Can't afford health insurance and am stressed out

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Saleemrodman1

Saleemrodman1

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
May 1, 2012
Messages
192
Reaction score
58
Hello,

So I am starting my first year of Medical School at ATSU-SOMA, and I was first misinformed that my health insurance through my job would continue a couple months after I left, but someone just told me that my benefits would end the day I left. Now I am incredibly stressed out because I am already going to be borrowing ~$310,000 (~$78,000/year), and the insurance companies told me I will be paying approximately $250-$280/month for insurance.

I can't go on my parents' insurance because I just turned 27, and I am not eligible for Obamacare because I won't meet the minimum income.

ATSU-SOMA doesn't seem to offer health insurance, and i just don't know what to do. I am on the verge of giving up because of how expensive this is, and don't know where else to turn to.

What should I do?
Members don't see this ad.
 
Your school is required to provide health insurance and a loan amount to cover it. Don’t worry.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
DrStephenStrange said:
Yes, students qualify easily. Especially Medical students because we can't work while in school. I'm 27 I qualified.
Click to expand...

Which website did you go to? I tried to go through Covered California (California resident) and the lowest option it gave me was $250/month.
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
Which website did you go to? I tried to go through Covered California (California resident) and the lowest option it gave me was $250/month.
Click to expand...
You're gonna to find the website for California. Each state have their own Medicaid. I had to apply to Arkansas Medicaid because I go to ARCOM.

Edit: you should apply to Arizona Medicaid because you're going to school in Arizona. But you're gonna have to establish residency first. You can do that whenever you move there.
 
Also, you should probably ask current students at your school how to apply for insurance and stuff because they will know better.
 
i would initiate the process as soon as possible. to prove residence, I needed to send proof of enrollment at my school along with gas/electric bills and a copy of my signed lease. the process took about 4 weeks. if there is a gap between when your current insurance runs out and before medicaid starts, you can always purchase short term (~3 months or less) health insurance. I did this for my own peace of mind, it was about $80 per month.
 
Last edited:
Saleemrodman1 said:
Hello,

So I am starting my first year of Medical School at ATSU-SOMA, and I was first misinformed that my health insurance through my job would continue a couple months after I left, but someone just told me that my benefits would end the day I left. Now I am incredibly stressed out because I am already going to be borrowing ~$310,000 (~$78,000/year), and the insurance companies told me I will be paying approximately $250-$280/month for insurance.

I can't go on my parents' insurance because I just turned 27, and I am not eligible for Obamacare because I won't meet the minimum income.

ATSU-SOMA doesn't seem to offer health insurance, and i just don't know what to do. I am on the verge of giving up because of how expensive this is, and don't know where else to turn to.

What should I do?
Click to expand...
Strongly suggest that you talk your Student Services people.

Otherwise, it's nother, what, ~$12-14K you'll be in debt if you borrow for the cost of insurance?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
If I made some money through work this year but won't have the job anymore, should I report as my income to be $0 since I won't be working? I got denied medical because it says I meet an income requirement, but that income has stopped now.
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
If I made some money through work this year but won't have the job anymore, should I report as my income to be $0 since I won't be working? I got denied medical because it says I meet an income requirement, but that income has stopped now.
Click to expand...

You make zero dollars right now. Your income is zero. Loans do not count as income. There's no shame in medicaid. I did it for all four years of medical school. It's actually what it's supposed to be used for. People in a transitional period, not people who plan to make it a lifelong career getting public benefits. You'll pay it all back in taxes anyway.
 
DrStephenStrange said:
Yes, students qualify easily. Especially Medical students because we can't work while in school. I'm 27 I qualified.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. Depends on whether the state has expanded Medicaid coverage or not. For me, I couldn't get medicaid because having no income isn't enough to qualify, you had to have 1 other qualifier like having a kid etc.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
Not necessarily. Depends on whether the state has expanded Medicaid coverage or not. For me, I couldn't get medicaid because having no income isn't enough to qualify, you had to have 1 other qualifier like having a kid etc.
Click to expand...

Yes as a health insurance navigator: states without expanded medicaid have additional rules besides being below the required income.
Varies by state.

You can google "expanded medicaid states" ---these are the states that allow you to get on medicaid based on income alone.
 
Check if AZ expanded Medicaid to include students like us. Some states have strict requirements beyond having zero income. If you qualify, use Medicaid because that is the cheapest and might even be free. If not, contact your school or upperclassmen to ask what type of insurance students sign up for to offset the school not offering coverage.
 
Here OP,
You're in luck AZ is expanded medicaid.

Health-e-Arizona > Home > "apply for public programs click begin application"

Your loans do not count as income. I do not know your family composition (if you have a working spouse etc). Fill it out online. PM me if you want me to walk you through the application process.
 
Very state specific. Some are like “no income? Medicaid. Don’t even worry about it.” Others are like “ I know you stepped on a landline, but one of your four limbs work and so should you.”

The only reason I qualified in my state is bc I have a kid.
 
I put in my income for the 2019 year, and because I barely went over the income limit, it won't let me qualify. The issue is that most of that money went to bills.
 
Ho0v-man said:
Reapply on a month with no income. Both states I’ve applied it went by the month.

Edit: so when I first moved to school I didn’t qualify, then qualified for subsidy, then qualified for full Medicaid
Click to expand...

