Student Health Insurance
Unlike most of us, college students are in the enviable position of having to wonder if they really need health insurance. Just about everyone has the right to use to at least emergency care and certain kinds of basic healthcare services regardless of whether or not they actually have insurance benefits or not.
Young adults especially tend to go without access to health services more often than any other age group. Of course, it is also true that many twenty-something's go more than twelve months without any real need for care or treatment. And, even among those who do need it, the probability that the costs will exceed $1,000.00 is fairly remote. So it's not unreasonable to wonder if a young adult should bother with the expense of health insurance at all.
The Price You Pay for Going Uninsured
That outlook can change dramatically when you stop and consider the more costly brands of healthcare a young person might need. For example: Even a simple appendicitis could easily cost an uninsured collegian more than $25,000.00. The average cost of a day long hospital stay is about $7,175.00; an ambulance ride to that hospital will be around $607.00.
The diagnostics, surgery then rehabilitative care required to patch the sort of knee injuries common among surfers, snowboarders, and cyclists could easily cost as much as $48,302.00. Unfortunately, waiting until you need that sort of care to look for coverage, will make it anywhere from difficult to all but impossible to find.
Who offers specific student program's in Illinois?
Assurant offers a solid student plan which is inexpensive and a long term derivative of there limited short term plans. UniCare just introduced the Sound plan which is designed for young singles bestween 18-30, but it has proved popular even for people in their 40's. The program includes Hospital, Doc visits, ER, Prescriptions, Dental, and Vision all in one affordable package in most cases costing under $100 per month.
Finding Student Health Insurance That's Practical and Affordable
- Travel Coverage and or International Policies: If you're a college student planning a trip overseas, you can purchase a travel health insurance policy to cover the period during which youıll be traveling. Most health plans do not offer coverage for medical expenses incurred outside the U.S., so travel insurance is exclusively designed to cover the international health complications visitors often encounter abroad. We offer Inernational plans from IMG which are perfect for students studyong abroad. IMG based in Indianapolis is a solid international carrier we have have had good consumer experience with.
- Student Medical Policies: These are basically general health policies designed specifically to cover the typical healthcare needs of average collegians. Student Health Plans are also available to graduate students. They tend to be portable, meaning that they offer coverage to students in anywhere in the U.S. Assurant's Student plan, and most recently UniCare's Sound are the best options in the market place, but other carriers should jump on the bandwagon soon.
- School-Sponsored Coverage: University Sponsored health policies are generally based on managed care programs that provide medical services to students living near or on a given college campus. Be sure to check and see if these plans provide your child with adequate coverage, in a lot of cases they don't.
- Short Term Medical Policies: Sort-term health insurance (sometimes called gap coverage) is most often available for from one to twelve months. Such coverage is both relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain in most states. The quality of temporary health plans tends to be excellent, despite the fact that it usually doesnıt offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. We have plans available from Unicare, Assurant, and Celtic.
- Individual Medical Policies: These are private insurance plans available to college students from just about any major health insurance carrier. Individual plans offer the strongest financial guarantees, most stability and highest quality coverage. They often provide international coverage. Of course, that all will come attached to a higher price tag.
- Unicare Sound Health Plans: Specifically designed for 19 to 29 year olds, the trio of Sound brand health plans; The Curb Jumper, The Gravity Bender,and The Risk Taker range in cost from $64.00 to $80.00 per month. Deductible rates range from $1,500.00 for the most expensive, to $5,000.00 for the least expensive. All have 100% coinsurance! Your total out of pocket equals your deductible!
Unicare Sound is a great choice for students because it includes unlimited office visits, wellness, prescription drugs, emergency room benefit, dental, and vison in one affordable package.
Give us a call 1-800-391-7469 if we can answer any of your questions.
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