Title:
Health Insurance Plans For Students
Word Count:
557
Summary:
Health care insurance is a necessity today. Most educational institutions
in the United States require students to be covered for healthcare.
Surveys reveal that nearly thirty percent of students in the US do not
have healthcare insurance, and ask their parents for financial help when
in need. These students are most likely to drop their studies for
financial reasons, as they have to work to pay off their dues of
healthcare expenses.
Many students find it difficult to meet...
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Article Body:
Health care insurance is a necessity today. Most educational institutions
in the United States require students to be covered for healthcare.
Surveys reveal that nearly thirty percent of students in the US do not
have healthcare insurance, and ask their parents for financial help when
in need. These students are most likely to drop their studies for
financial reasons, as they have to work to pay off their dues of
healthcare expenses.
Many students find it difficult to meet the costs of healthcare
insurance, because it does not come cheap. However, it is advantageous
for a student to have this medical insurance.
Although there are many plans offering student health insurance, they can
be categorized into three basic types: parent’s health care plan, college
health insurance plan, and the commercial health insurance plan. Each of
the mentioned plans has their own advantages and disadvantages.
Under the parent’s health care plan, a college student may not be
covered, after a certain age. If that is the case, extra coverage called
COBRA needs to be obtained, which is not necessarily cheaper than
purchasing a different plan altogether. Moreover, it may be a pre-
requisite that the student should have at least ‘x’ number of college
credit hours to qualify for the coverage.
The college plan can offer coverage through HMO (Health Maintenance
Organization), or PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). These are group
plans and generally cheaper than commercial health plans. However, the
coverage offered may be limited. Other options would have to be explored
for coverage that is more comprehensive. The college plan is preferable
when there is an ‘on campus’ hospital. Most of the college plans cover
all accident or health care expenses, subject to the condition that the
student continues to be registered with the college for a particular
duration.
Many companies sell commercial health insurance. The terms may differ
widely, hence, it would be essential to purchase a plan that offer
facilities that one finds suitable. The best way would be to make a list
of the features that are important, and then get the details for
different plans from various companies, and compare them to decide which
plan is the best one.
Under the commercial health plan, there is the temporary student health
insurance, which is meant for students staying away from home. It can be
availed for periods of thirty days, to six or twelve months. According to
the temporary plan, the student can find a doctor or hospital of his
choice by taking an Indemnity Plan. Alternatively, he or she may take the
Managed Care Plan, which allows a choice of doctors and hospitals that
are in the plan’s network. The Managed Care Plan has lower premiums than
the Indemnity Plan.
Most states in the US have legal stipulations, which require compulsory
health care insurance for foreign students, and set a minimum amount that
should be available for emergency evacuation, medical treatment and
repatriation of remains, if required. International student medical
insurance costs approximately six to seven hundred dollars per annum.
In view of emergencies requiring medical attention, it is essential for
students to be covered under health care insurance. It is a precondition
for registration in most educational institutions in the US. Many states
have laws that make it compulsory for foreign students to be covered by
the health care insurance.