CultusYour son or daughter is off to the big new world of college.
He or she is moving out from the family home and will soon be on his or her own.
Some things, though, won’t change, just like she/he may come home to do laundry or he/she will probably still send you a text asking for more money.
Health insurance is one of those things that need to stay constant. Just because your child has moved on doesn’t mean you should stop insuring them.Also, the Affordable Care Act offers more choice and options on health care options for young adults, including college students.
What are your options?
When looking at student health insurance options, you can:
• Keep them on your plan – This is an easy (and probably your best) option especially if they are staying in state and can still possibly visit their regular doctors. Even if they are going out of state, just check with your insurance companies to find in-plan practitioners in case they need someone. They can probably visit their university health care or find private doctors if needed. Today, young adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents’ healthcare plans. Health insurance for students is pretty easy to maintain on whatever your current plan is, just make a call and ask questions if it’s concerning to you.
• Join the college’s health care program – If it’s not practical for your kids to stay on your health insurance plan, looking into the one offered by the college. There may be more limitations, but it may be a viable option if it doesn’t work for them to stay on yours. Most universities have health center fees included in tuition and fee costs, so it’s a good place to visit whether you have private insurance or something else.
• Obamacare/ the Affordable Care Act – If neither of the above options works for you, look into the Affordable Care Act. With new regulations for student coverage, all young adults are able to get some sort of health care. Make sure you and your student look at what is offered and not just at upfront cost to make the best choice.
Though students who do not have a substantial income are not required to have health insurance, it’s really not a good choice to go uninsured. We all hope to never have to delve deep into our insurance plans, but unexpected health issues, accidents or other catastrophic events do happen with no foresight. If you have no health insurance, it can be quite bad.
Sending your children off to college is never easy, but knowing their healthcare is covered will make it a little bit more so.
Look into your options and pick what meets your family’s needs best.
About the Author: Heather Legg is an independent writer who covers topics relating to education, small business, and mindful living.