This is correct. They want your present income at the moment of the application. They do not care about your income from months ago. If you quit recently they’ll want proof of you no longer working which is easy to do. Just get your employer to write down your last day of work and submit that attestation.
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
I put in my income for the 2019 year, and because I barely went over the income limit, it won't let me qualify. The issue is that most of that money went to bills.
Click to expand...

What is your current income. It sounds like we don’t know your full situation. It doesn’t matter what your bills are, the income guideline is hard set for your gross monthly income (before taxes)
 
My current gross income (before taxes) is $4796/month from my job, but I'm going to lose that in a couple of days.
 
Ho0v-man said:
Reapply on a month with no income. Both states I’ve applied it went by the month.

Edit: so when I first moved to school I didn’t qualify, then qualified for subsidy, then qualified for full Medicaid
Click to expand...

So is it possible for me to pay for insurance for one month, qualify for subsidies, and then qualify for full Medicaid because I won't work in school? That's what I'm getting from this.
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
So is it possible for me to pay for insurance for one month, qualify for subsidies, and then qualify for full Medicaid because I won't work in school? That's what I'm getting from this.
Click to expand...
That’s how it worked for me. But, I’m in a different state and have a dependent so different issues. However, my state did not expand Medicaid. It might be easier for you or harder. But no matter where you live, you’re income from your old job is way too high. Some states also require you to list your savings/cash on hand, etc.

I don’t know how it works for single students in different states but in mine they’d be denied no matter what, even with zero income. But it’s impossible for you to have a realistic application until the start of July when you have no income. So reapply then.
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
So is it possible for me to pay for insurance for one month, qualify for subsidies, and then qualify for full Medicaid because I won't work in school? That's what I'm getting from this.
Click to expand...
You might have to go one month without insurance, and apply once you start school.
 
tsmleague said:
This is correct. They want your present income at the moment of the application. They do not care about your income from months ago. If you quit recently they’ll want proof of you no longer working which is easy to do. Just get your employer to write down your last day of work and submit that attestation.
Click to expand...
This employer part held true for me too. It’s really the only thing you can get working on before July 1st.
 
DrStephenStrange said:
You might have to go one month without insurance, and apply once you start school.
Click to expand...

I think the school stated in one of their requirements that health insurance has to be maintained at all times, otherwise it is grounds for dismissal.

I mean my work health insurance covers me for the rest of June...I can buy insurance (approx $250) for the month of July, as long as I can get on full Medicaid August or September. That would not hurt too much.

I don't know if I want to go without insurance and risk getting in trouble or pay $250 per month for four years...both would hurt.
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
I put in my income for the 2019 year, and because I barely went over the income limit, it won't let me qualify. The issue is that most of that money went to bills.
Click to expand...

I would actually put your income as $0 on the AZ Medicaid app. You won't work in AZ so you have 0 AZ income.
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
I think the school stated in one of their requirements that health insurance has to be maintained at all times, otherwise it is grounds for dismissal.

I mean my work health insurance covers me for the rest of June...I can buy insurance (approx $250) for the month of July, as long as I can get on full Medicaid August or September. That would not hurt too much.

I don't know if I want to go without insurance and risk getting in trouble or pay $250 per month for four years...both would hurt.
Click to expand...
My school is the same, but I think it's a soft requirement at least at my school. It would be ridiculous to dismiss a student only for not having insurance. If your school use an online interface (Like Castlebranch) where you have to upload your documents in like my school, then usually as long as I have an insurance card in there (like old employer insurance card) my school don't care, then I update it once I have my new card. Now I don't know about your school, which is why it's great to ask current students.
 
Last edited:
Saleemrodman1 said:
My current gross income (before taxes) is $4796/month from my job, but I'm going to lose that in a couple of days.
Click to expand...

Apply for Medicaid when you’re done with your job. You’ll report 0 income and no deductions. The state will most likely ask for proof you are no longer receiving that income which is where you’ll want your employer attestation.
 

Short term health insurance

Explore short term health insurance from UnitedHealthcare. See if our short term health insurance plans are right for you and your family in the interim.
www.uhc.com www.uhc.com

This is a stressful time. While you are still on your employer plan, now is the time to be proactive. If you have any prescriptions to fill, any doctors appointments you’ve been putting off - get them done now. You can also apply now for short term coverage that begins as soon as your current insurance runs out. This is the short term insurance I used. It kicked in quickly so I was never without health insurance. It’s not as comprehensive as my parents plan, but it was better than catastrophic insurance. If you have any serious health conditions, of course disregard this suggestion.
 
These schools are criminal for charging students outrageous amounts of tuition and not providing health insurance
 
You meet the requirement at enrollement with employer insurance and then medicaid will kick in a month or two later. Your overthinking this. They won't kick you out.
 
School provide?

Anyway you can get onto parents plan (I do that and am covered until I turn 30 since I am in grad school).
 
Last edited:
DrStephenStrange said:
I thought pass 26 yo you can't be on your parents' insurance anymore.
Click to expand...
Depends on the state, NY I believe allows for up to 30 with certain circumstances.

Does anyone know if you can apply for Medicaid in your home state and then use it for medical school in another state?

My current state (where I’m registered to vote and pay taxes in) has expanded Medicaid, the state I’m attending medical school hasn’t.
 
WoundupKnight said:
Depends on the state, NY I believe allows for up to 30 with certain circumstances.

Does anyone know if you can apply for Medicaid in your home state and then use it for medical school in another state?

My current state (where I’m registered to vote and pay taxes in) has expanded Medicaid, the state I’m attending medical school hasn’t.
Click to expand...

No you can’t. Medicaid is only for that state.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top