Members of the Student Health Insurance Committee explained to students at an open forum Thursday night that they will have to pay more for insurance benefits or get less.

“I could sell you a Cadillac,” said Mary Daniels, assistant vice-president of Student Affairs . “Unfortunately, you will have to pay the price of a Cadillac.”

The purpose of the forum, sponsored by the Council of Graduate Students and held at the Ohio Union, was to give students an opportunity to voice their concerns over the new insurance plans being considered by Ohio State.

The Student Health Insurance Committee will be voting to recommend a new health carrier, as well as new benefits and rates, to the Board of Trustees today.

Central Benefits , OSU’s current health carrier, announced Dec. 15 that it was leaving the group health insurance business after losing $16.2 million off the group health plans it was underwriting in 1999. Daniels said, if the new insurance plan offers the same coverage as what was offered under Central Benefit’s plan, students will see a 30-50 percent rise in their insurance rates.

One of the reasons for the increase in rates is that the cost of prescriptions drugs has raised dramatically, Daniels said.

The reaction of the almost 20 students who attended the forum, which was predominantly composed of graduate students, was mixed.

Many felt the important issue was keeping or adding as many benefits as possible, even if it meant footing a higher bill.

Others expressed the opinion that OSU should keep the insurance costs the same no matter how many benefits would be cut.

The majority of students who spoke at the forum said coverage for domestic partners was at the top of their list for new benefits.

“Though OSU’s coverage of domestic partners would present some risks, it is the right thing for the university to do for its students,” said CGS President Ron Meyers after the meeting.

Meyers added that many organizations on campus have proposed that the new health plan cover domestic partners.

Eligibility for the new health plan was also an issue that was addressed at the forum.

OSU will most likely tighten eligibility requirements to help control premium costs, Daniels said. Students who attend OSU but who are not in the degree-seeking mode may not be covered under the new plan.

“Ideally OSU would like to cover all students,” Daniels said. “However, eligibility will go to students who are making academic progress.”

Eligibility requirements to be possibly tightened include:

• Instituting minimum credit hour requirements to at least half time students;

• Reducing off-quarter eligibility to one off-quarter per year, down from the current number of three;

• Setting an automatic withdrawal from insurance when a student withdraws from school, with the exception of medical reasons.

“We’re all working towards the same goal,” Daniels said. “We want to increase benefits at the best rates possible for students.”

The Board of Trustees will make a final decision on the universities new insurance carrier and plan in June.