With all the changes the University is making to move forward, one change is moving the University back.

The Inter-University Council Student Health Insurance Consortium, a group of six universities working together to find comprehensive and low cost health insurance, with a unanimous decision changed the University’s health insurance carrier from United HealthCare Student Resources (UHCSR) to Aetna Student Health, the lowest of three new proposals.

Aetna was the University health care provider prior to the switch to UHCSR in 2012. 

The change was made in response to a large increase in plan premiums for the 2016-2017 school year and went into effect Aug. 1. Under the UHCSR carrier, the University plan one would increase $1070 while plan two, which has a lower deductible, would increase by $956.

A document detailing the bid process for selecting a new health care provider stated “neither the Student Insurance Office Representatives, nor Findley Davies (the University’s benefits consultants) could find a reason/rationale for the (UHCSR) proposed increase.”

Dave Kielmeyer, chief marketing communications officer for the University, said the large increase in premiums was the driving force behind the carrier switch.

“In this case, we were better off going out on our own and finding a different carrier rather than staying with (UHCSR),” Kielmeyer said.

That shopping led them back to Aetna and smaller premium increases.

Marlene Reynolds, assistant director of student health insurance, said that the switch will not remove the increase in premiums, but takes a large step to reduce them.

“We could not imaging going to students and telling them that for the same plan last year, this year would cost $1000 more,” she said.

The switch will save students varying amounts depending on which plan is chosen.

A student choosing plan one will save approximately $872 while a student with plan two will save $715, compared to what the cost for UHCSR would have been.

“The prices are based on the insurance market, and the requirements for the insurance are based on federal regulation,” Kielmeyer said.

Though the final prices are beyond the control of the students, representatives from both the graduate and undergraduate student governments took part in reviewing proposals before a final decision was made.

Undergraduate Student Government President Amanda Dortch said the fees, while the best presented option, are still high. She mentioned international students who might have little in options outside the University health care plans.

International students taking more than one credit hour of classes must have insurance that meets the University’s standards. In comparison, the threshold for domestic students is 5 credit hours on main campus.

An international student can use insurance from their home country if the plan meets both University and federal requirements and has a claims address and phone number based in the United States.

The student may also use the insurance of a spouse if it meets the requirements.

The other options for an international student are shopping around the health care marketplace. 

“Some will bring policies and ask us if it meets the requirements, and if it does, then we allow them to have it,” Reynolds said. “We will sit down with them and go over what requirements have not been met. Sometimes they go back out to get a different plan. Sometimes they opt into our plan.”

Students, both international and domestic, with questions about the health care plans can find more information about them on the University’s website at www.bgsu.edu/student-insurance-program.html.

Additional information about what Aetna Student Health offers can be found by typing “BGSU” into the school search box at www.aetnastudenthealth.com.

Managing Editor Jessica Speweike also contributed to this report.