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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

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Kansieo.com

Cheaper health insurance: You can rise above just wishing you had more affordable rates. You can start paying a lot less for superior coverage by reading and applying the following tips…

1. You’ll save by insuring your kids through state plans. There are criteria that must be fulfilled before you are considered eligible.

But check if you’re eligible as this will cost you nothing or very little in most cases. If you have a kid with a special ailment, you will save much if you insure such a kid through a state plan.

2. If you want to lower your rate then register with a group health expense sharing plan. This refers to a group of individuals who have decided to collectively provide themselves with health insurance coverage. Large churches and other large organizations are places where you can find such groups with less effort.

Each group normally creates its own set of rules, the type and scope of coverage offered, restrictions if any and more.

You can find out if your individual requirements are met by this kind of group. You can expect your rate to be cheaper if you get a group that meets your needs.

3. If you drive recklessly then be prepared to pay expensive health insurance rates. Being convicted of traffic offences isn’t just bad for your car insurance rate it also affects your health insurance rates. The simple reason is that if you’re such a driver, you’ll most likely require medical attention for crash related injuries than a very careful driver.

You’ll lower your costs if you develop a good habit behind wheels. If you drive a sports car or power bike, you’ll likely pay much more in health insurance. The higher probability of a crash means you could be injured and have to make a claim soon.

4. Some individuals find themselves in a position where they are not eligible for Medicaid and also find it difficult to pay for traditional health insurance. If you are one of such people, you will benefit greatly from a discount medical card.

A discount medical card qualifies you to make use of a network of health care providers who have agreed to give card carriers health care services at a lower rate. These cards aren’t managed by any health insurance carrier.

It’s also a wise choice for people who may have a pre-existing ailment that will disqualify them from most health insurance schemes or make them get high premiums. No one is declined for any reason. Simply pay your monthly fee and you will use a network of doctors who will charge you less for their services.

5. You’ll pay less in health insurance if you have more knowledge on it. Knowing what is in your best interest helps you make better decisions. Moreover, you’ll find it easier to get every opportunity that you’re eligible for if you have the right information.

You can get advice on health matters from government agencies by calling their number toll-free. One of such numbers is that of the National Health Information Center: 1-800-336-4797

6. You can get savings of hundreds of dollars on your health insurance policy by requesting for insurance quotes from quote sites. The best way is to visit a minimum of five sites and making sure that you provide the same (correct) information about yourself.

I recommend that you visit at least five quotes sites since that will ensure you do not miss out offers not presented by the other sites. This provides you a broader basis for doing better comparisons thereby increasing your chances of getting more for less.

By: Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

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There are several things that are considered when your health insurance rate is being calculated. We’ll look at a number of them with the view to helping you make adjustments that will help you get better rates for superior coverage…

1. The older you are the higher your rate will be. Younger persons have better resistance to many health conditions. Furthermore, as people age they become frailer and more susceptible to certain diseases.

2. Women generally require more health care than men. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Apart from the general stress of life (which everyone experiences) women have the added privilege of child birth and the attendant challenges. Furthermore, by the very nature of the female sex, they are more susceptible to certain diseases. Because of this a woman will pay more than a man given a similar profile.

3. There are occupations that are generally considered hazardous. Members of such professions will generally get higher rates. You can’t work in a nuclear plant, for example, and expect to pay the same rates with the clerk at the local grocery.

4. How healthy or otherwise you’ve been in the past is an indication (theoretically) of how often you might need health care in the future. A person who’s been treated for serious health conditions in the past will pay more than someone who has never had a major health crisis.

5. Smokers, heavy drinkers and abusers of prescription drugs will pay a lot more than people who avoid all these.

6. There are many other factors that insurers use to determine your rate. However, it’s interesting to note that different insurers have different loss histories and experience in underwriting prospects. These shape how they bill profiles.

This means that even though the same factors are used, different insurers will have different weightings for each of these factors. The result: A huge disparity in rates from one health insurance provider to the other.

While you should make adjustments (where they are possible) to get the best rates, you have to get and compare health insurance quotes from very many reputable insurers. That way you can take advantage of the disparity in rates among them.

