When you are finally finished secondary education, there is no doubt that you are enrolling in a college. Many times when the child turns 20 years old, they are no longer covered by parents' insurance and this can lead to a problematic 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 does not take much deliberation.
College health insurance benefits will vary from campus to campus. Although many people believe 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 specialized type of visit. Benefits will usually pay completely for the only types of covered services at the campus health center. In the event that you need to see an outside doctor when the student's coverage may fall up to 70% and risk being required to pay a high deductible.
If you have a pre-existing condition, so you may have a problem with getting treatment at college health center. Having a pre-existing illness or disability does not mean you will be disqualified for a college health insurance plan, but you may not be able to get treatment for the pre-existing disease. This can lead to a number of problems if a new problem arises and is a product of a pre-existing disease.
All plans are different, so be sure you find out everything you can about the college level. Be sure to check if you or your child will be covered during the summer when students are not taking classes. This is important because you do not want to have an accident and find out that insurance becomes inactive when not in class. Many colleges have coverage during the summer holidays, but some do not.
Make sure you understand the plan. Is it an HMO, or the member can use any provider they want? This is just as important because you want to know where to go in case of an emergency, and there is nothing worse than finding out after the fact that you are stuck with paying the full amount for a medical expense.
There is really no definitive answer to whether you should or should not commit to getting college health insurance. Be sure you understand your plan in full, so no problems can arise in the event of an emergency. While it is not free insurance, it certainly will save you money in the event of an accident or illness.
