As a parent, you shouldn't forget to get your college student a good health plan. Among all the other things you do to help your child, picking a health plan should be at the top of your list. Most of the time, your own health plan will cover your children when they are 20 to 24 years old. Usually, your college student has to meet certain requirements to be put on your health plan. For example, they have to depend on you financially and be enrolled as a full-time student for a long time.
If you don't have a health plan for your child, the college where he or she is going to school will likely have some for you to choose from. Some colleges require that you have health insurance in order to attend. As part of the health care coverage, students often have to pay extra to enrol, which is a burden on top of the cost of tuition. If you are worried and don't know what else to do, you may need to find a way to justify the extra cost and get health insurance through the college.
Even if you already have a health plan and are thinking about adding your son or daughter as a full-time college student, you should always do your research by comparing the costs and benefits of each plan. Even if your child is financially dependent on you, they may need to pay deductibles and copays if they want to be independent from you. You should think about what kinds of medical care, like x-rays, lab work, doctor visits, surgery, and dental work, are covered by the plan.
Another thing to think about is whether or not they are covered during spring break and other holidays, when college students often get into trouble. No matter what plan you choose, you should make sure it fits your budget and covers your college student well, since both of these things are important. Part-time college students may be able to get some plans, but the costs and benefits of these plans will vary a lot. The American College Student Association, which can be found at http://acsa.com/, is a good place to learn about health insurance plans for college students. Members of a reputable and well-established association get discounts and lots of information that is just for college students.
There are several student loan programmes backed by the ACSA that can help you pay for your college student's health insurance. Getting financial aid for your child's college tuition based on his or her GPA and financial needs can help ease the stress of paying for long-term health insurance. There is a lot of help for students who don't get health insurance from their parents, students who need temporary health plan coverage, graduate students or even married students, and even international students who need coverage that meets the requirements of their visas.
