What should relocating high school graduates do about their health insurance?

Q: What should relocating high school graduates do about their health insurance?

A: When it is time for parents to see their child graduate high school, it is a moment of joy that will last forever. However, for some of those who are moving away to get their college educations, where they will get their health care and if their parents' insurance will cover them are valid questions.

There is no one size fits all approach to this issue as it depends on each person's situation, said Louise Norris, healthinsurance.org health policy analyst.

For some, staying on their parent's insurance is a viable option as they may only need it for emergencies as a child can remain on their parent's health insurance until 26 years old, Norris said.

"It's fine for some students, but it is not a given that's the best option," she said.

For those who have ongoing health issues or want to be cautious in case they do get sick, there are other options available if they are going to an area where their insurance is out-of-network for most places, Norris said.

Many universities have their own health insurance plans that are an option when students enroll full-time, she said.

"If you know for sure you want to get your own coverage as opposed to staying on your parents' plan, you can look at the options available in the marketplace and compare them with the plan your college is going to offer on both price and out-of-pocket costs," Norris said.

Colleges will typically charge on a semester rate rather than a month, so the student would need to divide that out to compare true value, she said.

"The advantage of getting your own plan either through the school or through the marketplace is they are going to have medical providers in that area. You're not going to have to worry about there not being any doctors in network. But you are going to want to know which doctors are in network," Norris said, noting students that may have chronic conditions that need a specialist.

She also recommends making sure the doctors covered by the plan are still accepting new patients.

Relocating students have a special 60-day enrollment period to decide their plan starting when they officially move to the new location, Norris said.

She encourages students to talk with their parents, their university, or a qualified expert as they go through the enrollment process.

"For people who are already dealing with a chronic medical condition, they don't need to be told how important this is. They are mainly focused on making sure they check all the boxes," Norris said. "For folks that are in perfect health, that can change at any time, and you definitely want to think that through ahead of time while you are still healthy and think about what-if XYZ happened. You want to think through those things and sort it out before you need it."