Health Insurance For Students

Good health is vital, and in order to protect it you have to take out health insurance. Many of the United States educational institutions require that students have healthcare coverage. The shocking reality is that around 30% of students living in the US are not covered by health insurance, and have to seek financial assistance from their parents. A possible consequence of this is that they would have to leave their studies in order to pay their medical expenses.

Health insurance is not cheap, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run. There are many types of health insurance policies available, but there are three main types that are specifically tailored for students. These are the parent's health plan, college health plan, as well as the commercial insurance plan. Each of these plans comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks.

With the parent's health plan, when a college student reaches a certain age they may no longer be eligible to receive coverage under this plan. An extra coverage plan called COBRA can be acquired. The drawback here is that this is not always cheaper than taking out a new health insurance policy altogether. The plan also requires that the student have a certain amount of credit hours in order to qualify for coverage.

The college health plan offers coverage through something called Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), as well as Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). They tend to generally be more affordable than commercial health insurance plans. This is particularly advantageous if the college has an on-campus clinic or hospital. Most college health plans will cover all health care or accident expenses, provided the student remain registered with that college for a specific duration.

Commercial health plans are sold by many companies. These plans tend to differ greatly in terms of its services and benefits, so it is always a good idea to make sure you know exactly what the policies are offering you, and consider whether it would suit your needs and your budget. Under this particular plan there is temporary health insurance for students, and is intended for students who are staying away from their home. The time periods available are thirty days, six months, and twelve months. During this time students can choose any doctor or medical facility by taking out an indemnity health insurance plan. The more affordable plan is called the managed care health plan, where there is a selection of doctors and health facilities available that are part of a network.

Because emergencies are unpredictable, it is essential that students be covered by a health insurance plan.