By: Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

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More and more, we see people leaving the comfort of a big organization to branch out on their own. Whether they are tired of being micromanaged or are just interested in doing something different, people are making this move in record numbers.

Becoming a business owner comes with many considerations. While small business owners face a number of obstacles, securing health insurance is probably one of the most common. Surveys report that 23% of small business owners state that the rising cost of insurance stifles success. Today, it is estimated that only about 49% of all small companies offer insurance compared to 98% of the larger corporations.

The reality for most small business owners is that the cost of insuring themselves, in addition to staff, would have a dramatic impact on the business. For some people, health insurance is provided by a spouse, but as people get to retirement age, these benefits often go away. Young people may get coverage through their parents, struggle to get and keep an individual policy, or simply go without.

Some Chambers of Commerce in towns and cities across the nation provide options. In this case, if you were a member of the Chamber, you might have some choices for health coverage, but keep in mind that many times these insurance plans are expensive. However, if there were no other resources, it would be a consideration.

While there is no perfect solution to addressing health insurance coverage in your business, the news isn’t all bad. There are a number of reputable and qualified companies dedicated to helping small business owners establish health and other types of insurance. Here are a few recommendations for your consideration:

Standard (http://www.standard.com) This company has been working with small businesses for years, establishing the right employee benefits. In addition to group insurance, they also have plans for group life, group long term and short-term disability, and even group dental.

Bank of America (http://www.bankofamerica.com/insurance) B of A has options pertaining to small business insurance benefits, matching needs and budget to the perfect plan.

NASRO (http://www.nasro-co-op.com) This acronym stands for National Association of Socially Responsible Organizations, which is geared toward helping employers, professional associations, and cooperatives find affordable health insurance in states to include California, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, Washington DC, and Virginia.

America Medical Security (http://www.eams.com) This organization offers competitive medical, dental, and term life coverage through various independent agents. The plans are flexible to meet the needs of any size company, even small ones.

eHealth Insurance (http://www.eams.com) This site allows you to shop for several types of health insurance across a number of providers, all from the comfort of your keyboard.

Health insurance coverage is a big part of putting a business together, whether you intend to only cover yourself or will be offering it as a benefit to employees. Take the time to thoroughly research your options, and include your tax and legal advisors in the process. It is better to understand all the facets and come up with a solution that will remain viable as your company grows.

By: Andrew Brown

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Health Insurance

Health Insurance; COBRA; OBRA; HIPAA; Medicare. If asked, could you state that you knew that all 5 of these topics had the same thing in common: medical insurance coverage for you and, perhaps, your family? Would you know the qualifications for each? Well, in this article, we will discuss them. For a timeline that depicts, graphically, the time relationship between them, please see the timeline in http://www.disabilitykey.com.

HEALTH INSURANCE Coverage from Work

If we are lucky, we, and/or our spouse, work for a company that provides, as a benefit, health insurance coverage for us and our family. If so, we are very lucky. Even if that is true, there are some key things that you might want to look at to see if you have ENOUGH coverage.

1) From your Human Resources Department (or wherever else you would go to get information about your health insurance) get what is called a “Summary Plan Description” (SPD). This document should be kept where you can always find it, as it contains all the information you will need about what your insurance covers and what it doesn’t.

2) Look up “Coverage” and “non-coverage” in your SPD.

These will tell you what your plan covers and doesn’t cover. You need to see if, perhaps, you or one of the covered members of your family has a condition or circumstance that might not be covered, where you need additional coverage. For example, let’s say that your family has a history of cancer; perhaps your plan restricts the number of hospitalization days for care; or, restricts the days per condition. In this case, (like my children) you might want to get additional “cancer insurance” (I think that AFLAC might provide this type of coverage).

It would be a good idea to contact a Health Insurance benefit Broker and ask him/her to read your SPD and see if you have any gaps in coverage. They then can help you supplement coverage BEFORE YOU NEED IT!

NO HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE

You might be one of the growing members of our society that, through one circumstance or another, does NOT have health insurance coverage for your family. In this case, I strongly encourage you to contact a Health Insurance Broker and get immediate coverage of what is called “catestrophic” (not sure if I spelled this correctly) coverage. In this type of coverage, you will generally have large deductibles, but will have coverage if, say, one of you has to go into the hospital.

