UMSU experiencing health and dental complications

Incorrect list of opt-ins causes a big Aurora headache

MICHAEL OLSON STAFF

Hundreds of students have had problems with UMSU’s Health and Dental plan this year — many of them students who have been unable to use their paid-for insurance benefits as a result.

Due to complications with Aurora, UMSU has not been able to receive a complete list of those included in the insurance plan, which U of M students have the option to opt out of at the beginning of each term.

In addition, many students who wish to be included are realizing that they are not registered on UMSU’s Health and Dental plan.

In the fall, UMSU sent a list of the students who wished to be included in the Health and Dental plan to Greenshield Canada. However, when the list was sent to the insurance provider in mid-November, not all participants were included.

Other students are experiencing the opposite; many students who already have other health and dental plans and have chosen to opt out of UMSU’s plan are finding that their names are included on UMSU’s registered list.

This has become a headache for many students for various reasons. For example, some students who believe themselves to be on the plan are unable to acquire pharmacy drugs since they are not yet registered and are not receiving coverage.

During UMSU council’s Jan. 11 meeting, before the problem was solved, Amanda Jonson, vice-president (internal), said that roughly 80 to 90 students come into the UMSU office each week, citing complications regarding the Health and Dental plan. The cost of the plan amounts to $226.55 for students attending the U of M from September to April, and $151.03 for students attending only from January to April.

As a result, hundreds of students paid for a plan that they were not included on. Moreover, students who wished to not be included were still paying the fee.

Each year, it is estimated that approximately 11,000 students wish to opt out of UMSU’s Health and Dental plan.

UMSU announced at its Jan. 25 council meeting that it has finally received a complete and accurate list of those on the plan.

“It’s really unfortunate that it took five months to get it,” commented Jonson.

“I think everything with the Health and Dental plan will be OK now,” added Sran. “That definitely cannot happen again next year.” Just over 200 problems have been corrected.

—With files from Jenelle Petrinchuk.