Syracuse University’s new health insurance policy is causing some confusion among international students.

“Right now, for international students it’s mostly an issue of lack of information,” said Patrick Neary, president of the Graduate Student Organization. “There are cost increases, there are trade-offs for increased benefits. For a lot of international students this is really mostly just uncertainty.”

The policy, which was announced last month, requires students to have a health insurance plan compliant with President Barack Obama’s health care law. Many international students come to SU without health insurance or with short-term plans that do not meet this criteria. Switching to Obamacare-compliant plans will increase their expenses significantly, but will also mean they are provided with more coverage.

THE General Body, a coalition of student organizations, and the GSO staged a protest of the policy last week. They said the university has not been transparent in transitioning to the new policy. However, university administrators said despite the perceived communication issues, the plan is one that will benefit students both international and domestic in the end.

Neary said many international students haven’t been told yet whether their policy is compliant. He added that this information is necessary, especially if international students plan on going home over the summer.

Pat Burak, director of the Slutzker Center for International Services, said in her time at the university that four committees on health insurance have recommended something similar to this program.

“Overall I’m thrilled,” Burak said. “Syracuse has been behind the times by not having a policy that would provide necessary coverage for all students, domestic and international.”

Burak said there has been confusion with the policy, but added that the confusion is similar to the confusion that the country experienced when Obamacare first came into play because humans are afraid of change, especially when it is not communicated properly.

“Once we get through this first year, I think it’ll just follow suit like it does at so many peer institutions,” Burak said. “Most other schools have a mandatory policy. What we all at the institution have to be sensitive to are the human aspects of this transition.”

Burak mentioned multiple cases that she has encountered in her work with students, including stories about international students who have been left with crippling debt due to inadequate coverage plans.

Ben Domingo, the director of health services, said the university started the process late, but that it is trying to help get the word out about it. He said they’ve also listened to feedback and have already changed the language in the policy regarding graduate and teaching assistants as well as research assistants being covered under the employee policy.

They will stay on the employee plan until the university negotiates with the Graduate Student Organization and involves them in the process.

“We acknowledge that we have not communicated as well as we could have about everything going forward,” Domingo said.

Domingo said despite the communication issues, the plan is, overall, a good one.

“While there might be a communication problem, I don’t want that to overshadow what we’re really doing here, which is assuring very, very good medical coverage for students at a very affordable rate,” he said.

Published on April 13, 2015 at 11:10 pm

Contact: clmoran@syr.edu