CONTACTING A BENEFITS INSURANCE BROKER

Whenever you call or email a Health Insurance Broker, it is very important to prepare ahead of time. WHAT, specifically are you looking for; how much can you afford to pay every month; what circumstances do you want to make sure that your family is covered for. In this way, you can make sure to focus on your critical needs.

COBRA

COBRA is an acronym ( how can I spell acronym correctly, yet not be sure that I spelled catestrophic correctly?) that stands for: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Basically, it is a federal law that allows you to pay for your Company-paid health insurance, as an active member, if you no longer work for that company for, generally 18 additional months.

1) COBRA is “triggered” (that is, you, or a covered member of your family, become eligible for COBRA) by events such as the following: resignation from the company; termination (FOR ANY REASON) from the company; divorce of a spouse; a covered chile’s birthday makes them ineligible for coverage. These are the main “triggering” events for COBRA.

2) Now, when eligible for COBRA, you will be asked to pay for 100% to 105% of the company’s employee/employee and family coverage amount. You should get a letter from your company explaining what that amount will be. BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO TAKE COBRA, there are some important things for you to consider.

What will be your cost, and what will be the coverage for that cost?
Sometimes the cost is too much for the coverage. In these cases, you might want to select HIPAA coverage, instead (see HIPAA below).

Or, you might just want to get catestrophic coverage as was mentioned earlier, and wait for full coverage under your next job.

Part of this decision should be whether or not you or a member of your family has what is called a “pre-exisitng coverage” condition.

Here again, before automatically taking COBRA, it would be wise to contact a Benefits Insurance Broker and give him/her all of your options, and get their input. I have worked extensively with a Benefits Insurance Broker, and he is absolutely fantastic!

OBRA

What, you ask, is OBRA? I’ve never heard of it, you say, and no one I know has heard of it either! Well, that’s because, 99% of Human Resource or Benefit folks that I know have never heard of it! OBRA is a federal law that was passed that extends COBRA for an additional 11 months FOR DISABILITY PURPOSES ONLY!! Why, you ask, is this important? Thanks for asking, let’s see if I can explain.

If you are as nieve (did I spell this wrong too? sorry!) as I was when I first started looking to bridge my health insurance from working to Medicare, I assumed that when I got through all of the hoops to qualify for SSDI (Social Security Disabililty Insurance) I’d IMMEDIATELY be eligible for Medicare, RIGHT??? WRONG!!!!

When you FINALLY qualify for SSDI, you have to wait for 5 months before you get your first check. AND, the rules state that, you are eligible for Medicare 2 years (24 months) FROM THE DATE OF YOUR FIRST SSDI PAYMENT. Well, if you add 24 + 5 you get, 29 months between qualifying for SSDI, and Medicare coverage.

OK, I said earlier that COBRA is for 18 months of coverage. Well guess what 18 months of COBRA + 11 months of OBRA equal – 29 months!

BUT, there are two catches to OBRA; first of all, you have a small window of 30 – 60 days to apply ( this window opens the date of your SSDI approval); and, it can cost up to 150% of your plan coverage amount. BUT, if you have a “previously existing condition” this might be the best way for you to proceed.

Again, it is important to contact a Health Insurance Broker to help you with the risk/cost ratio of all of these situations.

It is also improtant to know all of these deadlines as you plan to ensure that you and your family have important health insurance coverage.

HIPAA

HIPAA is a federal law that is called, briefly, the “portability” law for health insurance. What that means is that when you leave a group (read company-paid plan), the carrier that provided that plan, must offer to you, another plan, different from COBRA, when you leave the group coverage. Generally this will be what is called a “bare bones” plan. Again, the best thing for you to do is to call/email a Health Insurance/Benefits Broker with all of your information: SPD, COBRA info, HIPAA info, needs, cost limits, and let him/her help you find the optimum plan coverage for you.

MEDICARE

OK, now, finally, we’ve reached Medicare! BUT (you really didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?) if you have qualified for Medicare because of disability, there are RESTRICTIONS (of COURSE there are!).

First of all, if you are qualifying for Medicare because of disability, you are probably under the age of 65 – normal retirement age.

