Many college students risk going without health coverage because they believe they’re young, in good health, and relatively safe from illness. But having access to health care when you need it is important at any age, and some colleges may require you to have health coverage as a condition of enrollment.
The following steps can help you shop for coverage and meet your health care needs:
- Most health plans will allow dependent children to continue coverage until they reach age 25, and sometimes longer. Dependent coverage is typically more affordable than participating in a plan as a primary member. However, if you are a college student away from home, it is important to be aware of any special rules or limitations that may apply, especially if your coverage is through a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans typically also require you to receive routine health services from doctors and providers within a plan’s network, unless you’re willing to pay extra. The providers within a PPO network may also only be located within a specific area. This means you may be required to travel home to receive services at the plan’s in-network rate.
- If you’re employed, your first step should be to determine whether your employer offers an employee group health plan, and if so, find out the details. Group health coverage through an employer is typically the easiest to qualify for and is often the most affordable option. In addition, many employers contribute toward some, or even all, of plan premiums.
- Many colleges and university offer low-cost student health plans. Some schools require that you carry some type of comprehensive health care coverage as a condition of enrollment, or may require it as a condition of any study abroad program.
VitalOne understands that students need guidance and support during their school tenure. We will assist in selecting the most affordable and reliable coverage available to students in Texas.
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO)
HMO health insurance is not as flexible as other types, which can make it less than ideal health insurance for students. You need to use the primary care doctors, specialists, hospitals, etc. included in the HMO health insurance plan’s network in order to maximize the benefits of your college student health insurance. When choosing an HMO student health insurance plan, you need to make sure that you can find doctors in your network both near your dorm and your home, whether you live or study in Texas. That’s because using an out-of-network provider means that you’ll have to pay full price. Some HMO networks are larger than others, so comparing students’ health insurance is important. In addition, you will have to see your primary care physician for non-emergency referrals to a specialist–which can be difficult, depending on your schedule.
VitalOne can help you when buying cheap student health insurance by comparing the coverage and rates of various health maintenance organization plans.
Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO Plan)
PPO student health insurance plans, like HMOs, have a network of professionals that provide services at a cheaper rate. However, a PPO plan gives you more choice. Selecting a primary care physician isn’t required, and you can visit a specialist without a referral–which reduces inconvenience for students. In general, co-payments are higher than with other student health insurance plans. PPO plans may also make you pay a deductible. Still, PPOs can be a great way to get affordable Texas student health insurance with greater freedom.
At VitalOne, we can provide you with a student health insurance quotes from major health insurance companies.
Point of Service Plans (POS)
A point of service plan is a cross between a HMO and a PPO. Similar to a HMO student health insurance plan, you must first select a primary care doctor from their network. Your primary care physician can then give you referrals to any specialist, whether or not they are inside the network. POS plans let you visit any medical provider you want, although going outside of the network will cost you more out-of-pocket. Receiving out-of-network health care also makes you responsible for keeping track of and submitting paperwork to get reimbursed by your college students’ health insurance at the lower rate. On the one hand, you can visit doctors whether you’re on campus in Texas, home for the holidays, or on spring break. However, the claims filing process may be too much to fit into your busy schedule. Point of service plans force you to give up some control of your health care, in exchange for cheap student health insurance.
In some ways, POS plans are the best of both worlds when it comes to health insurance for students. If you’re considering a POS plan, VitalOne can help you choose from several Texas POS providers.
Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
Health savings accounts have become increasingly popular in Texas. HSA plans transfer more of the control and responsibility for your student health insurance plan to you, while helping you save money. Pre-tax dollars are deposited into an HSA plan, which can then be used to buy qualified medical products and services. Approved expenses include doctor visits, hospitalization, and both prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
In most cases, high-deductible student health insurance plans are combined with HSAs. With these plans, you get a lower student health insurance quote; this is because the deductible can cost up to several thousand dollars per year. This is because the tax-exempt health savings account is intended to cover most minor and moderate medical expenses. A HSA can be the cheapest Texas student health insurance available. For generally young and healthy university students, your savings on premiums will outweigh the increased out-of-pocket expenses. Ask VitalOne to help you select the best health savings account and high-deductible health insurance for Texas students.
Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance
If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may think affordable student health insurance is out of reach in Texas. That is not necessarily the case with guaranteed issue college student health insurance. This type of insurance is required to cover anyone who applies, regardless of health status. Students with conditions such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, or a current pregnancy may benefit from buying student health insurance with pre-existing conditions. As for-profit student health insurance providers don’t want to cover someone who is already sick, premiums may be slightly more expensive. Still, VitalOne is ready and able to find you a guaranteed issue Texas student health insurance quote that fits your budget.
Guaranteed issue student health insurance plans are available in Texas. These plans give you the benefit of using extensive PPO networks such as Multiplan. Compare guaranteed issue college student health insurance plans with us today.
Life Insurance
Texas now has tens of thousands of so-called “non-traditional” college students. Whether you are going back to college full-time after taking time out for work or parenting, married, or have children, Life insurance allows you to care for your family after you’re gone. It pays out a specified lump sum upon an individual’s death. The main types of life insurance are term life, whole life, variable life, and universal life. The most affordable type is term life insurance. It covers you for a set time period, usually anywhere from one to 30 years. Face value amounts for term life insurance policies begin at $5,000 and can reach millions of dollars.
How much life insurance do you need? Several factors should be considered. A life insurance policy should cover at least several years of your annual income. The higher your income, the higher the cash value of your policy should be. If you have many outstanding debts, such as student loans, you may want to take those into account, as well. It is also important that the monthly premiums for your life insurance policy are affordable. VitalOne is there to help you during this complex process. Our licensed insurance brokers can help you select the right life insurance plan for your needs.
Critical Illness Insurance
Critical illness insurance pays you a lump sum if you experience a major medical condition covered in the policy. Diseases, surgeries, and injuries included in typical critical illness insurance policies range from cancer (whether or not it has spread), heart attacks, organ transplants and strokes to severe burns, paraplegia, blindness, or deafness. Sometimes, affordable student health insurance doesn’t pay for all of the costs associated with a critical illness. For example, patients are sometimes transported to distant hospitals that specialize in certain types of treatment. The payout you receive from critical health insurance could pay for your family and friends to stay with you during your hospitalization. The money can also be used for mortgage payments, student loan payments, or anything else that would help reduce stress and allow you to focus on your recovery.
Several conditions can be bundled together in one individual critical illness insurance policy. A certain percentage of the coverage can be paid out upon initial diagnosis, while more can be paid in the case of a recurrence or developing another condition. The younger you are, the cheaper Texas critical illness insurance is. You also need to be careful to know what conditions are excluded, and how long the waiting period before receiving payment is. Similar to buying a life insurance policy, the amount of coverage you get depends your income and outstanding debts. VitalOne can help you decide which critical illness insurance policy is best for you.
Accident Insurance
There are two main types of accident insurance in Texas: accidental death and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D). AD&D coverage is more extensive: it pays out upon either death or specified serious injuries. In contrast, accidental death insurance only covers a person’s death that directly results from an accident (such as a car crash) as opposed to health-related deaths. Student accident insurance is cheaper than standard life insurance because there is a smaller chance that you will die or be severely injured from an accident; therefore, insurance companies can afford to pay several times what you would expect. Unfortunately, these policies do not apply to any medical illnesses, drug overdoses, surgical errors that cause your death.
Accidental death insurance are meant to cover the higher cost resulting from a sudden death as opposed to a somewhat expected one from an illness. The latter allows more time for planning arrangements, while last-minute expenses and emergency medical costs can be prohibitive. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance normally pays out 50% of the policy upon losing one major member of the body (limb, hand, foot, or eyesight in one eye), with the full payout given upon an individual losing two. The money is intended pay for medical care and accommodations needed after the accident. Accident insurance can be purchased by itself, or as a rider added to any college student health insurance or life insurance policy. VitalOne can explain the benefits and limitations of accident insurance policies and help you find an appropriate Texas accident insurance plan.
