GSHAC (the Graduate Student Health Advisory Committee) is a committee of the GSC which serves as a forum for students to voice concerns relating to Harvard graduate student mental and physical health. GSHAC is currently pursuing a number of issues including better prescription coverage for grad students and improved RSI services. We present grad student health concerns to University administration through communications with the University Health Services.

GSHAC membership is open to any interested GSAS student. The position of GSHAC Chair is currently open.

Below is a summary of some recent projects:

Prescription Coverage

GSHAC is currently investigating the possibility of gaining better coverage for prescription medicine from UHS and/or Blue Cross/Blue Shield. At present, grad student coverage has a deductable of $750 for individual students, after which the insurance will pay 95% of your prescriptions up to $3000. The plan of action for pursuing this issue currently includes:

• researching other universities' coverage for grad student prescriptions,
• comparing grad student coverage with coverage received by Harvard staff and faculty,
• and contacting UHS to find out more about the administration of prescription coverage, as well as to get a sense of the history of grad student prescription coverage at Harvard.

RSI Issues

The RSI Issues Group is an inter-departmental committee which brings different offices and services of the University, which are involved with RSI treatment, together to discuss better ways of serving students afflicted with RSI. GSHAC is currently participating in a project through RSI Issues to put together an information sheet to be distributed to students who come to UHS with RSI symptoms or concerns. The sheet is intended to give RSI sufferers a consolidated list of available services at Harvard and to make students better aware of the various options for treatment that are at their disposal. GSHAC recently interviewed approximately 12 graduate and undergraduate students about their experiences with UHS in pursuing RSI treatment, and swe submitted a report on our findings to the RSI Issues Group. The RSI Issues task force for the info sheet will meetin on Nov. 9 to draft preliminary copies of the information sheet. Your additional in-put for the info sheet is welcome!

Optometry Coverage

GSHAC has discussed the possibility of pursuing some optional coverage for graduate student optometry needs through UHS. Past inquiries into this possibility have met with little support from the University. An optometry plan similar to the dental plan would be unlikely to work because of the probably high volume of use among grad students. An optional plan was proposed of finding a local optometrist and eyeglasses provider would would offer a cut rate to Harvard grad students. The suggestion was made to try to find a Harvard graduate in the area who is also an optometrist and would be willing to cut us a deal. This project is currently on hold until we can find a concerned grad student to pursue it. If optometry coverage is something which interests you, please come to the next GSHAC meeting and adopt the issue!!!

The UHS Fee

Several grad students have contacted the GSHAC with frustrations over being charged a UHS fee when they do not make of UHS services. Like the optometry plan, this issue is on the back burner until a concerned student comes forward to head the project. However, some inquiries regarding the fee have been made with UHS and a preliminary course of action/argument for this issue is in the works. If this issue concerns you, please come to the next GSHAC meeting and help us pursue a satisfactory resolution of this problem.

GSAS Student Representatives

• Ann Lai (DEAS)

Past GSAS Student Representatives, 2004

• Rob Cliver (History)
• Carrie Thiessen (Health Policy)
• Betty Chan