Health Insurance Articles
How To Cut The Costs Of Student Health Insurance Premiums
2010-10-05
Students headed off to college are going to be away from their parents' care and need to have student health insurance to ensure that they can afford to seek medical help should they get injured or sick while at school. Because most students are not employed full-time with insurance benefits from their employers, health insurance premiums can be very high if they should seek coverage through an individual policy. Luckily, there are other options for students that can make health insurance affordable.
Probably the most commonly used option is for the student to remain on the parent's health insurance policy while attending a college or university. The health insurance premiums that the parent pays will not rise because the student has left home and entered an institution of higher education and the coverage will remain the same as it was prior to the student entering college. As long as the student is attending school and remains single, remaining on a parent's health insurance policy is probably the best option available.
As an adult, the student can make all the decisions necessary for maintaining health and may visit the doctor as needed for illness or injury while remaining on the parent's policy. The same copay and coinsurance will apply as previously when the student visited a doctor or hospital at home. If you choose to keep your college student on your medical insurance, be sure to send a medical insurance ID card with your student when he or she heads off to college. In the event of a doctor or hospital visit, this will simplify things for your student.
Another student health insurance option available to most students is obtaining insurance through the institution of higher education that they have chosen to attend. Most colleges and universities now require proof that students have current health insurance coverage during the enrollment process. To make this possible for students who cannot remain on a parent's insurance policy, or who otherwise have inadequate coverage available, most of these institutions will make health insurance available to all students attending their college or university. The health insurance premiums for these policies are usually significantly lower than what would be available for comparable commercial insurance coverage.
It is essential for students to have student health insurance and choosing one of these two options will work for just about every college student. By remaining on the parent's health insurance policy or obtaining health insurance through the college or university that the student attends, the cost of health insurance premiums for the student can be cut to a rate significantly lower than that which would be available through an individual health insurance policy.
