Health insurance options for college students
As semesters come to a close, college students are worrying more about their upcoming exams and project deadlines. But there is still something very important that students don’t tend to consider, and that is healthcare.
For most students, they don’t need to worry about healthcare at all during their time in college. With the Affordable Care Act, students have the option to remain on their parent’s health insurance plan until they turn 26. At which point they would need to find their own coverage. But, there are still students who are without health insurance. The last thing they would want to have happen is to be in an accident and be financially set back thousands of dollars. This is why healthcare should be something that a student should be thinking about.
When a student is considering which health insurance plan they should be purchasing, they need to be sure to look at their own health and their needs. For instance, a student who is young and healthy can consider a “Catastrophic Plan” which has an affordable premium cost but still covers them in case of an accident. A student who needs more special care, such as utilizing more prescription drugs, can consider a “Platinum” plan which has a higher premium but will cover a wider range of needs for those who need them with lower out of pocket costs.
These are only a few examples of possible health insurance options for students. A student can also utilize employer insurance, university insurance, short term plans, or Medicaid if they are eligible.
For a new student, purchasing health insurance can be daunting at first. But there are many resources that are available to help. After determining what types of benefits they can utilize, they can search for a plan on the Marketplace or reach out to any healthcare provider. Talking to insurance providers will provide them with more information that would be valuable in making decisions on healthcare.
