With 18 years of school behind them and summer ahead of them, we’re willing to bet your kids are more concerned with a healthy tan than health insurance. That’s where you come in.
Even when they’re 40, your kids are still your babies. And don’t you want your baby birds to be covered when they leave the nest? College kids are required to have some form of health insurance, so you may as well get them summer schooled. Plus, those who have health and dental coverage are more likely to get regular checkups. They’re also more likely to choose fruits and veggies over ramen and pizza (ok, we made the last one up).
Here are options to pitch your pre-college kids:
1. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), kids are able to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan until age 26. However,
• If kids live or attend school in another state, access to doctors and dentists may be limited.
• Some universities require students enroll in their student health program. In that case, keeping children on your plan may not even be an option.
2. Familiarize yourself with their university insurance plans and/or health resources.
• Approximately 3 million young people are covered by student health plans. See if their school offers one.
• If their school doesn’t offer full insurance, their college can still provide coverage resources, including: nearby dentists and doctors, clinic offerings and cost-efficient tips.
• Some schools may offer discount insurance services a la carte.
3. Consider a catastrophic health plan.
• These plans protect your kids from worst-case scenarios.
• They provide less coverage overall than typical plans, but cost less on a month-to-month basis.
No matter which insurance route you steer your child towards, explore all their options and help them make the smartest decision.