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����ɫ�� students may notice a higher dollar amount for the Health and Dental portion of their student fees for the Students’ Union-run health plan this semester, with the transition to a single annual instalment. The previous model divided the fees over the fall and winter semesters. There are two reasons for this change and both are in the interest of improving student life, says Kevin Dang, SU vice-president of operations and finance.

This change ensures coverage for students in programs that begin any month of the year. Students in programs like Medicine begin their terms in the spring or summer, and this change allows them to receive health and dental coverage when their programs start, rather than having to wait until September.

A single instalment will also help to lessen the financial burden on all students in the winter semester. Students with loans and summer jobs often find that paying fees in September is easier than it is in January. This reality is reflected in increased requests for support from the SU Campus Food Bank and emergency bursaries in the winter semester.

“We’re happy to have found a solution that considers the needs of students across all programs with different start dates,” Dang says, “and we’re hoping that all students feel a little less stressed about paying their fees in the winter semester.”

The annual fee for the combined health and dental plan is $193 and it covers 12 months of care, regardless of registration status. The change will not impact the fees of students who have previously opted out of the plan. For those who wish to opt out or to add family members to the plan, the fall semester deadline is Sept. 21.

For more information about the Student Health and Dental Plan, please visit the SU's��. For specific questions about the changes to how the fee is assessed, please contact Kevin Dang at��suvpfin@ucalgary.ca.

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