Medicare coverage does NOT cover prescription drugs, which, those of us with disabilities probably need, and which cost lots.

But, Congress prescribed that states (all but 11) offer what is called “Medicare supplement” plans, some of which do offer prescription coverages.
BUT, these plans ARE NOT REQUIRED TO, and do not, offer these medicare supplement plans that offer prescription coverages to folks who qualify under age 65! So, if you are qualifying because of disability, your medical insurance plan doesn’t cover one of your primary cost expenditures!

Here again is where you need to contact a health insurance/benefit broker. Again, he/she can work with you, and your specific circumstances, to get you the coverage you need.

Hope that this information was helpful to you. If you have any questions, please feel to ask them by commenting on this blog, and I’ll be happy to get you an answer.

By: Carolyn Magura

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Some Medicare members are unhappy with their health care coverage. They enrolled in Medicare mistakenly believing that it would cover all of their health and medical expenses. They have not only been disappointed when hearing that many products and services are not covered but have also been left in financial trouble because of it. Recently, Medicare benefits have only declined further. Because of this more and more people, seniors especially, have begun to research health insurance plans to cover the costs of the things they need. They are quickly finding out that what was once limited to only supplementing Medicare, is now becoming a policy of its own as health insurance plans begin to offer more to their members.

Many health insurance plans now offer both primary insurance plans (Medicare Advantage plans) as well as continuing to offer supplemental plans; coverage for dental plans is also available. In addition to offering prescription and non-prescription medications at low costs, many health insurance plans are also taking over costs of eye care, including covering up to sixty percent of the cost of prescription glasses and will even bring your much needed medications right to your doorstep!

Another benefit offered by available plans is that a simple application form can be found online, with follow-up by a customer service representative. And spouses of members may also enjoy the benefits in many health insurance plans. Companies offer many different options to suit many different needs. Because of this, it’s important that you read and fully understand the package that you research so that you don’t get caught by surprise when a medical expense comes in. With all of the different plans available online, there is sure to be something for everyone and a plan that may seem tailor made to suit your own personal situation.

Members of health insurance plans frequently also enjoy other services, such as long term care insurance and life insurance. Some even offer membership in health clubs and preventative programs. It’s no wonder that health insurance plans beyond Medicare are becoming the preferred choice!

By: Sharon Elrod

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You don’t want to end up being one of those people who upon getting ill finds that he can’t afford to pay the medical bills. And you don’t ever want to be the person who first looks for coverage after an illness. Even if you can manage to get adequate treatment, the expenses are all yours and the illness may well, from that point on, be regarded as a preexisting condition, rendering it, and possibly you as uninsurable.

Uninsured and under-insured people are at risk of losing everything. It doesn’t have to be so. With a little research and a bit of discipline, insurance can be affordable.

Stop wasting your hard earned money on ’stuff’ and invest in something that really matters. There’s nothing better than knowing you’ve invested in security for you and your family. It’s not hard, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

One of the first things you want to do, before even talking to an insurance agent, is go online. You can actually get company premium quotes right online. They’ll simply ask you some basic questions followed by an instant quote.

Make sure you research and get quotes from as many companies as you can, and also make sure you’re getting quotes that are for the same coverage and plan you need.

Answer the questions honestly and be aware that online quotes are generally based on “preferred “rates. Your agent, once you speak with him, can tell you into which category you and your health falls.

After you find the plan most consistent with your needs and budget go ahead and call the agent associated with that quoting engine.. He can point out the specifics of each plan and provide information far beyond that which you can see in an online quote.

If you are in a real financial crunch – as many of us are these days – at least think about getting some form of basic emergency coverage. Most health insurance companies offer inexpensive insurance, with very low premiums and payments that offer you flexibility. Plans with very high deductibles, with no bells and whistles, but with catastrophic coverage can at least protect you and your family from total financial ruin should a medical emergency come your way.

Staying healthy and not smoking is also a big plus when looking for health insurance coverage. Carriers know that people living an unhealthy way of life will need much more medical care than someone who is healthy. They adjust rates accordingly. The healthier you are, and the statistically less likely you are to need the coverage, the lower your premiums.

