Health Care Coverage Options for College Students

It is always difficult when something goes wrong while studying. But everything is doubly difficult if you suddenly began to experience certain health problems. Of course, it is even worse when you fell ill at the moment when you need to hand in the term paper, essay and final papers. In addition, this article contains the most popular and beneficial medical care options for students.

The Most Beneficial Medical Care Options for Students

1. Stay on your Parents’ Insurance

Because of a social insurance change, students younger than 26 can stay on their parents’ medical coverage. The option to stay on the medical plan of parents under 26 has a lot of advantages since you will at least not have to pay for your own insurance.

Living in the same state as your parents

When you live with your parents in the same state, then there are absolutely no problems with this option. Your parents can add you during open registration (or during the special registration period) (Healthcare.gov). With this option, you will have the opportunity to continue to be served at the place of residence.

Living in a state other than parents

Living in another state from your parents, you can also stay on their healthcare plan. However, before choosing this option, be sure to read the plan’s insurance coverage documents. and carefully study the network of providers so that you know how the plan covers the services provided in the state where you go to college (Healthcare.gov). In addition, choosing this option you should undergo all preventive examinations at home in the state where the parents live in order to reduce the difficulties in connection with finding a doctor covered with your insurance in another state, etc.

2. Start your own Health Plan

To start your own health plan, apply in the state in which you study. This is fairly easy to do, you just need a plan that best suits your needs in the state where you go to college. By choosing this option, you will still be included in your parent’s tax system, even if you are applying separately (Healthcare.gov). However, your income will be taken into account, as market savings are based on expected income for all tax members of the household, not just those who need insurance.

There is another alternative to starting your own health plan. If you do not have your own income, you should fill out your separate different application to state that your parents and other members of their tax family do not need with medical coverage (Healthcare.gov). But you include their income in your plan instead of yours (Healthcare.gov). The cost of your plan and that of your parents can be reduced by premium tax benefits and extra savings depending on the income of the entire household, not just yours.

3. Buy Obamacare Subsidized Coverage

For some time now you can buy Obamacare in the online health insurance markets. This option is especially relevant for students due to their low income or its complete absence (Wikipedia). Such subsidized health insurance provides an opportunity to reduce your monthly insurance premiums (Wikipedia). Students with no other options can get comprehensive health insurance at a very good discount. However, there are drawbacks, for example, for the price offered, medical care services may be of poor quality.

4. Apply for Health Insurance through Medicaid

Students from low-income families may apply for coverage through Medicaid, a federal-state health insurance program for poor Americans. In the past, Medicaid coverage was limited only to some population groups (Medicaid.gov). As a part of health care coverage reform, states currently have the opportunity to expand eligibility for Medicaid (Medicaid.gov). However, again, the downside of this option is that only half of the states are ready to expand their Medicaid programs.

5. Sign up for a University Health Insurance Plan

Numerous colleges offer their students medical coverage plans. The college can work with an insurance agency that pays for any cases. Or plans can be insured at the college, which makes payments directly. College health insurance plans have a big advantage over other health insurance options because insurance costs are grouped with other higher education costs, such as tuition and living expenses. At the same time, these plans may have substantially more limited coverage than other kinds of insurance.

Sum Up

Often in chaotic student life, you forget about the most important thing, about health. You can get sick or get injured at the most inopportune moment, so it is simply vital to have health insurance. We hope that this article not only provided you with information about possible health care options, but also reminded you that you need to choose your health care wisely and, in principle, take care of your health.