Will My Health Plan Cover My Children When They Leave For College?

When your kids first head off to college, there will definitely be a lot going on in your mind. Are they eating right, and getting enough sleep? What about keeping up with the rising costs of college tuition, or simply what you should you do with their empty bedroom? For most parents, worrying about their health insurance isn’t the highest on that list. Take the time to make sure that your children have the full protection of your healthcare plan before they leave the nest.

Most health insurance plans offer the “adult” children of members coverage up until they reach between 20 and 24 years of age, (as long as they’re students) regardless of whether they’re living at home or at school.

Unfortunately, if your health plan is an HMO and your children are attending a university that isn’t close to your home, finding approved providers could prove difficult. In that instance, you may want to consider buying a health insurance plan through the college your child attends. Most universities offer a low-cost health plan for their students.

Of course, the cost and quality of such coverage will vary from one school to the next (obviously Johns Hopkins offers a better health plan than your average community college), but school-subsidized health plans will more often than not be less expensive than the coverage you have through your current health plan. It will also be easier for your kids to access. Don’t forget to give it a look!