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Graduates - why you need
health insurance
12 Million Young Adults live one step away
from a medical bill bigger than any student loan.
Over 12 million young adults go without health coverage. And this
can translate into huge medical bills that take a bite out of your
budget.
Unfortunately for college grads, most universities don't offer
courses in health insurance.
When you're choosing job offers, the kind of health benefits you
can get should be a factor in your decision. Why?
Why pay for health insurance? After all, it's just another expense
to figure into that monthly budget, right? Wrong. Think of it as
a safety net - a way of making sure you get the care you need, when
you need it.
Need convincing? Consider what it costs
to see a health care provider for routine exams when you don't have
insurance:
- Eye exam & glasses: $250
- Annual gyn. Exam: $300
- Flu bug (dr. visit/med): $100
- Dental cleaning/Xrays: $180
If you think these costs are high, car accidents, broken limbs,
serious illnesses or other medical emergencies can cost tens of
thousands of dollars. In fact, one in four Americans who file
bankruptcy cites unmanageable medical bills as the reason.
What can you do?
Explore these options.
1. Talk to your parents about their insurance. As
a college student you were probably covered on your parents plan.
But most plans have a cut-off date. Find out soon!
2. Check out COBRA. What is it? A temporary form
of health insurance that mimics the benefits you received under
your current policy and can continue up to 18 months. Note: you
have to make 1 st payment within 45 days of the time your previous
coverage ended.
3. Find out about temporary insurance plans.
Macalester Health & Wellness Center has some examples to get you started.
4. Look into using an insurance agent. Some insurance
agents can help you find a plan that meets your needs - acting as
your advocate.
5. Check out the web. Many of the large insurance
companies have information on their plans posted on the web. |
