Despite an earlier requirement that Ohio University's almost 1,100 international students purchase an OU insurance policy, some students might not have to make the purchase.

OU's office of International Student Services recently released a waiver form allowing some international students to be exempt from a requirement created Fall Quarter that made all international students purchase the OU insurance policy instead of a private company policy, said Kyle McKenzie, international student services' assistant director.

Students whose home countries' governments provide insurance and whose policies meet a list of requirements, such as benefits payable in the United States and U.S. offices and telephone numbers, are exempt from purchasing OU's policy, McKenzie said.

The waiver form was created after reactions from OU Student Senate and Graduate Student Senate, said Gigi Jameel, commissioner for the international affairs commission of Student Senate.

After OU passed the original policy requirement Fall Quarter, Jameel said she received several complaints from students requesting a lower price and more benefits from the OU insurance policy.

Despite the requirement sheet, Jameel said she still is concerned about the cost and quality of OU insurance versus other policies.

Students whose studies are not sponsored by their home country's government and are paying to come to OU on their own still must purchase the university's insurance policy, McKenzie said.

"I don't think it's fair to some students, because they can receive better insurance from their benefits from home," she said. OU has two plans: the standard insurance plan, which costs $452 a year, and the enhanced plan, which costs $533 a year.

International students are required to purchase the enhanced plan, which covers 100 percent of all eligible expenses up to $5,000.

In response to students' request for lower policy costs, the senates have been working with Jackie Legg, business manager of student health services, to lower rates for next year's policy, Jameel said.

Legg said she is receiving bids that private insurance companies make to OU to decide which company will carry OU students' insurance policies for next year's policies.

Although she will not know the cost of the plan until bids are made, she said she hopes insurance costs will be reduced.

Students with foreign governmental insurance policies are not the only ones who could be exempt from purchasing OU insurance, McKenzie said.

Exchange students, who only will be at OU for one or two quarters, also do not have to purchase OU's policy, because students who are not receiving an OU degree are covered by their home country, she said.

Students have had mixed reactions to the policy, with most concerns coming from those who already purchased a policy from a private company before the requirement was made, McKenzie said.

But those who are new to the university and did not have a prior insurance policy have reacted positively to the requirement, she said.

Abhinav Aima, an OU graduate student, said he understands the need to purchase a university insurance policy and thinks OU's policy is less expensive than at other companies.

"It's a necessity," Aima said. "In the long run, everyone who is a student here will, whether they like it or not, need insurance."