PETITION TO IMPROVE UC SHIP |
Dear University of California Chancellors and Student Health Advisory Committee Members,
We, the undersigned Academic Student Employees and members of the campus community, believe that all students and workers should have access to high-quality, low-cost health care. We encourage the UC administration to implement, in the coming year, the following improvements to UC SHIP and each campus-based SHIP, while preserving existing benefits.
Lower copays for mental health - Student-workers need low-cost, accessible mental health care to weather graduate school’s many challenges. According to a 2014 UC-Berkeley report, “about 47% of Ph.D. students and 37% of Master’s and Professional students score as depressed.” Lowering co-pays for mental health office visits will increase access to vital mental health services.
Lower dependent healthcare premiums - For many UC students, dependent healthcare for family members is prohibitively expensive. Dependent premiums, on average, cost approximately one-quarter of a 50% FTE Teaching Assistant’s salary. UC should make it possible for graduate students to afford health insurance for themselves and their spouse, domestic partner, and/or children.
Peer-to-peer education and expanded SHIP resources - Student-workers are not always clearly informed about how to best utilize their healthcare. Involving our Union for Academic Student Employees, UAW 2865, in peer-to-peer training and education on student health plans can help improve clarity. Additionally, the UC administration should increase resources for students with questions about their health insurance.
Sincerely,
[Undersigned]
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We, the undersigned Academic Student Employees and members of the campus community, believe that all students and workers should have access to high-quality, low-cost health care. We encourage the UC administration to implement, in the coming year, the following improvements to UC SHIP and each campus-based SHIP, while preserving existing benefits.
Lower copays for mental health - Student-workers need low-cost, accessible mental health care to weather graduate school’s many challenges. According to a 2014 UC-Berkeley report, “about 47% of Ph.D. students and 37% of Master’s and Professional students score as depressed.” Lowering co-pays for mental health office visits will increase access to vital mental health services.
Lower dependent healthcare premiums - For many UC students, dependent healthcare for family members is prohibitively expensive. Dependent premiums, on average, cost approximately one-quarter of a 50% FTE Teaching Assistant’s salary. UC should make it possible for graduate students to afford health insurance for themselves and their spouse, domestic partner, and/or children.
Peer-to-peer education and expanded SHIP resources - Student-workers are not always clearly informed about how to best utilize their healthcare. Involving our Union for Academic Student Employees, UAW 2865, in peer-to-peer training and education on student health plans can help improve clarity. Additionally, the UC administration should increase resources for students with questions about their health insurance.
Sincerely,
[Undersigned]
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