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News

International students to vote on health and dental benefits

Krystal Kehoe - Investigative Editor

From March 24-26, Thompson Rivers University Students’ Union (TRUSU) is giving international students opportunity to vote on whether or not they want to be included on the student health and dental plan.

Currently, only domestic students are on the plan for a fee of $248 per year.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been turning away international students,” said Jambo Mirzabekov, international students representative at TRUSU. “There [have] been a number of international students that have asked us if they are covered.”

TRUSU has been working with TRU World to help communicate details about the plan to the students.

“It’s a good program and it would have benefits for the international students, as long as they understand it correctly,” said Jan Petrar, manager of international student services and study abroad. “Some of our concern is that it may be perceived as a mandatory fee. As long as students understand, students need to realize that this is additional coverage, not instead of MSP.”

The Medical Service Plan (MSP) is a requirement in British Columbia. It covers basic medical costs that are considered medically necessary, such as doctor’s visits and trips to the emergency room. TRUSU’s extended health and dental benefits package covers additional medical costs that are not covered under basic medical insurance for things like dental, eyewear, and prescription drug coverage.

If the international students vote in favour of the health and dental plan they will be included on the plan as of August 2010, explained Mirzabekov. International students will get the same coverage as domestic students for the same cost of $248 per year.

The TRUSU health and dental plan is considered an option-out plan, as stated on their website. Students who have comparable coverage have the option to get out of TRUSU’s plan if they can provide a policy number.

“They can have extended health and dental coverage from back home,” Mirzabekov said. “As long as they have comparable health and dental coverage, they can opt out.”

Petrar said that she had not come across any overseas comparable coverage in her review of the health and dental plans. “I look more for core coverage” she said, but she admits that she is not hopeful that a lot to the international students will have this type of coverage, and be able to get out of TRUSU’s health and dental plan.

But, Jambo Mirzabekov said that the additional $248 is not a large increase compared to what the international students are already paying.

“I pay $15,000 per year, roughly, so an additional $248 is not a big deal,” he said.

In order for the referendum to be considered valid, 20 per cent of international students need to vote, in accordance with TRUSU bylaws.

Voting for the health and dental referendum will take place in the TRUSU boardroom in the Independent Centre. The boardroom was also the voting location for the TRUSU election this year for the first time. Approximately 700 students voted in this year’s council election, compared to 1,400 students the previous year.

Mirzabekov said that TRUSU is a bit nervous about voter turnout for the international students’ health and dental referendum.

“Obviously it’s not the right thing, to bring a student election in the boardroom and bring a referendum in IB or Old Main,” he said. “We are being consistent. This is a student referendum. It will be in the student union building. We are kind of nervous about getting 20 per cent, close to 300 students. It’s a significant number of international students that need to come out and vote.”

There are 36 hours available for international students to vote. Mirzabekov said that he does not see any reason why a person would not be able to go to the Independent Centre to vote, if this is what the international students have been asking for.

TRUSU has worked with TRU World to print posters in seven different languages to put up around campus. TRU World is communicating with the international students by email and other means to spread the word about the referendum. TRUSU has been tabling to discuss the referendum and has been using online social media to get the information out to the students.

International students can vote between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. in the TRUSU boardroom March 24-26.