LSU graduate student Victoria Bemker had to go through five different people before she was finally able to sign up for student healthcare.
The confusion began with a phone number she received at LSU Student Orientation during the summer. The graduate school gave out pamphlets on health insurance information that included the number 1-866-LSU-2010. When Bemker called the number, the person answering the phone told her they “did not deal with that anymore” and “the company you are looking for is now bankrupt.”
Bemker tried the provided Web site, www.LSUstudentinsurance.com, which she said was confusing. After calling the graduate school and student services, she finally reached Celeste Carney in insurance and billings at the LSU Student Health center. Carney was shocked at Bemker’s experience with the 1-866-LSU-2010 phone number, saying in her 12 years at LSU she has “never seen anything like this.” She explained to Bemker over the phone how to use codes listed on the insurance Web site to add health insurance through PAWS.
PAWS Additional Services lists a drop-down menu of codes to choose from with no explanation as to what each code represents. A student looking to add health care through PAWS can do so by looking up which benefits package he or she wants on the insurance site, and choose the corresponding code in PAWS Additional Services under “Registration Services” on the left.
LSU students have until Sept. 11 to register for health coverage on PAWS. After that they must call the insurance company (G-M Southwest) directly at 1-866-LSU-2010. Celeste Carney can be reached for assistance at 225-578-3304.
