Problem: Just a short while ago, the IDS published an article claiming that nearly 22-28 percent of students at IU did not have health insurance (The information came from IU Health Center Executive Director Hugh Jessop). This is a problem: students without health care. However, the problem underscores a deeper one that penetrates right into the heart of IUSA (our school government). Although IUSA is a notable organization, that is genuinely committed to serving its constituents, too often, its ideals of what it should be doing do not reflect what the IU community really needs. This episode with health care is no exception.
In detail: Assuming that 22-28 percent of IU students do no have health care, we are talking about nearly 8,800-11,200 students (if you approximate our student population to 40,000) without basic coverage. This indicates a serious health care crisis and substantial debt for those having to be rushed to the emergency room for a variety of crazy college injuries like getting your stomach pumped, breaking legs jumping off of frat houses, or snapping your neck jumping into an empty pool, drunk. The point is that college students are the ones who (out of all people in society) need basic health care coverage the most! If we all stayed in on Friday night to watch a PBS televised program, that’d be something else. But we don’t. We go out, get drunk (most of us, but not all) dance on top of bar tables, fall off, throw up, pass out, wake up next to that “someone” who you’d rather not talk about…..and do quite indeed get really “fucked up.” We are the most prone to serious injuries that could put us way into the RED! IUSA could be paying a bit more attention to the health care crisis in their “Health and safety initiatives” (where it is currently unmentioned). Choosing to instead spend several thousand dollars to advertise themselves on the side of a bus makes me wonder.... (please see http://www.indiana.edu/~iusa/initiative.php) .The school government should be actively seeking to get everyone on campus registered for health care, plain and simple. We argue that through this process they will kill two birds with one stone: publicity and health care. The fact that 22-28 percent of students are without coverage indicates a CRISIS (not to be confused with our paper, but synonymous nevertheless!). It indicates a governing body that needs a bit of direction and REAL feedback from students; not feedback every once in a while during elections, but all the time. Those in the school government have access to considerable funding, resources, and legitimacy. However, they are ultimately responsible to us, the students. The time has come to get IUSA to solve this health care crisis. The basic questions are: will they listen, and will we hold them accountable?
Steps for Action:
1. First of all, if you are reading this and don’t have health care, do something about it now! Get IU’s health insurance plan (although the deadline passed to receive it, call them at 812-856-4650 or email them at studenhc@indiana.edu and tell them your situation. PETITION this bureaucratic err; or get IUSA to extend the deadline, please see point 2). According to the IDS, for the 2008-2009 school year, you can get coverage for $1,564. Don’t feel like a looser. Apparently 9,000 other students are already on it. It makes sense. Not having coverage doesn’t.
Find more information here: http://www.indiana.edu/~uhrs/benefits/student_voluntary0809.html
2. In regards to IUSA, we recommend emailing them regarding your situation, respectfully asking that they consider representing the students to the IU administration to get rid of this application and deadline garbage regarding IU health insurance (recommend that they form an “emergency committee” to meet with administrators). When IU says you only can apply for their health plan on or before 31 January 2009 and it is already February/March, you are not only too late to apply, but being abused by the administration that denies you your right to be covered. That seems like bureaucratic bull shit, which we really try to avoid.
Email them at iusa@indiana.edu
3. For those of you itching for a bit more activism, start blogging it up, organize a quick meeting with others, and form yourselves into a student group dedicated to getting IUSA and/or IU to provide health care for all students. Big process, but together the goal will be achieved. If you need help email us at crisisatiub@gmail.com
4. Lastly, if you feel IUSA should be reassign its priorities, first find out what they are currently promoting. http://www.indiana.edu/~iusa/initiative.php . Then, do the following: help us coordinate a meeting of students to demand that every “ticket” or party in the school government adopt what WE want. Thus, this would entail a massive survey and publicity, but well worth the cause. To avoid technicalities, think of it as getting massive student support behind a few ideas (i.e. like health care for all students) that all aspiring parties or “tickets” must endorse and work into their campaign initiatives (think about it: you could get a “ticket” to endorse a campaign to move to drinking age to 18….18!) However, too many times we just don't care. Is there going to be another opportunity to make a difference that just floats by???
Please find the IDS article cited in this piece at the following address:
Source: http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=66260&comview=1
No comments:
Post a Comment