College students are rocks! They’re tough, so they don’t need a health plan! It may be true that some college students believe this of themselves, but the reality is the opposite. College students need health plans just as much as the next guy (or gal). So what is available for college students? Thankfully, many universities have a student health center on their campus, and thus they offer different health plans for different kinds of students.
A brief survey online shows that most health plans for single college students who are only supporting themselves cost an average of about $200 to $300 each semester (four months). This plan seems to have a copay for most office visits of 10 to 20 dollars, and there doesn’t seem to be a benefits cap. It is a toss up whether the university sponsored health plan includes dental. Some do, and some others give discounts with chosen providers. Optical coverage is spotty around the country for these plans.
A second kind of plan is that offered to the married college student. This plan usually has two alternatives: one offers maternity coverage, the other does not. So if a couple opts to have no maternity coverage, which costs hundreds of dollars less than the other plan that does include maternity, then if they get pregnant, they are on their own. The only big difference between the married student plan and the plan in the previous paragraph is the price. A couple with no maternity coverage is about twice the cost of a single. The maternity coverage adds several hundred dollars to the plan, sometimes as much as $1,000.
A final plan found online is for the married student with independents, where the plan is in one person’s name. Fees are higher and copays remain the same. Dental is often included or discounted with chosen providers.
But what about those students who study at schools that don’t offer health insurance? One option is to stay on Mom or Dad’s plan for a few years. Another option is to buy insurance on their own. SelectHealth is just one of several providers with low-cost plans with good coverage. A brief, general survey yields a monthly cost of about $100 for a single adult with no dependents. The copay is between 20 and 40, depending on what plan you choose.
So if a college student sees the need, they can, with little effort, have a health plan in place for themselves.