For the first time, Cornell will provide university-funded health insurance for the majority of its graduate students.

The Cornell Board of Trustees at its regular meeting Oct. 28 approved the recommendation from President Hunter Rawlings to purchase the Cornell University Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) for fully funded graduate students, effective in fall 2001. The total cost of providing the coverage in the academic year 2001-02 is estimated to be approximately $3 million.

Ever since a decision by the Board of Trustees in 1974, the university has required all students to purchase the SHIP, unless they carry other health insurance that meets Cornell's requirements. Beginning next year, the SHIP will be mandatory for all graduate students.

The university will pay the full premium of the SHIP for approximately 3,150 graduate students receiving full tuition and stipend from or through the university. All other graduate students must pay the premium for the SHIP, unless they can provide proof that they have health insurance that meets Cornell's requirements. The annual premium is expected to be approximately $950 for the academic year 2001-02.

"I am very pleased that the Board of Trustees has taken this action on behalf of our graduate students," Rawlings said. "This coverage will help ensure the well-being of our students and will enable us to continue to attract the highest caliber of graduate students to our campus."

Walter Cohen, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, explained that the impetus for providing this kind of coverage was twofold: the desire to remain competitive in the recruitment for the best graduate students nationwide and the concern that too many graduate students had insufficient health insurance coverage.

"I believe these changes will improve the quality of life for thousands of graduate students, increase our competitiveness in recruiting and broadly promote better health care and better health for graduate students," Cohen said.

Cohen said that a recent audit of graduate students who had waived Cornell coverage, indicating that they had coverage that met Cornell's insurance requirements, revealed that some of them, in fact, had no coverage and a considerable percentage had inadequate coverage. He estimated that the two groups, combined, represented approximately 50 percent of those who waived the Cornell plan.

Under the new plan, Cohen said, graduate students who provide proof that they carry other health insurance that meets Cornell's requirements will be allowed to maintain that coverage and will not have to pay the premium for the SHIP. The Graduate School will purchase the SHIP for those students, who will hold the Cornell insurance in addition to their external coverage. The duplicate coverage is a response to both internal and external financial considerations, Cohen said.

"We are pleased with the Graduate School's decision to provide health insurance for its fully funded graduate students," said Janet Corson-Rikert, director of Gannett: Cornell University Health Services. "We recognize the links between students' health, academic success and personal accomplishment. The Graduate School's plan supports access to and coverage of health care, which in turn supports students' full participation in the academic mission of the university."

Cornell's Student Health Insurance Plan is designed to meet the specific needs of Cornell students and is reviewed annually by the Student Insurance Advisory Committee (SIAC), whose membership includes students, faculty and staff. The SIAC evaluates student health insurance options, coverage and costs and participates in regular bid processes to select the insurance carrier. The current SHIP is underwritten by the Aetna Life Insurance Co. and administered by the Chickering Group. It meets and exceeds all of the student health insurance standards developed by the American College Health Association.

The SHIP includes: extensive coverage at a reasonable cost for most on- or off-campus medical care; protection against catastrophic expenses; coverage of pre-existing medical conditions; coverage for mental health services and prescription drugs; coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year anywhere in the world; unlimited medical evacuation and repatriation coverage in case of health emergencies away from home or campus; discount dental and vision services; and convenient on-campus insurance assistance.