By: William Tuning

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When it comes to Health Insurance, some families are confused about their deductibles. Without the right guidance this could cost you a fortune at claim time. If your family doesn’t have anything going on outside of doctor visits you could be over spending on your insurance policy. At that point, the insurance company gets to keep the over spent premiums.

The deductible is the amount you pay in a single year before the insurance company kicks in. Be careful of plans out there that claim they are based on a 365 day period. If you read the next line it says for EACH Injury or Sickness period of treatment. This means if you have 2 completely different ‘periods of treatment’ in one year you will be exposed to two separate deductibles!! If you have what they call ‘Calendar Year Deductible’ once your deductible is satisfied for the year there are no more deductibles. This is outside of ‘out-of-network deductibles’ or ’service deductibles’.

The out-of-network deductible is the insurance company’s way of penalizing you for going out side of a preferred provider network. Usually this deductible can be anywhere from $2,000, or more commonly, twice your original deductible. Of course, this is in addition to your in-network deductible. The problem is that even if you’re admitted into an in-network facility for a scheduled surgery… the surgeon, pathologist, radiologist or anesthesiologist may not be a participating provider in your network… and you could easily be stuck with an additional $5000 or more out-of-pocket. There are only a few insurance carriers out there that do not have out-of-network deductibles. Once it is satisfied for the year, in-network or not, it’s satisfied, period. Check with your Health Insurance Specialist on these carriers.

Unfortunately, too many insurance agents like to steer their clients toward low deductibles like $500 or $1000. These are the absolute worst values! The lower the deductible, more the premium you have to pay each month.

Since agents get paid a percentage of your premium, in turn, the lower your deductible, the bigger their commission! Obviously, the agent has a financial disincentive to save you money. Be suspicious of insurance agents that recommend health insurance deductibles under $1500!

Affordable plans have deductibles of $2500 and up. The higher your deductible, the lower your cost. In fact the money you save will almost always far exceed any potential additional out-of-pocket expenses!

Conclusion: Work with a Health Insurance Expert. They will walk you through affordable options to lower your premiums to keep them affordable. Usually, your premiums savings will offset any potential out of pocket expenses. There is no point of over paying your policy ‘just in case’ something does occur. When that ‘just in case’ occurs you would have saved enough hard earned premium dollars to offset the out of pocket expenses.

By: Butch Zemar

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If you have you been rated up or declined for health insurance it’s probably because you have a pre-existing condition.

Thousands of uninsured, underinsured and uninsurable individuals are facing serious health issues like heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, cancer, stroke, liver disease, AIDS, pregnancy, depression and kidney disease. Any of these pre existing conditions can cause them to be declined for health coverage. Today, you may even be declined if you are over-weight.

It’s a real challenge obtaining health insurance for someone with pre existing conditions. However, before we get ahead of ourselves, here are some questions we need to address.

What is a pre-existing condition?

A pre-existing condition is any injury or sickness for which diagnosis has been made, treatment has been recommended, treatment has been rendered, or expenses have been incurred within a set amount of months prior to the effective date of coverage (usually 3, 6 or 12 months and this can vary by state). It includes any condition manifesting itself in symptoms which would cause a prudent person to seek medical advice.

What is a pre-existing condition exclusion period?

Insurance companies try to discourage people from waiting until they get sick to purchase medical insurance. This is accomplished by imposing what is known as a preexisting condition exclusion period. This simply means, if you have a medical problem which exists at the time you purchase insurance, the insurer will deny the claims pertaining to that medical problem for a certain period of time.

The rules governing preexisting condition exclusion periods in individual health policies vary widely from state to state and are very much different from the rules of an employer-sponsored plan. If you have or recently have had health coverage, you may be able to apply this creditable coverage to offset a preexisting condition exclusion period.

Why all the hoopla over a pre-existing condition?

The biggest stumbling block with private individual medical insurance is the problem with preexisting conditions. Plain and simple… insurance companies don’t like preexisting conditions. They know in the long run… it will cost them more money to insure you. Frankly, insurers prefer to insure people who are not very likely to need the insurance.

