Letters to the Editor

Director Defends School’s Health Plan

I am writing in response to Monya De’s opinion piece about the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) that appeared last week (“Time to Abandon SHIP,” June 4). I would like to offer some clarification.

Students are encouraged to establish a relationship with a clinician at the Tang Center, and use that clinician as their “family doctor.” Students are welcome to request a particular provider when they call for an appointment. We find that many patients prefer to see our nurse practitioners, all of whom have advanced graduate training and specialize in women’s health.

The Tang Center pharmacy charges patients the cost of their medication or the SHIP co-pay amount, whichever is lower. Our pharmacy participates in a non-profit purchasing consortium that keeps our prices lower than most retail pharmacies.

If students need care when the Tang Center is closed, services at urgent care centers are covered. A student outside of the Bay Area may see any provider in the nationwide Blue Cross network, and the student will pay the same amount as they would to see a doctor in Berkeley. As with all health plans, care needs to be authorized in order to be covered.

The majority of UC Berkeley students purchase SHIP, and the plan is highly utilized by them. Students choose SHIP because of its low premiums (about half the price of a Kaiser Permanente plan), its comprehensive, worldwide medical and mental health coverage and its dental plan. The role of SHIP is to cover the care students need, while keeping their costs as low as possible.

We welcome feedback about how to meet students’ needs. I encourage students with questions or concerns about SHIP to contact the Student Health Insurance Office at 510-642-5700 or ship@uhs.berkeley.edu.

Claudia Coyello

Executive Director of Health Services

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