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- Universities and colleges require insurance for your benefit
- The types of insurance you can obtain to comply with your college’s insurance procedure
- Not all colleges and universities require the same coverage
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The sole reason you are attending college is to further your education as to further your ability to get the job of your dreams in the future.
Learning institutions also wants to see you succeed and if you attend without insurance, an unexpected sickness or accidental injury may halt your journey or bring it to an end without a degree.
It is not the merely your success your college strives for when requiring insurance coverage but they also do not want a student to forego seeing a doctor and develop a lifetime illness or worse. Lack of funds should not be a factor when it comes to your health and possible lasting effects.
Accidents happen everywhere and anywhere. University grounds have crosswalks, parking lots, stairs, etc. Everyday hazards become that much worse when alone on a campus and without health insurance. The situation is one you do not want to find yourself.
Your college may have an infirmary. However, they are not equipped to handle emergency situations or severe illnesses. Contagions run rampant on any campus, and they require more than over-the-counter-treatment.
Find free student health insurance quotes by using the comparison tool above! Just enter your zip code to get started!
Types of Insurance for College Students
– Insurance Through the School
Many students arrive at college with health insurance, already. However, for those that do not, there are options. Since the signing of the Affordable Care Act, students can stay on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26.
Your college or university may offer an insurance plan that your financial aid officer tallies into your financial aid package. The health insurance premium is based on the amount of assistance you receive versus how much you or your parents made that year if you are under 25.
Having health insurance through the university means it will be clumped in with textbooks and class costs when making your financial aid request.
– Affordable Care Act Marketplace Insurance
Student premiums are generally low because you are the healthy, young, and active pool of policyholders. However, accidents will happen and do occur in the oddest of places and circumstance.
If you have conditions that private health insurance does not cover, you can buy specialized insurance through The Marketplace. The Affordable Care Act made it easy for you to receive quotes and ask questions through health insurance agencies offered through the state you reside.
If you are from a low-income family, you may also qualify for Medicaid which is a federally funded program for families that are in need of assistance. The amount you will receive in coverage is dependent on how much your family has made in income.
– Special Circumstances
Health services are available on most campuses. However, the nurses and nurse practitioners are there to give you advice. In many instances, they do not possess the medication nor expertise to diagnose you correctly.
To summarize, your primary ways to access insurance as a student is enrolling in The Marketplace, Medicaid or, CHIPS if you qualify, or go under your parents’ umbrella of health coverage.
According to The Government Accounting Office, also known as GAO, reports the average cost of health insurance premiums is $850. The statistic is a general idea of what you may pay through The Marketplace since often insurance relies on the state to state costs and averages.
International students do not qualify for healthcare under The Affordable Care Act, even if they have obtained an F1 Visa. They cannot get insurance through the Marketplace. However, they are still responsible for following the colleges’ rules policy and procedure about health insurance.
Differences in Higher Learning and Health Insurance
Nearly 20 percent of college students remain uninsured because not all colleges or universities mandate that students have a health insurance policy.
Most students arrive at college insured by another person, whether a parent or other guardian. It is not until post-graduate programs before they are required to get their own insurance.
The Government Accounting Office, also known as GAO, has reported that minorities are far more likely to arrive at college without insurance. Because not all learning institutions require health insurance, they attend college while remaining uninsured and at-risk.
When Colleges Do Not Require Insurance
In states with single provider health insurance through the Marketplace, most colleges and universities do not require health insurance for their students putting them at risk of harm.
Other colleges only require proof of health insurance if you are a full-time student. The policy allows for part-time students to attend without requiring health coverage of any kind.
According to the GAO, thirty percent of colleges and universities require their full-time students to have insurance while attending their institution. However, every fall has seen an upscale on how many higher learning establishments require insurance coverage and who would require it.
Importance of Health Coverage in College
Preparing yourself to attend college requires a list of things to do that is both stressful and exhausting.
However, by doing your research, you are saving yourself and your family the future headache of either having to find you last minute insurance or paying out-of-pocket for a significant accident or illness. Don’t know what “out-of-pocket” means? Click here and read about how health insurance payments work!
Students should have insurance regardless if their institution requires a policy. You never know when a party may get out of hand or you catch something that extends your sickness beyond what you or your family can afford.
Ask the questions and do the research, so you stay healthy and can enjoy your success throughout your higher learning and beyond.
Find college health insurance and private plans by entering your zip code below and comparing free quotes!
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