Student Health Insurance

[sweetzpassion]

Hi Guys
I have a question about student health insurance. I know most optometry school dont require you to have one. Personally, I would like to be insured. But, i was looking at the options. But, they seem to be too pricey for a student who is going to be completely depending on loans and most of them dont even cover that much for office visits. What are you guys doing for the health insurance??? Thanks reply soon

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[Opt2010]

SUNY provided us with a brochure of The Sentry Student Security Plan. Go check it out www.ejsmith.com

 

[EyeBaller]

SUNY provided us with a brochure of The Sentry Student Security Plan. Go check it out www.ejsmith.com

That plan is pretty limited.. you can probably qualify for Medicaid.. at least in NYC.. That's what a lot of us did... just go sign up for it =)

 

[4Eyes]

If you do the AOSA one, and you sign up online, make sure you go with the semester ones (any of the ones with dates) and not quarterly. Or at least call them first. It still prompts you to enter the date you would like the coverage to start, but it doesn't matter...they only start 8/15, 11/15, 2/15, etc. I tried to get the quarterly plan and I almost wound up with a 3-week gap in my coverage. It was a mess.

Aside from being annoying and their rates going up a fair amount every year, they have good insurance. Definitely check into your school though to see if they have anything better/more affordable.

 

[iiiimonica]

UC Berkeley gives every undergrad and grad student a health insurance option. Since I'm covered by my husbands insurance, I stupidly did not use it untli my last year of undergrad. The Cal insurence was MUCH cheaper than my husbands and it had a way better dental option. It costs about 500 a semester for undergrads and 600 a semester for grads (Optometry, Law, etc) and you are covered for the whole year and it is built directly into your budget estimates. No vision coverage though , but we do get fairly big discounts on eyewear as Optobears.

 

[sweetzpassion]

Eye Baller: Isn't the medicad only for the people who are married and with children, is there another plan under them for students, can you please provide the web link.

4 eyes: What is the AOSA website and how do you join it? If you apply for their membership does that mean you get the health insurance too? Can, you tell us how much does it cost per semester or per year?

 

[EyeBaller]

Eye Baller: Isn't the medicad only for the people who are married and with children, is there another plan under them for students, can you please provide the web link.

In New York State they have a Medicaid Managed Care program. This is open to anyone who falls below a certain level of income (as far as I know.. loans don't count as income for this, but they can count for things like apartment rental and credit cards...). Anyway, I just went to register at Bellevue Hospital. There you enroll and then choose which health plan you want to be on.

Here's a link: http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/managed_care/consumer_guides/guides_2004/nyc/index.htm

(PS. The best way to choose which plan you want to be on is to just find a doctor you know of, or one close to you, call them and ask which Medicaid plans they accept. Then just pick one of those. Choosing your PCP is the main thing, after that you can get referred anywhere)

 

[rpames]

I was covered by my wife's insurance so I didn't really look in to this, but a friend at school did not have health insurance that would cover pregnancy. Well...his wife got pregnant and now they have to pay for it out of pocket.

I guess my suggestion is if you are female or married, make sure you have something that cover pregnancy just in case. For everyone who is healthy and does not go to the GPs very often, just get "catastrophic coverage." I personally have not gone to the doctors in 9 yrs. I don't get sick and have no medical conditions, so getting coverage that would cover or have a low co-pay for a Drs visit would be dumb.

I guess I'm saying at the very least, get some kind of coverage that would cover hospitalization or when things go seriously wrong. If you need to pay $80 out-or-pocket for a dental exam once in a while or $150 for a MD/DO visit once or twice, you will still be head.

At ICO we have a full-time NP and a MD that stops by for the general things like if you need an antibiotic or allergy pill. So your general healthcare is taken care of. So all you really need is coverage for if your leg gets cut off!

The coverage I'm talking about is pretty cheap, so get something.

 

[prettygreeneyes]

Pacific requires medical insurance for anybody taking more than 6 credits, unless they can provide evidence of coverage through someone else (spouse, parent, etc.) They automatically charge you for the insurance, and then you have to return a form if you want to opt out. (It might even be included in the budget?) The charge for the entire year is $765 (August 20, 2006 to August 20, 2007). The policy appears to be mostly a 80/20 policy where insurance picks up 80% in network after you meet a $100 deductible, and you pick up the remainder. Not the greatest coverage ever, but better than paying out of pocket if something happens!

 

[cpw]

At UHCO you can get health coverage through the University of Houston. Then, you just have to pay a co-pay to see the doc at the Student Health center. You can also get Rx's at the student health pharmacy. You were also covered with it for well-women's and dermatology, etc.

I'm not sure they cover pregnancy, though.

 

[4Eyes]

4 eyes: What is the AOSA website and how do you join it? If you apply for their membership does that mean you get the health insurance too? Can, you tell us how much does it cost per semester or per year?

The AOSA insurance is actually through https://www.studentinsurance.net/.

Click on "Plans & Brochures" at the top to view a description of the coverage, or "Buy Insurance" to see prices and such. You won't be prompted to pay until Step 5 or something. Search by association, choose AOSA, then select your school from the list.

As for cost, it has gotten pretty steep. When I was a 1st year, I think I paid maybe $224 for 3 months? Now I am entering my 3rd year and it's going to be $310 for 3 months. That's a pretty big difference. But up until now my husband and I were both students, so I didn't have many choices. My university has a plan, and it's cheaper, but I didn't think the coverage was that good. And when I signed up the first time, the price difference wasn't really that great.

When you first get on the plan, you will just have to have someone at your school sign some paperwork saying you are indeed in school.

 

[sweetzpassion]

Thanks guys for the input. Does anyone know any insurance plans in PA? Anyone here from PCO?

 

[PCO2010_OD]

Thanks guys for the input. Does anyone know any insurance plans in PA? Anyone here from PCO?

I am a first yr. also...so I don't know what most students do for insurance. However, I got insurance information from the school via e-mail. I haven't had a chance to really look through it but that is one option...plus, there was a website given as another option.

https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/