Kick off the school year with health insurance!

Published on August 29, 2019

Nobody plans to get sick or hurt, but unexpected things happen even to healthy young people, so it’s important to get health insurance. As a college student, you have several options for coverage:

Student health plans & other options

• Purchase a student health plan: This is an easy and affordable way to get basic insurance coverage. If you’re in college, check with your school to see if they offer coverage.
• Stay on your parent’s plan: You may be able to stay on or get added to your parent’s health plan until you turn 26.
• Buy a Catastrophic health plan

  Health plans that meet all of the requirements applicable to other Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) but that don't cover any benefits other than 3 primary care visits per year before the plan's deductible is met. The premium amount you pay each month for health care is generally lower than for other QHPs, but the out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance are generally higher. To qualify for a Catastrophic plan, you must be under 30 years old OR get a "hardship exemption" because the Marketplace determined that you’re unable to afford health coverage.

  , if you qualify: If you’re under 30 and eligible to enroll in Marketplace coverage right now, you can buy a Catastrophic health plan to protect yourself from the high costs of an accident or serious illness. You’ll pay most routine medical expenses yourself.
• See if you qualify for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage: Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans. If you qualify, coverage can start right away.

Even if none of these options work for you, you can apply for 2020 Marketplace coverage starting November 1, 2019. Check back soon for more information.