The student health insurance plan that is offered by Tufts University is currently more expensive and provides less comprehensive coverage than that of our neighbor institutions such as MIT. Further, as Tufts students, we feel unsupported in navigating the healthcare system within Tufts and within our insurance network.

What should a Tufts student do when they fall off their bike and break an arm? One might hope that they could call 911 for an ambulance without concern for paying for emergency transportation and emergency care. Instead, we find ourselves using our one good remaining arm to search United Healthcare's website for an "in-network" urgent care to avoid the $150 emergency transportation copay and an additional 20% coinsurance for emergency care. At the same time, Harvard and MIT students can call 911 knowing that their transportation will be cost-free, and their emergency care will cost a maximum of $100.

What should a Tufts student do when they discover they are at high risk of developing cancer and need regular screenings? Or when they become diabetic and need insulin? Or when they want to provide health insurance for their children?

These are not hypothetical scenarios - these are true stories of Tufts students who have had to make financial decisions about their own health, after already paying over $4000 for their health insurance coverage in addition to the $1100 student life fee. And there are even more Tufts students whose stories are still untold.

However, things can get better if Tufts administration takes action. We know this, because our peers at MIT and Harvard have it better.

We ask Tufts administration to:

1.Open negotiations with Health Insurance Providers to achieve the following
for the Sept 2026 - August 2027 Insurance Plan:
- Improved coverage for the Tufts Student Health Insurance Plan to
include flat-fee copays instead of percentage-based coinsurances for all
in-network services.
- Coverage for specialty drugs, such as insulin.
- Full coverage of emergency transportation with a $50 copay for any
subsequent emergency care.
- Reduced premium of the Tufts Student Health Insurance Plan for the policy
holder. Currently Tufts students pay a premium of $4,367 + $1,162 Student
Health Fee, whereas MIT students pay $3,606 with no additional Student
Health Fee)
- To reduce the additional cost of health insurance for children dependents to
be a total of $1,200 for all children in a family (currently Tufts charges
$4,307 per child added to the insurance plan, whereas at MIT the cost is
$1,306 for 2 or more children).

2. Include a session on "navigating the Tufts healthcare system" for all new
Tufts students during general orientation, including an overview of the student
health insurance plan and the costs of services like emergency transportation
and emergency care.
- In addition, provide resources for a peer-support network for students
with pre-existing conditions or with newly diagnosed conditions

3. For the Office of Institutional Research to work together with graduate students
to conduct and publicly publish the results of an annual survey of the
confidence that students have in navigating the healthcare system during their
time at Tufts, and the degree of financial burden they face in accessing
healthcare.

As students investing our money, time, and effort to build community and knowledge at Tufts, we deserve better access to healthcare. Help us be Healthy Jumbos!