percent of the undergraduate population and 75 percent of graduate students. All registered students are required to be covered by health insurance.
Health care benefits will remain unchanged, but the health care plan provider will change from HealthNet to the Chickering Group, which has a long-term agreement with Aetna U.S. Healthcare to offer student insurance. The company is known for providing good customer service, plan design and flexibility, Friedman said.
The cost to students to insure dependents will rise by 24 percent for 2004-05, Friedman said. The 2004-05 unsubsidized cost for insuring a spouse will rise from $402 to $500 per month and the unsubsidized cost for insuring one dependent child will rise from $299 to $372 per month.
The university will continue a subsidy program that helps graduate students cover the cost of insurance, including the cost of insuring spouses and dependents. The benefit provides graduate students with research assistantships, teaching assistantships and fellowships of at least $2,000 per quarter with a 50 percent subsidy of the cost of insurance for the student. Graduate students who are funded between $1,000 and $2,000 are eligible for a 25 percent subsidy.
The benefit also provides a $150 per month per dependent subsidy to help cover the cost of insuring spouses and children of eligible graduate students. A program that allows students who aren't funded or are funded at levels below $1,000 to "buy into" the subsidy program for dependent health care for $140 per quarter also will continue.
Approximately 2 percent of graduate students have dependents that are insured by the Dependent Health Insurance Plan, said Amy Baldwin, associate director of Vaden Health Care.
Share This Story