The Student Health Insurance Committee is interested in your health. In fact, they're even asking questions.

Members of the committee will be compiling a list of the most-requested health benefits in a meeting Wednesday at Goddard Health Center.

"Everyone's trying to identify students' concerns and problems," said Robert Gropp, committee member and chairman of the Graduate Student Senate. "We're all really concerned with getting the best coverage."

Gropp said students want better coverage of surgery costs, dependents, outpatient and inpatient fees, intramurals and club sports and minor accidents, to name a few.

Traditionally, OU has endorsed a health plan for the students, said Rick Hall, committee member and vice president of OU Student Affairs.

Main subscribers in the past have included graduate students who are no longer covered by a parental plan; and international students, for whom a health plan is required, Gropp said.

The consolidated list will be forwarded through the Purchasing Department to insurance companies for bidding.

Gropp said he expects five to six companies to bid.

"We want something that's going to give the students more complete coverage," Gropp said. "Obviously we don't want the premiums to go through the roof."

By February, the committee needs to have some idea which company the students will endorse, Hall said.

Marc Young, committee member and chairman of Student Congress, said the companies that bid are not always open about the options they offer.

"In the past, insurance companies have had tendencies to not give students full information," Young said.

Gropp said the current plan is provided by the MegaLife insurance company. Before that, OU endorsed a plan by Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

"Typically the policy that is endorsed is a two-year contract," Gropp said.

Gropp said the availability of a quality insurance plan is especially important for graduate students.

"I was fine until I was 23," Gropp said. "Now I'm on the Be-Careful Plan."

Tuesday, December 5, 1995