As you get excited with the fact that you, too, now have a college student as a son or daughter, have you ensured they have adequate health insurance? More so if your current plan does NOT make provision for kids in college. What plans are you to consider? Are there important details to ensure are in place while getting a new plan?
1. What provisions does the plan have in case of emergencies? Do you know what would be done if you college kid has an emergency? What if your college kid has an emergency away from home? Would there be need for a prior approval? What are the conditions for certain benefits to kick in? Will you have to be consulted for approval before action is taken? Remember, they’ll NOT have you around them (They’re now adults — Aren’t they?).
Swift actions can be the difference between fatalities and minor issues. Don’t buy any plan that doesn’t satisfy you in every way.
2. Would you have a choice in the facilities to be used or health care professionals? Which do you prefer: An EPO, PPO, HMO or a policy that gives your wider options? Do you know which would serve your best interests: HMO, PPO, EPO or something else? Don’t forget to take into consideration how these will affect your child’s access to health care and the quality.
3. What changes when your kid comes home on vacation, if any? Will coverage continue? Would such coverage be adequate and would you need to have plans for contigencies?
4. It does happen that you kid might have special classes during breaks. Does this plan give coverage at such times? Do you feel comfortable with the made?
5. What if your kid has pre-existing conditions? This is important if your kid has one of such conditions.
You’d definitely have to spend a lot more if yours is a child that has a serious health condition. It’s an achievement to be able to send your child to college. But more importantly, it’s a greater thing to have them go through it in good health.
Is there any way to save?
If you want to save and still give you child the best do this: Get quotes, compare plans and pick the one that offers you the best in price/value. It will take you just about five minutes per site. However, you’ll easily save several hundred dollars if you do this right.
Important NOTE: By law, carriers cannot give lower rates for a particular health plan. Be that as it may, to ensure they have different rates for each risk profile (and so remain competitive and profitable) they instead create very many different plans for these very specific profiles. At the moment, the US has more than 10,000 such plans for you to choose from. Sounds like the same thing as giving different rates for, say, 10 plans if you ask me — Only more confusing ).
You’d have to obtain a good number of quotes, compare plans and thereafter buy whichever serves your best interest.
Do you want more tips to help you get lower premiums? Then don’t fail to visit cheap low cost health insurance and cheap health insurance rates. Chimezirim is a seasoned expert on insurance matters.