Student Health Insurance
As college students preparing to attend a university, it is important for us to understand health insurance. My college, as well as many other colleges, even includes health insurance as part of their tuition or registration fees. With all of the other things that we must take care of in getting ready for college, understanding our health care options is one of the last things we want to think about and we usually don't give it the attention that we should. The process of understanding and reviewing all of your options can be tedious at best. This is another reason why we students tend to place this responsibility on the "back-burner."
There are so many things that need to be considered in regards to individual health insurance. To make the most educated decision regarding all of the health insurance options available, it will help to review health insurance resource sites, such as this one at calpoly itself, that can provide you with useful information to help you understand a little bit more about this complicated industry. The assistance of a health insurance broker or agent that specializes in this type of insurance can also be a useful resource. You should speak with more than one agent so that you can compare health insurance policies and get a better idea of the health plans and costs available to you. Try to avoid buying the first plan you look at because there may be better options if you explore a bit further. I talked to three different companies and finally found a reasonably priced plan through an agent that was really cool and local, so the extra time I took paid off.
I think most major colleges and universities require full-time students to provide proof of coverage if they opt out of the university-sponsored health plan. Associated with requiring health insurance coverage, many universities have a student health center that provides basic health care right on campus. Treatment received at the student health center is typically covered under the university's medical plan. This might even be true if your school allows you to purchase your own student health insurance, as long as your private policy meets the guidelines of the university health care program, but with a personal insurance policy, I see it as a freedom to have the option of using an off-campus doctor.
If your college requires you to be insured, like mine did, find out what their minimum requirements are. They usually want a certain level of coverage that provides you with up to a maximum of $100,000 or more. They want these limits to be met so they can be certain that you have adequate health insurance coverage to protect you from a serious injury or illness.
You will definitely need to understand these limitations and requirements if you plan on shopping for your own private student health plan. Give your university's health insurance requirements to any insurance company you are considering and request that they authorize that the plan they are offering is sufficient. If working with an agent or broker, make sure that they understand your college's requirements before they provide you with a health insurance quote.
I received several quotes that seemed very reasonable until I realized that the coverage was not sufficient and did not meet my universities requirements.
If you buy your own student health plan, don't just make sure that they meet the requirements, but also make sure that they provide the types of benefits that you think you will benefit from the most. Like if you need to see a dermatologist on a regular basis, make sure they cover it. Compare that coverage to the same types of benefits that your college plan offers to see which one gives the best coverage for the treatments you need the most.
I found a lot of tips and advice in the health insurance service counseling page on calpoly.edu, some of which I've mentioned here, but I would suggest giving the whole section a read-through. As it suggests, the best option might be staying on your parents' group health plan if that's possible. There's also a state-specific directory for finding student health insurance through an agent in the state where your college is located. Other health insurance options are also available if your particular health needs cannot be met by a standard student plan.