Graduate Assistants United (GAU) has successfully negotiated expanded health insurance benefits for graduate, teaching, and research assistants at the University of Florida (UF). The new agreement, reached last month, will enhance coverage under the GatorGradCare plan.
The changes to Article 12 of the GAU contract focus on the pricing and benefits of GatorGradCare. Previously, Tier Three of this plan only covered emergency room visits. The updated agreement will now provide broader coverage in this tier, lower premiums for graduate assistants with dependents, and improved dental and vision plans.
These enhancements aim to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for graduate assistants.
The process to finalize these changes took eight months. After reviewing a counter-proposal from the UF bargaining team, GAU confirmed the new benefits on September 18. All modifications to GatorGradCare will take effect on January 1, 2025.
The negotiations began in December 2023 when GAU proposed changes to Article 12. The UF bargaining team responded with a counter-proposal on August 15, indicating that both parties needed to agree on changes within two weeks to implement them by the new year. The university has not commented on why it took eight months to create this counter-proposal.
GAU’s proposals included adjustments to premiums, coinsurance rates, expanded coverage under Tier Three, and lower deductibles for emergency care. The UF bargaining team accepted most of GAU’s original suggestions but decided against changing the current coinsurance rate while offering an additional dental plan.
After further discussions, GAU issued another counter-proposal that included reopening negotiations for the dental plan and clarifying certain terms. Both teams ultimately agreed on the established changes. Moving forward, Article 12 will be reviewed annually to ensure it meets the needs of graduate assistants.
Ethan Savitch, a 26-year-old astronomy graduate assistant at UF and a GAU steward representing his department, shared his experience with GatorGradCare. He has been enrolled in the plan since starting his graduate studies and chose it because he found it reasonably priced for its benefits. Savitch suffers from chronic back pain and has been able to schedule regular appointments with a physical therapist through UF Health thanks to the insurance.
“I have benefited from where it’s at right now,” Savitch said. He noted that while dental services can be challenging to access, he finds the new dental add-on plan particularly appealing. Many graduate assistants often have to wait months for appointments or travel back home for care. A better dental plan would improve access to necessary services for those who need them sooner rather than later.
This agreement marks a significant step forward for graduate assistants at UF, ensuring they have access to improved healthcare options as they pursue their academic goals.
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