So they are off to school - Now what about their health insurance?
Most colleges have been taking steps to ensure that their students are covered by requiring proof of health insurance as a condition of enrolling. So what are your options?

1) Keep them on your insurance
As a parent, if you are currently covered under a group health plan your child will continue to be covered as long as you provide documentation to age 26, depending on your plan guidelines. You will need to provide proof of full-time enrollment bi-annually to maintain eligibility. Because of their age you may be able to purchase comparable benefits at a cheaper price. Call us and we will help you compare your options to see what solution is best for you.

2) School-sponsored plans
While schools are increasingly asking enrolling students to prove that they’re covered, many colleges are also providing a coverage option through student health plans. About 60 percent of all colleges currently offer student health plans, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08389.pdf

Of them, 82 percent of four-year public colleges and 71 percent of four-year private colleges now offer plans. The good news is that eligibility requirements on student health plans are typically less restrictive than on individual plans. And, if you take advantage of a plan offered by your college, you should be eligible for coverage when you enroll as a full-time student. Additionally, some student health plans will allow you to extend your coverage beyond graduation. The not-so-good news is that there are huge variations in the costs and the benefits of student health plans, which range from policies that protect you just from accidents all the way through to major medical. It’s critical that you understand the coverage before making a decision.

3) Purchase Individual Coverage
There are many affordable plans designed for this target age group. Most have co-pays for visits, higher deductibles, and accident coverage. If this is the direction you would like to explore, call us and we will find the right plan for your budget.

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