Insuring College Students

By Author: Norris Rios
Total Articles: 568
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Perhaps it's one of these basic truths that every assumes, but it bears repeating. The future of a country is only assured if the young get the best possible start in life. This is not just in material terms. Obviously, everyone has the right to expect a safe place to live, clothes to keep them warm, and enough to eat. But it extends to the quality of the education they receive and the health care services available should anything go wrong. As it stands, the majority of the families have been coping on the material front but the government has not been doing so well in providing adequate education. On all the international measures, we have been slipping down the rankings. Health has been even worse with millions of children and young adults uninsured.

Traditionally, one of the safety nets has been the colleges and universities. Up to 2,000 have offered a health plan, usually with only basic coverage, but at reasonably affordable rates. This has offered a brief respite but has done nothing to resolve the problem of what the young must do when they leave. Finding employment with health benefits has always been something ...
... of a challenge.

Now that the Affordable Healthcare Act of 2010 is working its way into law, things are starting to change. The first advantage is that colleges and universities will no longer be allowed to exclude people with pre-existing conditions from the plan. There have also been some who tried to impose limitations on the medications that would be covered. All plans must now offer the full range of medications and treatments. This will take the pressure of students with diabetes who have been denied coverage as a pre-existing condition, with insulin being included in the list of excluded drugs. However, the most interesting change is the new rule that anyone offering a health plan must now use 80 cents in the dollar on treatment and care. Limiting administration charges to a maximum of 20% will prevent colleges from profiteering.

Up to now, many of the features of the so-called Obamacare have received a bad press. The corporations that control the newspapers, radio and television channels have been intent on selling you the idea that there's no good in this new law. Well, here's some news to start setting the record straight. These new provisions protect some three million young Americans as they go through college and university. They may have struggled before college and they may not find coverage after college, but while they are being educated, these student health insurance plans can keep them safe.

No matter what your political opinions, this should be a win-win situation. Young adults in the education system will now get the same protections as all other adults who can afford cover. The lifetime benefit cap will be removed in 2014. Secondly, our great country will benefit from having fit, healthy and well-educated young people to carry us through this next century. So even though this is only a short term health insurance solution, it's nevertheless a very valuable one.
Insuring college students