UVSS health and dental plan criticized
Some students are upset about how long it takes to get reimbursed for prescription drug costs.
The new health and dental plan implement by the UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) has recently come under fire from students and health professionals alike.
Over the summer, Director of Finance Kelsey Hannan and the Finance Committee searched for the UVSS’ new health plan provider. The board had decided not to recognize a contract that was signed in April by the outgoing director of finance a few days before his term ended, as the new board felt it was not the best plan for students. By August, StudentCare became the new broker with a new health and dental plan provided by Sun Life Financial.
The plan, costing $272.72 for a year of coverage, was advertised as a cheaper plan where students get more. However, two months into both a new school year and a new plan, some people feel this is not the case.
“[The UVSS] has to keep the dental plan within the same financial guidelines as it was previously,” explained Monica, the office manager of Campus Dental Centre located in the Student Union Building (SUB). “They had to cut some services in order to get the composite coverage. As it for being cheaper, it isn’t. Students have to pay quite a bit more out-of-pocket now.”
The new dental plan excludes white fillings or molar teeth, for example.
“The other main concern is that there isn’t any specialist coverage,” said Monica. “What that means is that if someone has to get their wisdom teeth out and they’re referred to an oral surgeon, they won’t get any money reimbursed.”
“The plan this year was based off the plan that was signed in April. We asked for exactly the same plan,” said UVSS Chairperson James Coccola. “It’s possible the plan in April didn’t have specialist coverage. But I haven’t heard this claim before.”
Another matter students have taken issue with is the paperwork involved in the new plan. One third-year anthropology student, who wished to stay anonymous, filled out the appropriate paperwork for her prescription medication in September and still hasn’t received her rebate.
Monica echoes this concern. “With [the previous plan] Green Shield, we could submit easier and get a response quicker. The process for the student now is, from what I’ve seen, a lot longer, especially in waiting for the reimbursement.”
These changes, Hannan says, have a lot to do with meeting the aforementioned financial guidelines, wherein the dental and health plan cannot go over $288. The UVSS is able to spend up to $144 on dental coverage and $144 on health coverage. In the contract signed by the outgoing director of finance, the dental coverage had been $148, $4 over the cap, while the health plan had been set at $140.
“One of the major issues before was that our dental [claims] exploded. They were really, really high and we can’t go over $288. We had to reduce the dental plan to keep it under that cap,” Hannan explained.
This year’s health and dental plan was based on the number of claims from last year. The claims were too high for the amount of money being paid into the plan. The current plan offers $750 of coverage between Sept. 1, 2010 and Aug. 31, 2011.
Hannan says that the new Sun Life Financial plan has things the old plan did not provide, including coverage in vision, travel (up to 120 days) and tuition insurance.
The contract with StudentCare is a multi-year contract with a two-year rate guarantee, meaning if that StudentCare finds UVic students’ health and dental claims too high, students are protected at the $272 rate for at least one more year.
Another issue surrounding the new plan was the opt-out process.
“There’s a difference in even how to opt out this year,” said Coccola. “It requires you to physically upload a file or scan and a lot of people found it difficult to do that. We’re hoping to find ways to make it easier.”
This year, according to Coccola, 900 undergraduate students accidentally opted out of UVic’s Graduate Student Society’s (GSS) health and dental plan rather than the UVSS plan. The two plans vary immensely and are even provided by two different insurance companies.
The UVSS gave those students an extension of two weeks to opt out of the correct plan, ending Oct. 14.
For now, the UVSS’ health and dental plan is here to stay.
“If we are not happy, we can cancel after this year and things will change again in September,” said Hannan. “We are not locked into the contract [with Sun Life Financial]. We aggressively ensured there is protection for us in the contract.”
13 Comments
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Annon Oct. 28, 2010, 8:41 p.m.
Ugh, don't get me started on the troubles I've had with this new Health and Dental Plan.
Just trying to get a simple quote took weeks and more paperwork then the actual procedure itself. I was constantly told by Sunlife that there was a gray period where little could be done. What the frack is that? If I'm paying you to give me health coverage, there should be no gray area, it should start when I pay for it.
When it came to the procedure itself, I had to pay quite a bit out of pocket, which really I don't mind, but I have essentially used up all my $750 dental coverage now, so everything else I do, cleanings, fillings, etc will be all out of pocket. The low cap kinda sucks. I should have stayed with my employers plan, which had a cap of almost double.
Then I found out that I wasn't covered for prescription drugs and now have to wait what's looking like a good 2 months for $40 dollars that should have been covered?
I'll admit, I am spoiled. I was covered under my father's health care for a good 3 years, and it was government issued Blue Cross. I have since been on a few other health care plans, and none have been as difficult to work with as Sunlife has.
David Oct. 29, 2010, 2 a.m.
"The new dental plan excludes white fillings or molar teeth"
Darn. I'm sure lots of students are looking for new molars. Adding a couple more in one's mouth makes chewing so much easier.
Anon Oct. 29, 2010, 2:38 a.m.
