Many college students in America go without health insurance either due to being cut from their parent’s plan at a certain age or being unable to afford health insurance. Health plans for American college students are available and many colleges and universities offer various health insurance plans for their full time students. These can be a great option for college students because health insurance plans through a university are often discounted to make it more affordable to those who need it.
For most health insurance plans offered by American colleges and universities, the student has to be a full time undergraduate or graduate student. Some schools may require graduate students to have health insurance through the school, and some schools may also offer limited plans for part time students as well.
Health care plans offered to university students through universities generally offer basic medical coverage that covers doctor’s visits and emergency room visits. They also often offer flexible options that can include dental, vision, and prescription insurance coverage. The availability of these additional health insurance features varies from school to school and generally will add additional costs to the price of the plan. These plans are serviced through large American insurance companies that typically provide insurance benefits to companies.
Students enrolling in a health plan through their university can expect to pay co-pays on basically every medical visit or expense they incur depending on the plan available. The plans are often designed with higher deductibles and higher co-pays although this isn’t always the case. The goal with providing student health plans through the university is to reduce the overall cost of health care for these students. A student might only need to see a doctor once or twice a year, thus a high co-pay will be unlikely to be a burden.
School sponsored health insurance plans are often rolled into the cost of tuition for eligible students who apply for university offered insurance. This makes it possible for many students to use their financial aid packages including student loans to pay for part or all of their health insurance membership costs.
Schools also typically offer basic services from nursing offices to students at little to no cost. These services might include free or low cost STD testing, first aid treatment, flu shots, diagnosis of common illnesses such as sinus infections and stomach viruses, discounted birth control, basic antibiotics, over the counter pain medications, and more. These services vary from school to school in what they offer and at what cost but insurance generally is not needed to get the most basic on campus medical attention.
Health plans for college students should be asked about at the university or college the student attends. Plans can vary greatly from school to school, but overall it may be an affordable way to stay insured as a college student.