When you are finally done with your high school education, there is no doubt
that you'll be enrolling into a college. Many times when a child reaches the age
of 20, they are no longer covered by their parents' insurance and this can lead
to a troubling situation if they are not working and just strictly going to
college. However, many colleges offer health insurance plans. Whether one of
these insurance plans are right for you or not takes a lot of
deliberation.
College health insurance benefits are going to vary from
campus to campus. Although many people think that they are free, this is not
true. While there is usually no charge for an office visit and routine checkups,
the student will have to pay for lab work and other specialist type of visits.
Benefits will usually pay completely for only types of covered services at the
campus health center. In the event that you have to see an outside doctor then
the student's coverage can drop up to 70% and run the risk of being required to
pay a high deductible.
If you have a pre-existing condition, then you may
have a problem with getting treatment at the college health center. Having a
pre-existing illness or disability does not mean that you will be disqualified
for obtaining a college health insurance plan, but you may not be able to get
treatment for that pre-existing illness. This can lead to a number of problems
if a new problem arises and is a product of a pre-existing illness.
All
plans are different, so be sure you find out everything you can about your
college's plan. Be sure to check if you or your child will be covered during
summer break when students are not taking classes. This is important because you
don't want to have an accident and find out that the insurance becomes inactive
when they are not in class. Many colleges have coverage during summer break, but
some do not.
Make sure you understand the plan. Is it an HMO, or can the
member use any provider they want? This is just as important because you want to
know where you can go in the event of an emergency, and there is nothing worse
than finding out after the fact that you will be stuck with paying the full
amount for a medical bill.
There really is no definitive answer as to
whether you should or shouldn't commit to getting college health insurance. Be
sure that you understand your plan fully so that no problems can arise in the
event of an emergency. While it is not free insurance, it surely will save you
money in the event of an accident or illness.