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VCU to end health insurance program for students

Posted at 7:09 AM, Mar 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-23 07:17:57-04

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Commonwealth University will end its student health insurance plan this summer. The insurance plan, run by Aetna, will end for medical and dental students on July 31, university officials said. The plan will end for all other students on August 17. VCU began notifying impacted students last month.

“VCU has always strived to support a health insurance plan for students that delivers strong benefits at a reasonable cost. But because of declining participation in the plan by students (a decrease from 1,057 participants in the 2012-13 academic year to 598 in the 2015-16 academic year) and escalating health care costs, the plan has seen significant increases in the annual premium over the last several years and increased out of pocket expense for students,” VCU spokesman Michael Porter said. “The company proposed a 38 percent increase ($4,737) for 2016-17, which made continuation of this plan cost prohibitive.”

For reference, VCU has a total of 31,242 students enrolled, including undergraduates, graduates, and first professionals, according to its website.

For the students affected by the change, VCU leaders said they had several information sessions planned to help explain their options. It also has health insurance options listed on this page.

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