I n d ep en d en t
Issue no.
S t u de nt
V o i c e
o f
B o is e
S tat e
Sin c e
1933
05
August
25
2011
Volume 24
w w w.arbiteronline.com
Boise, Idaho
Top Stories
Bronco fever
First issue free
Murder in Moscow
Student-teacher relationship at University of Idaho ends in tragedy Rebecca De LeĂłn Editor-in-Chief
The Broncos earn a top-5 ranking in the AP preseason poll.
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Katy Benoit, a 22-year-old University of Idaho graduate student, was shot and killed Monday night. The main suspect, Psychology Assistant Professor Ernesto Bustamante, shot himself in the head in a nearby hotel room just hours later. A Moscow police officer told The Lewiston Tribune that Bustamante and Benoit had a sexual relationship which was broken in March of this year. Benoitâs roommates told police Bustamante threatened and assaulted Benoit âon multiple occasionsâ and even once put a
gun in her mouth. Friends of Benoit told news outlets that she filed a complaint with the University of Idaho in June about Bustamanteâs behavior, but the university did not confirm the report. His departure from the university shortly after was characterized as a resignation, which was finalized Friday. Reports say Meghan Walker-Smith and Emma Gregory, Benoitâs roommates, were baking cookies Monday night when Benoit stepped out to the front porch to smoke a cigarette. Shortly after, witnesses said they heard multiple gunshots. Walker-Smith and Gregory went outside to find Benoit lying on the ground and told police they suspected Bustamante.
Campus Art
See Murder in Moscow I page 2
Is waiving SHIP really a better deal?
Preview the arthere, then go see the masterpieces in person.
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Officers were able to obtain a warrant for Bustamante just hours after the shooting. His body was found the next morning with what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. âKaty was a beautiful, intelligent and musically talented woman and we are so saddened by her tragic death,â parents Janet and Gary Benoit said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. An affidavit written by Moscow police officer Bruce Fager said, â(Rowdy Hope, friend of Katy Benoit) confirmed that Bustamante had multiple handguns and multiple personality disorders to include one
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Fresh start
You save hundreds but get less coverage Suzanne C raig Campus Editor
Has Bronco Welcome become too childish for students?
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CODY FINNEY/THE ARBITER
Students walking through the SUB find out about alternative insurance options thanks to the Waive SHIP campaign by the Blue Cross of Idaho.
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Whatâs Inside
Local Campus Art Opinion Sports The Arbiter
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Rate Comparison SHIP âą $811 a semester âą about $135 a month âą No deductible (in UHS) âą $250 deductible (non UHS)
âWAIVEâ PACKAGE âą $350-$475 a semester âą $70-$95 a month (if nonsmoking and healthy) âą $1,000 deductible (no exceptions)
âWaive that SHIP Goodbye!â ads from Blue Cross are everywhere â in the newspaper, in your inbox, on a truck that drives around campus with foam hands attached to springs âeverywhere. SHIP, or the Student Health Insurance Plan, is a formidable $811 a semester, which is automatically charged to your Bronco account unless you waive it. âThe Student Health Insurance Plan, a group policy, breaks down to about $135 a month, while most individual policies run about that much and their deductibles are going be about $1,000,â Marika Butler, SHIP coordinator said. The advertised rate for Blue Crossâ âWaiveâ campaign is around $70 a month, or $350 a semester. That is the rate for a nonsmoking male between the ages of 20 and 29 with no dependents. The minimum deductible is $1,000. A nonsmoking female in the same age range has a minimum monthly payment (with the Blue Crossâ âWaiveâ package) of $95 a month. This additional $25 is probably due to the available maternity care coverage. By semester, that is $475, a little less than 60 percent of the cost of SHIP. The minimum deductible is also $1,000. Blue Crossâ package covers doctor visits and other basics, but only after a deductible is met and the student is still responsible for around 20 percent of medical costs. This percentage is called co-insurance. SHIPâs deductible is $250, but visits to University Health Services (located in the Norco building) are completely covered.
Some of the things available at University Health Services (UHS) are: doctor visits, acne treatment, allergy medication and testing, injections, mental disorders and substance abuse help. Another thing to remember is that insurance rates for most plans change depending on the individualâs health history. In some cases students might not even be approved to receive coverage from companies like Blue Cross. A good example is the Waive SHIP package -- just being a girl adds $25 to the premium! Thereâs also a pre-existing condition limitation in most insurance packages. For SHIP, this limitation is waived as long as the student uses University Health Services, meaning that if someone already has a medical condition, like asthma, and they go to UHS for treatment, this treatment is covered (except for lab work and certain procedures). But those fees apply to everyone, as lab work has to be sent off campus. In most private plans, the pre-existing condition limitation applies to most conditions, sometimes even acne or allergies, no matter where the individual receives treatment. This means that if someone has a pre-existing condition, the company may cover doctorâs appointments and specialist appointments, but they will not cover the medication necessary. Using the example of asthma, insurance may cover the visit to the asthma specialist, but not the inhaler. So if a student is healthy and likely to stay that way, Blue Cross may be the way to go. If someone is worried about possible medical expenses, SHIP is a pretty good option.
Vocabulary
Deductible â the amount of money you must pay before insurance coverage kicks in Co-insurance â the percentage of your medical costs you pay AFTER you pay your deductible Copayment â the amount you pay your doctorâs office directly, just for walking in the door Premium - your monthly payment arbiteronline.com