Classic. Kelsey Hannan is more focused on balancing budgets (the so-called "financial guidelines") than students needs. Hopefully they get this mess sorted out fast.
Also, funny how David expresses contempt for his fellow students who need dental work. Paying MORE outta the pocket, David - doesn't that mean anything to you? Sorry if we're not all so filled up with bling that we can afford to pay exorbitant dental bills.
Seriously, what the hell kinda sarcastic comment is that? Give our head a shake.
Anon Oct. 29, 2010, 4:19 a.m.
Umm... how do students pay more out of pocket?
Read the ihaveaplan.ca website.... The dental plan pays for 70% of your coverage, leaving students to pay the remaining 30% out of pocket. That was same percentage out of pocket that Greenshield provided before, but they never offered or maintained the "dental network" that Studentcare now provides.
If you go to the ihaveaplan.ca website, you can find a list of dentists who are a part of the dental network in Victoria that Studentcare maintains. These dentists asorb an additional 20% of your bill, meaning that 90% of your dental work is covered, instead of the 70% normally covered. There are five providers already in Victoria who are part of this network. Check the website and you can find a map of where they are: http://www.ihaveaplan.ca/rte/en/IHaveAPlan_UVicUniversityofVictoriaStudentsSocietyUVSS_Dental_DentalCoverage_DentalNetwork
It appears that the campus dentist quoted in the article is not a network member and so students must pay out of pocket expenses equal to 30% of the bill like they did before. But if you just go off campus to another dentist who is in the network, you only have to pay 10% out of pocket. Since Greenshield never maintained a network in Victoria, moving over to Studentcare reduced what you had to pay out of pocket for by 2/3...
Andrew A Oct. 29, 2010, 4:41 a.m.
Did the Martlet bother to actually look at last year's plan or the plan signed in April? It seems like the article is incomplete without looking into whether or not the plans really are the same.
Anon Oct. 29, 2010, 8:46 p.m.
just cuz a dentist is on the student network doesn't mean you get better dental work. I went somewhere who was listed on the network, or offered cheaper services, i don't remember. I ended up having to go to the campus dental in the sub where they fixed the problems i had cuz of the other guy. Yah i had to pay. At least i'm not in pain anymore. Check these things out before you go to places, "if it sounds too good to be true..." yah know that clichee!
Good typo on teh "white fillings or molar teeth" i think it should be "on" instead of "or"!!
Lack of direct-billing = cheaper = shittier Oct. 31, 2010, 10:03 a.m.
The difference between this plan and the previous one is that students who use the health plan no longer have direct billing. That means that when they go to use health services, they need to pay out of their own pocket and then get reimbursed by Studentcare. The coverage amounts are the same.
However, this lack of direct billing changes the cost of a health plan, and shows how Kelsey was able to get this "cheaper" plan. Students don't typically have a lot of cash on hand, and so many students will avoid or delay getting proper health services so they have enough money on hand to pay for rent, food, tuition and other necessities first. Studentcare, of course knows this and wants this situation, because a lack of direct billing dramatically reduces the claims that they will see from students (which means more profits for them!). The previous plan cost more because direct billing was packaged into it. Direct billing is more costly because the insurance provider takes on more risk-- and makes using services simple enough that students don't have any reason to be discouraged. The real question is whether students are willing to pay more for direct billing? I would.
Kelly Nov. 2, 2010, 5:23 a.m.
The main reason this plan is cheaper is because it came as a result of a competitive bidding process.
On Direct Billing Nov. 3, 2010, 5:11 p.m.
Someone has already mentioned the fact that without direct billing students are paying more out of pocket. They also said they'd be willing to pay more for direct billing. The great thing is, you wouldn't even necessarily have to pay more. It's disappointing to see that Kelsey Hannan was so wrapped up in finding the insurance salesman who offered more fun things than the plan that was really the best.
Given Hannan's desire to leave the CFS one can't help but wonder if he chose StudentCare because of the publicity they got for helping in Concordia's referendum...
Andrew Nov. 4, 2010, 5:05 a.m.
Please clarify what "more fun things" means. When asking for quotes from insurance brokers, Hannan asked for exactly the same coverage as the previous plans. Later the finance committee chose to add vision care and travel insurance after StudentCare was chosen.
Anon Nov. 4, 2010, 7:41 a.m.
Hannan asked for the same coverage but obviously did not get it, Andrew A. Cheaper = sh!ttier is right. Are you willing to put your word against a professional office manager?
It doesn't even cover white fillings on molars. I expected more from our elected official Kelsey Hannan.
bad article Nov. 8, 2010, 1:37 a.m.
The coverage is the same. The quote from Monica in this article is false--specialist treatment was never covered under the plan. If Greenshield was accepting such claims, then they shouldn't have been as it was never covered before.
And does the Martlet not realize that this "health professional" is a dentist in the SUB who primarily bills the dental plan? Do they not see the conflict of interest inherit in using that person as a source given their very direct interest in being able to bill out the plan for profit?!
Hannan's response Nov. 10, 2010, 9 p.m.
http://uvssuncovered.blogspot.com/2010/11/hannans-response-to-health-plan.html