When looking at hospitality business senior Xi Cheng’s account details for fall semester 2014, there is a $901 bill for international students’ insurance, which has been automatically added to her student fees.
Xi Cheng is a senior international student from China, and said the price of insurance has raised year by year since she started studying at MSU. She doesn’t know too many details about how to use the insurance, she just knows she has to pay this bill to MSU.
“I went to Sparrow (Hospital in Lansing) last year, I received several bills from them, and finally paid about $1,000 (in medical bills),” Chen said in Mandarin.
According to Xi Cheng’s account details, it cost her $819 for health insurance through MSU in spring semester 2012, $725 for the fall semester in 2012, and $821 for the fall semester in 2013 and spring semester in 2014.
“The price typically increases every year, and it depends on the type of claim and the number of people who enroll in the plan,” Jessie Kabdebo, a human resource representative for MSU. “We still have the same coverage as last year.”
The Aetna student health insurance plan includes unlimited coverage for accidents and sickness, free checkups, free vaccines, 100 percent coverage of preventive care and 100 percent coverage of contraceptive drugs and devices. Olin Health Center also offers three medical office visits and three lifetime psychiatry visits for free.
“We offer insurance through Aetna Student Health to all MSU students,” Kabdebo said. “Only international students, medical students and veterinary students are automatically enrolled in the coverage.”
Students can request to waive the Aetna Student Health insurance plan. To do so, she said students can purchase comparable insurance plans, and the list of options is on the Office of International Students and Scholars’ website. The insurance students choose must be accepted by Olin Health Center.
However, many international students don’t know they can buy health insurance from companies other than Aetna because it’s automatically added to their MSU bill every semester.
“I was thinking to use insurance from other companies, but I arrived at school after the school begins,” finance junior Suiman Sheng said in Mandarin. “I already paid my bill so I won’t have time to make any changes.
The OISS said MSU participates with the Aetna Student Insurance plan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan, BCN, Cofinity, TriCare and Medicaid. Students also can purchase insurance from comparable companies. The office reminds students to check the coverage policies and make sure it meets the waiver requirements.
Editor’s note: Health and environment reporter Lingling Xu translated the Mandarin interviews into English for this story.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
