Many healthy, young college students consider that they can do without spending money on health insurance premiums. They are not ill, they are careful and they are still young. Why should they desire health insurance?
For enrolled students in most universities and colleges there is a growing inclination towards requiring them to have health insurance cover. Health officials generally agree the conditions in the dorms that make students want to live there are the very reasons creating an environment that allows illnesses and viruses to spread uncontrollably. Prescription costs, equipment costs doctors’ bills, or even simple flu outbreaks can go into hundreds of dollars.
Quite often some students can run medical bills running into thousands on just one incident, which they find very difficult to pay. For the majority of costs, the colleges or universities normally absorb them through their clinics.
Many parents and their child students may assume that the child is covered under their health insurance policy. Some insurance companies do cover college students on the parents’ plan if they are already in the health insurance plan. However, some only cover for local medical practitioners. Should the student go to another state, they may find that they no longer have any health insurance coverage.
The health cost for a child under a parents’ health insurance plan is quite low. For doctors’ visit the fee may be around $25 dollars and about $50 for emergencies. IF the same emergency arises without a health plan, the bill could be as high as $500 dollars, before the addition of x-rays, extra treatment and sutures. Even a simple thing like a sprain can result in a bill of many hundreds of dollars.
The answer: a student health plan or temporary plan focusing specifically of students who are away from home. Some universities and colleges can offer students their own health plan or have it arranged through a local provider. The rates a generally very reasonable as most will be group plans covering all the students at the institution of learning.
One very good option will cost about $1000 per annum. This insurance health plan will cover the full range of health cover as long as the students meets a minimum number of attendance hours.
Saving only a few dollars is an unjustifiable stance measure against the provision of a health insurance cover. Getting an affordable cover through you college can become a boon should you fall ill or be involved in a serious accident.
By: Jack Adams
Posts Tagged ‘Student Health Insurance’
How Important is Student Health Insurance?
February 15th, 2010Health Insurance Plans for Students
November 22nd, 2009
Health care insurance is a necessity today. Most educational institutions in the United States require students to be covered for healthcare. Surveys reveal that nearly thirty percent of students in the US do not have healthcare insurance, and ask their parents for financial help when in need. These students are most likely to drop their studies for financial reasons, as they have to work to pay off their dues of healthcare expenses.
Many students find it difficult to meet the costs of healthcare insurance, because it does not come cheap. However, it is advantageous for a student to have this medical insurance.
Although there are many plans offering student health insurance, they can be categorized into three basic types: parent’s health care plan, college health insurance plan, and the commercial health insurance plan. Each of the mentioned plans has their own advantages and disadvantages.
Under the parent’s health care plan, a college student may not be covered, after a certain age. If that is the case, extra coverage called COBRA needs to be obtained, which is not necessarily cheaper than purchasing a different plan altogether. Moreover, it may be a pre-requisite that the student should have at least ‘x’ number of college credit hours to qualify for the coverage.
The college plan can offer coverage through HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), or PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). These are group plans and generally cheaper than commercial health plans. However, the coverage offered may be limited. Other options would have to be explored for coverage that is more comprehensive. The college plan is preferable when there is an ‘on campus’ hospital. Most of the college plans cover all accident or health care expenses, subject to the condition that the student continues to be registered with the college for a particular duration.
Many companies sell commercial health insurance. The terms may differ widely, hence, it would be essential to purchase a plan that offer facilities that one finds suitable. The best way would be to make a list of the features that are important, and then get the details for different plans from various companies, and compare them to decide which plan is the best one.
Under the commercial health plan, there is the temporary student health insurance, which is meant for students staying away from home. It can be availed for periods of thirty days, to six or twelve months. According to the temporary plan, the student can find a doctor or hospital of his choice by taking an Indemnity Plan. Alternatively, he or she may take the Managed Care Plan, which allows a choice of doctors and hospitals that are in the plan’s network. The Managed Care Plan has lower premiums than the Indemnity Plan.
Most states in the US have legal stipulations, which require compulsory health care insurance for foreign students, and set a minimum amount that should be available for emergency evacuation, medical treatment and repatriation of remains, if required. International student medical insurance costs approximately six to seven hundred dollars per annum.
In view of emergencies requiring medical attention, it is essential for students to be covered under health care insurance. It is a precondition for registration in most educational institutions in the US. Many states have laws that make it compulsory for foreign students to be covered by the health care insurance.
By: Joseph Kenny
