About to graduate and have no health insurance?
Younger people are generally less likely to be worried about having health insurance than older people. Maybe that's why 19 million 18- to 34-year-olds don't have health insurance (U.S. Census Bureau 2007). No surprise that many students go through college without health insurance. They have a limited budget and when they graduate may not have a job lined up, so how could they afford insurance?
The good news is, health insurance is not as expensive as you may think - even for a student. Northwestern University's D.C. campus has an audio interview with students facing the prospect of searching for health insurance and the options open to them, Medill Reports, Washington, D.C. Feb 7, 2008.
The key suggestions are:
- Use COBRA to extend the insurance from your parent's plan, though there are drawbacks
- Consider a high deductible plan, ensuring coverage at least for catastrophic medical emergencies
- Try short-term insurance
The clip also discusses a fourth option. If you have generous family and friends, there is also a gift card program for health insurance!
Not having insurance coverage can be dangerous to your health
The University At Buffalo includes an article on its Web site (Buffalo's Spectrum Online, Feb 4, 2008) discussing the risks of not having health insurance and encourages students to start thinking about health insurance before they graduate, as early as November or December.
What about health insurance while I'm studying?
Even for those just embarking upon their first years of College studies, coverage is still available. Students in the same state as their parents are often still covered by their parent's plan, but either way, you should check with your College or University to see if it offers some kind of insurance plan. At Duke University more than 80% of its students are enrolled in a local plan, Duke Chronicle, Jan 28, 2008. And based on student feedback the University is hoping to implement an even better plan for its 2008 students, as it tenders bids for a new carrier this year.
Get health insurance online
Whether you are currently studying or about to graduate, you can shop online for Health Insurance. Whenever you're next surfing the 'Net, or just taking a break from that Term paper at 2 in the morning, easy research is just a mouse click away.