The number of students at Cal State Long Beach who enroll in a health insurance plan through Associated Students Inc. is only a fraction of the amount who qualify, according to Martiz Ware, administrative director for ASI.
Ware said any domestic student attending CSULB is qualified for the school health insurance.
He estimated that more than 500 students will enroll this year. Most of the students who have expressed interest in the health insurance are freshmen, sophomores and post-graduate students.
Ware thinks that more students don’t go through ASI for health insurance because they are already covered under their parents’ plan.
“They may not look to see if there’s a better bargain if the [students] are already on their parents’ plan,” Ware said. “My hope is that the number of students going through ASI is not higher because everyone is already insured.”
Students who are insured often don’t explore other options.
“I’m on my parents’ plan, so I don’t really look into those things.” said Cynthia Nguyen, freshman computer engineering major.
Many students aren’t even aware ASI offers health insurance to students.
“We could probably do more to get the word out,” Ware said.
ASI presented students with information on the health insurance plan at different events, like a student services event on Sept. 21. The Student Health Center also sent an informational email to students.
“I saw the email [regarding health insurance],” said Brenda Eslobodo, sophomore nutrition major. “But I don’t know what to do to get on it.”
According to Ware, the plan is comparable to what you would receive at a large organization.
There are two basic plans students can choose from through United Health Care. The first has a $2,000 deductible with a lower premium. The second plan has a $500 deductible with a higher premium. Students can have the insurance for the whole year or a semester.
Ware said ASI offers the health insurance program so that students can focus on their education without the burden of medical costs.
“We care about the health of our students,” Ware said. “Even though from 18 to 34 we tend to feel like we’re indestructible, it’s good to be insured.”
The health insurance provider used to be Aetna before their premiums went up. According to Ware, every three years ASI will go and bid on health care in order to get the best plan for students.
The United Health Care health insurance is available only to domestic students. International students at CSULB are required to be insured through Wells Fargo.
For more information about being insured on the CSU Long Beach United Health Care plan visit uhcsr.com/csulb.
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