Wellness Articles

Avoiding Gaps in Health Care Coverage for Young Adults

In the midst of final exams, graduation, and job hunting, this spring's graduates may suddenly need to buy health insurance for the first time. Your Health Insurance Shop offers these tips: First, consider staying on your parents plan. Since 2010, the new health reform law allows adult children to stay on their parents' plan until the age of 26. However, be sure to compare premium costs of your parents plan vs. buying your own health insurance. If moving to a new location, make sure the health care providers in your new area are in the network on your parents plan. Consider a high deductible plan. For many younger, healthier people, high deductible plans make sense and can help make health insurance coverage more affordable.

Short term health insurance is another option. Some plans offer month-to-month coverage, or one to six months or one to 11 months of coverage. Short term health insurance usually costs less. However, be certain that you can drop your coverage without penalty if you find a job with health benefits.

Going without insurance really shouldn't be an option. Consider this recent graduate's story:

Joe graduated in May and already had an offer to start a new job a few months later. What could go wrong over the summer? He found out one balmy night in June, when during a pick up baseball game, he injured his right wrist sliding into third base. A trip to the local emergency room and an MRI racked up a hefty medical bill, adding on to his already substantial school loans. What a way to start a new job! Your Health Insurance Shop can help recent graduates like Joe find an affordable solution for those times when there may be a gap in health insurance coverage. Call today!

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