But stop and think! Who doesn’t have some kind of health or medical issue? It may be something as simple as asthma or as complex as cancer. Some pre-existing conditions can be managed and these individuals can live a relatively healthy and normal life.
Yet, insurers can and do turn down “high risks” individuals for coverage because of an existing or previous illness. Even if coverage is found, the premiums charged are often unaffordable. Sometimes the individual may end up with a modified policy paying more because of their medical history or having to take a policy that excludes their pre existing conditions.

Are there things I can do to get healthcare coverage?

Here are some choices for obtaining health coverage. See if any apply to your situation.

(1). Employer-sponsored group health plan

(2). Join a professional organization (e.g. Chamber of Commerce)

(3). Individual health insurance

(4). State risk pool (if one exist in your state)

(5). Discount health cards

(6). Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance

Whether covered by insurance or by some other means, the total cost of health insurance for someone with pre existing conditions is high enough to dramatically impact that person’s lifestyle.

Today it is important for all of us to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, if you already have a preexisting condition that is keeping you from getting affordable health coverage, you should investigate the 6 options listed above to see which would work best for you.

By: Rudy Wilson

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By the time graduation caps are tossed into the air, high school students will probably have been accepted to a college, picked a dorm and signed up for their courses. But is their health insurance securely in place?

Most parents’ employee-sponsored group health insurance plans will cover their children up until they’re between 20 to 24 years of age, whether they live at home or away at school. The employer, however, may charge a substantial extra premium to cover the college age student.

If you don’t have any health insurance as a student, college health plans could be a good solution. College-sponsored individual health insurance plans at some schools are subsidized by tuition, so they might even be a good deal. It’s important to note that even when college health plans are subsidized, they are not necessarily subsidized for the student’s spouse or dependents.

Be forewarned, however, that college plans are not free and the benefits vary. Committees from each college meet with health insurance companies and design plans specific to their schools. State laws also play a critical role in the health insurance policies offered to students, as well as other market factors. As a result, there exists a wide range of premiums and benefits that vary from college to college.

College plans sometimes limit preventative and routine care, but students can often visit college health centers for free services. Even when visits to the health center are free, the health center may charge the student for lab work, physical therapy, X-rays, prescriptions, and other procedures.

In most cases, college plans will pay 100 percent for college health center charges associated with covered services with a nominal deductible. For services outside the health center, however, including those provided by out-of-state providers, the college plan may reduce significantly and impose a larger deductible. Furthermore the college plan may have a limited maximum benefit, which will leave the student without coverage if something truly terrible happens.

Pre-existing conditions can create problems as well. College plans may exclude pre-existing conditions from treatment. Before signing up for a college health plan, make sure you know whether the plan will or will not cover treatment for your asthma or any other pre-existing condition.

Parents in preferred network plans and HMO’s often buy a college’s health insurance plan — even when their student is covered under their employer’s plan — because anything other than emergency care may be considered out of network or because of the problem of obtaining referrals across states.

(more)

Cost, and the problems with network restrictions and referrals, shouldn’t prevent the student from having health insurance, whether it’s their parent’s plan or the school’s plan. A serious illness or injury could have long-lasting negative financial consequences for the student, the parent, or both.

Before you make a choice, put your college health plan to the test:

• Is the plan an HMO, or can you use any provider?

• Does the plan cover emergency room visits without prior approval?

• What needs to be done to ensure coverage if there’s an emergency?

• Is there coverage while you are on vacation?

• Can you get coverage during summer break, even if you’re not taking classes?

• Does the plan make accessible the best treatment facilities within the college’s community?

• Which campus health clinic services are free or offered at low cost?

• Are there pre-existing conditions that are excluded?

In Texas, dependant status is available for full-time students until you are 25 years old (or older in limited cases). Texas state law puts the maximum age for dependants at 19 if you are not enrolled in an educational institution. If you’re between the ages of 20 to 24 and the college health plan at the school you’re attending in Dallas, Houston or anywhere else in Texas doesn’t cover one or more of the above issues, you should consider other individual health insurance options. And when you graduate and are no longer covered under your parent’s health insurance plan what will you do then?

There’s a lot you and your parents should consider regarding proper health care insurance while you’re attending school and after you graduate.

By: Patt Carpenter

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