subject: Understanding The Need For Student Health Insurance [print this page] Many parents who have children that are attending college, especially if they are college freshmen, think that keeping their children on their current health insurance plan is the best and cheapest option available to them. There are certainly instances in cases where this is true, but to be sure parents should research student health insurance and then decide which option is the best for them.
Health insurance while giving the illusion of being universal is actually quite regional and as a result it is often seen as something that simply travels with an individual when in fact when you travel outside of the community in which you work and/or live you may find that your benefits are still present but quite significantly reduced. Even though your college student may be claiming to be a resident in your home if they are living a good portion of the school year on or near a college campus that is more than 100+ miles from your primary residence they are probably not going to be able to receive medical care on your insurance policy except in cases where out of network benefits are available or in case of an emergency.
Many colleges and private schools now offer most college students health insurance benefits at very low premiums mostly because college students are in good health and generally don't require much regular medical care throughout these years including the early 30s years. You could notice significant changes in your monthly premium cost if your college student is listed as the only dependent on your primary health insurance plan and changing your status from individual or individual and spousal dependents to to that of a. The savings could be significant if your student opted out of your primary health insurance plan and went with their own student insurance plan.
Health information options are generally available from information packets that most every college or university will assemble to be passed out to do and returning students. However, it is not uncommon for some important material to accidentally be left out of packets and if this is the case you can always contact the school directly to find out if they do offer student health insurance benefits, and which time you can request this information be sent to you.
Every parent knows the importance of making sure their student is insured while they are away from home simply because unexpected accidents and emergencies do happen. Along the same line, most schools will require proof of health insurance, especially for students who either live on campus or participate in sports. Never assume that your current coverage is the best option for you; you should consider all options that are available. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that a student health insurance plan actually offers better coverage at a more affordable rate.
by: Ethan Kalvin
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