Children's Health » Student Health Insurance

Illinois Health Insurance Quotes

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:20:24 +0000

There are several options for health insurance in the state of Illinois. There are public as well as private plans that are designed to suit all kinds of people. There are many insurance agents and brokerage firms that deal exclusively with Illinois health insurance plans.

These have access to several insurance companies and plans, such as Assurant, BCBS Illinois, UniCare, Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Illinois, Humana One, Fortis Short-Term Medical, Celtic, American Medical Security, MedPlan Access, Genesis Health System, GE Long Term Care Insurance, and Fortis Student Select Health Insurance. These companies can generate insurance quotes for different kinds of insurance plans, such as individual and family, short term health insurance, dental plans, Illinois HSA Qualified High Deductible Insurance Quotes Individual and Family, small group health insurance plans, senior health insurance, employer-based group health insurance plans, international travel health insurance plans, student health insurance plans, disability insurance, kids’ health insurance, and even CHIP (comprehensive health insurance program) quotes.

Most companies now have online forms for quotes. Basic information such as contact information; personal statistics such as age, sex, height, weight and smoker/non smoker status; details about current health insurance plans; medical condition information and any other additional information has to be filled in. The company would process the data and determine the most suitable plan. There would be rates from different kinds of plans, and different companies to choose from.

Some insurance companies and agents provide different kinds of quote options, such as the instant quote and the custom quote. The instant quote is the fastest kind of application, that provides general information about the eligible plans and their benefits. However, it does not consider the detailed medical history of the applicant, or other insurance underwriting issues. It does not include maternity benefits, or other benefit options. The custom quote, on the other hand, is a more detailed application that considers specific queries and preferences of customers. It covers more insurance plans. Both these quotes can be generated online over the Internet.

By: Ken Marlborough

How Important is Student Health Insurance?

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:58:19 +0000

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

Coverage for College-Bound Kids: Finding Health Insurance for Your Student

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:42:26 +0000

You’ve done all you could to prepare your child for college. You’ve set rules, stated guidelines and communicated your expectations. You’ve done your best; you’ve covered all the bases. Or have you?

Identifying Misconceptions

When it comes to sending their child off to college, many parents make the all too common mistake of assuming that their child will be covered under their health policy—and that their coverages and benefits will be the same while they’re away at college.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Many insurers still cover dependents until age 23, but many are terminating dependent coverage sooner—some as young as age 18. Furthermore, college students that attend school out-of-state may not receive all their benefits or may be charged additional fees for seeing physicians out of the insurer’s network.

So what’s a parent to do?

The Good News

Fortunately, if a student isn’t fully covered on a parent’s health insurance plan, there are affordable alternatives.

Generally speaking, college students and their parents tend to seek health plans from one of three places: the student’s college, a private health insurer or other student organizations.

The majority of colleges and universities now offer student health insurance for their attendants, which often consist of two or three policy options. While traditionally less expensive, the costs and coverages of university-sponsored health plans tend to be more fixed, which may not meet needs of students with pre-existing conditions.

Surprisingly, private health insurance for students is fairly inexpensive. Private health insurance is an especially attractive option for parents and students because it typically covers a wider range of benefits. Your chances of snagging discounts are also greater if you buy a student policy from a private insurer.

Other student health plans are available through student-help organizations like the American College Student Association (ACSA). Organizations like ACSA specialize in short-term health insurance and study abroad coverage, which is especially appealing to students wishing to travel.

Tips to Remember

Making sure the student in your life has adequate health insurance is important. As you ask questions and shop for health plans, consider the following tips:

Know the student’s needs. Does the student have allergies? A need for travel vaccines? Knowing what your student needs ahead of time will help narrow your policy options.

Know how long the student needs the coverage. Many insurers allow you to purchase policies that last anywhere from three months to a year—determine how long the student will need the policy to avoid paying for extra coverage.

Compare multiple policies. More health insurance options mean more options to save. Don’t forget to compare policy benefits, deductibles and limitations while searching for cheap health insurance.

Don’t skimp on major medical. Before buying a student health policy, make sure it covers major medical expenses. The cheapest policy in the world won’t save you money if it doesn’t cover major medical expenses!

Lessons Learned

Whether you’re a student yourself, or a parent seeking health insurance for a student, it’s important to understand that health insurance is an important part of staying healthy in college. Use the tips above to help you find the best—and the cheapest—student health insurance policy!

By: Megan Mahan

Health Insurance Plans for Students

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:57:56 +0000

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