Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

State program could offer health insurance to UA grad students

University of Arizona graduate teaching assistants' children who are not covered by their parents' university-provided health insurance may now be able to visit the doctor at reduced rates.

Although health benefits do not currently extend to dependents of UA graduate teaching and research assistants, Graduate College Dean Gary Pivo said the state and federally-funded KidsCare insurance program may be an answer to the requests students have had about family coverage.

Pivo said he became interested in promoting KidsCare insurance to all graduate students after he heard the program had low participation numbers.

"I don't think people know about this," said Pivo. "I really want people to look into this and see if they qualify. We'd like to see how well it works for people."

Pivo estimated the annual income range of graduate assistants is between $7,000 and $15,000 - which should qualify most students for KidsCare. Students who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford independent insurance, are eligible for the program.

Pivo said the UA has no official association with the KidsCare program and he does not know how many students could currently qualify, but added that he would be willing to facilitate any interaction between students and program representatives. Informational brochures are also available in Pivo's office.

Barbara Nu–ez, from the KidsCare office at El Rio Health Center, a Tucson clinic, said many KidsCare recipients are UA or Pima Community College students. Residency requirements only dictate that the recipients live in Arizona, so students studying on visas may also participate.

Nu–ez said she wants UA graduate students to be aware that the program assists families who might not otherwise be able to provide medical care for their children.

"It's not just low-income," said Nu–ez, who added that she would be willing to conduct a KidsCare presentation on campus. "It's not like they're receiving welfare."

For example, a household of four with a combined net income of less than $2,784 per month that does not hold any insurance for the children could purchase insurance for $20 monthly per dependent under age 19.

Pivo said extending health benefits to graduate students' families through the UA is possible, but would come at a significant price.

"We could ask the companies that insure our students to tell us what it would cost to insure their dependents," he said. "But it would, I assume, cost the university a lot of money to do that."

As alternatives to offering UA-provided health insurance, Pivo said other "creative solutions" exist, such as starting an inexpensive or free nurse practitioner's clinic for minor medical needs. However, such plans would require adjustment, he said.

"It would take some time no matter what those benefits would be," he said.

Masami Gross, a political science graduate student, said KidsCare represents a prime opportunity for graduate students.

"I think that we should certainly jump on that bandwagon," she said.

Although Gross does not have children, she said she would apply to KidsCare if she did have a family of her own to support.

"I think any and all graduate students with children would do it," Gross said.

Students may apply at any time to KidsCare. The program, now entering its second year, takes about three to six weeks to initiate and will widen its income requirements in October to serve more people.

Hillary Davis can be reached at Hillary.Davis@wildcat.arizona.edu.