The Daily Reveille - September 2, 2015

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CLOUDY

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Reveille

IN THIS ISSUE

The Daily

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

lsureveille.com/daily

thedailyreveille

• Opinion: Americans don’t trust government officials, page 8 • Cornerback ‘Debo’ Jones demonstrates character on and off the field, page 5 • Two men arrested in Tigerland after one pulls gun and threatens to fire, page 3 @lsureveille

Graduate assistants to lose subsidies for health insurance Affordable Care Act regulations affect graduate teaching assistants BY WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTER @wmtaylorpotter Because of a complication with the Affordable Care Act, graduate teaching assistants and graduate assistants will no longer receive a subsidy from LSU to offset the cost of health insurance. According to Graduate School Dean Michelle Massé’s letter to students on Aug. 28, some regulations under the act targeting small businesses were also applied to higher education, which could result in fines for the university of $100 per day per student receiving a subsidy. Under the new rules, small businesses and universities cannot give workers subsidies specifically to buy health insurance. The Office of Academic Affairs provided the $700 annual subsidies, and were used by about half of LSU’s graduate students, Massé said. The amount has remained stagnant over the last several years, even though the cost of the insurance has increased over the past three years from $600 to more than $1,000 per semester, said Vernon Dunn, a Student Government senator for the graduate school. Graduate students were informed about the change via email on May 29, Dunn said. According to a letter from the Council of Graduate Schools, the rule went into effect on July 1.

see GRADUATE, page 4

MAY 29

Graduate students are informed they will no longer receive LSU subsidies for University health insurance.

JULY 1

The Affordable Care Act rule restricting health care subsidies for small businesses does into effect.

JULY 24

An email informs graduate students that they may continue purchasing LSU-AIG through August 2016, but they will not receive subsidies.

AUGUST 28

A letter from the graduate school dean clarifies that the ACA’s subsidy restrictions for small businesses also apply to higher education institutions. Already allocated subsidy money is to be given by LSU to individual colleges and programs and used as they see fit.

FALL 2016

Volume 120 · No. 8

thedailyreveille

Graduate students must begin purchasing health insurance on the independent market or through the ACA website.

HEALTH

LSU Health Center addresses fee concerns Students wish fees were more clearly explained on fee bill BY JOSHUA JACKSON @Joshua_Jackson_ Students taking less than 12 hours are eligible for LSU services, pay a separate fee for campus medical care but cannot go to the LSU Student Health Center. Though graduating seniors taking less than 12 hours must pay a one-time fee upon requesting SHC services, the in-person payment they make is no greater than the amount paid in an SHCrecognized full-time student’s fee bill. The SHC fee is not explicitly written into full-time students’ fee bills, but the amount is taken out of the tuition payment, said SHC Associate Director Julie Hupperich. Graduating seniors taking less than 12 hours pay less tuition and fees than full-time students. “Our eligibility hinges on students paying the Student Health Center fee,” Hupperich said. “If you’re full-time, you’ll pay the Student Health Center fee from your fee bill, and if you’re not, then you won’t be charged for it until you need our services.” Hupperich said the SHC values “continuity of care” for students who have visited the facility before. “We want those graduating seniors who have had a relationship with the Student Health Center to receive care, but they will have to pay the fee,” Hupperich said. During the fall and spring semesters, the fee is $155 and is included on students’ fee bills under “required fees.” Over the summer, it is reduced to $90. The money covers the student’s services for the semester but does not include prescriptions, vaccinations, X-rays, diagnostics or orthopedic supplies. The Rape Aggression Defense self-defense course and psychological testing

see HEALTH CENTER, page 4


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