Health Insurance While in School

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Hello all! I am new to allnurses. I have searched high and low for answers to my questions. How better to get them then students themselves. I am a mother of a 3 yo who just got accepted into the Nursing Program starting in August. I currently have insurance through my work, but come August 1 I will no longer be working. I will be attending the Day program full time. I have tried to find out how to go about getting health insurance for myself. My fiance will be able to have my daughter on his policy, but me well I am just left out. i guess I need to run and get married to get coverage! Not! I just want to see if any of you could help me :icon_roll!!! I contacted Anthem and b/c I have pre-exsisting conditions my policy would start at 852/mo.!!! Cmon who the heck can afford that! I just need insight on what I can do....Ive even contacted social services to see if I qualify for Medicaid. But b/c Im not pregnant, blind, or disabled I cannot receive any benefits. Geez cant someone trying to better themselves get any break?!?!

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I got health insurance through the school. The student association had a standard group policy that was reasonable -- designed for students and their families.

Another possibility ... Have you checked what it would cost you to "cobra" the policy you now have at work for up to 2 years. You may be able to keep that policy if you pay the premiums, which would be expensive, but perhaps not as expensive as the Anthem policy.

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Thank you so much for your input. I have looked online at some of the school insurance, I think to get a better understanding I need to talk to someone. I talked to the woman in my HR and we do not have the Cobra option. I just wish it was easier, however it is not. Again, thanks for your input!;)

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Specializes in med/surg.

Assurant Health is a health insurance company that I've seen advertised for students or self-employed ppl that is "supposed" to have low premiums... try googling it... Good luck!

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I talked to the woman in my HR and we do not have the Cobra option. I just wish it was easier, however it is not. Again, thanks for your input!;)

You may already know the answer to this question, and choose not to post the details here, but.....why no COBRA option?

Generally speaking, it is not an option for an employer to withhold COBRA coverage. For most employers, it is a legal mandate to offer COBRA coverage to departing employees, with the exception of those fired for gross misconduct, which I'm sure does not apply to you.

Unless your employer falls into a special category, I suspect they are trying to discourage you from pursuing COBRA because it means more work for them.

This should be your choice, not theirs.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
You may already know the answer to this question, and choose not to post the details here, but.....why no COBRA option?

Generally speaking, it is not an option for an employer to withhold COBRA coverage. For most employers, it is a legal mandate to offer COBRA coverage to departing employees, with the exception of those fired for gross misconduct, which I'm sure does not apply to you.

Unless your employer falls into a special category, I suspect they are trying to discourage you from pursuing COBRA because it means more work for them.

This should be your choice, not theirs.

Jolie, there are certain classes of employers that are excluded from the laws requiring COBRA participation. Employers with less than 20 covered employees are not required to offer COBRA. This means most often people working for small businesses don't have COBRA options. Federal employees don't have COBRA rights, either. They are offered a different (but similar) type of program. Some non-profits are excluded from mandatory participation. Churches are excluded from mandatory COBRA coverage as well, regardless of the number of employees.

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I joined a group through my university. They have a large group policy that students can be covered under but it's pretty basic and mostly for catastrophic needs. I think my cost for a year was $1400 so that's only a little over $100 a month which is great. The reason it's so little is because it's a large group policy.

I tried to go the route of getting my own insurance (through Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser) and was denied three different times because I'm currently being treated for a shoulder injury.

I would check into the group program through your school ASAP. Whatever you do it's best to make sure that you don't end up with a lapse in coverage because that's where you really start having problems with pre-existing conditions and coverage.

The sad part is that I could have been covered under my boyfriend's insurance (domestic partner benefits) but it was going to cost almost $400/month just for me. It was pretty insane so I went with the program through my university. It's administered by Anthem Blue Cross and does NOT cover prescriptions or reproductive health care (go frickin' figure). But it's better than nothing!

Good luck.

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NSNA if you're a member (cost about $25-$45 depending on your state to join) has an insurance program through United Healthcare

https://www.uhcsr.com/SelfServiceSupport/Students/CollegeHome.aspx

it looks like it runs from $1015-$1900 depending on age, how much coverage you need etc. It has quarterly payment plans (the new year starts in August or September I believe).

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Once you become unemployed, I would try to apply for Medicaid again. Most states now provide Medicaid to low income families. Which includes children, and adults only if there is no income. You have children that live with you so you should qualify.

You could be denied however if your fiance lives with you and they take his income into consideration.

Good luck.

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In reguard to Cobra...Well one of the posts states about under 20 employees. Well that must be the reason. I work at at privately owned pediatrician with very few employees. I didn't ask why she just told me no. So I am guessing it is because we are under 20! I am going to be in touch with my school tomorrow b/c I do see they have that Assurant health plan. I have Anthem now through my work, which I absolutely love- hate to give it up. I am trying to get this done all before August when my classes start. Good thing I did because I see how doing it later could have me going a little nuts. I have also heard of people colleccting unemployment when leaving work to further their career. I need to get some insight on that as well. Just trying to put all my ducks in a row, that my OCD kicking in ;) Thank you all for the input, keep it comming :up:

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I would suggest that you ask for the specific reason why no COBRA.

If your office is insured independently, it is quite possible that it is too small to be held to COBRA standards. But if they collectively purchase insurance with other offices or as part of a healthcare newtork, they may be trying to shrug their legal obligation.

Managing COBRA coverage for former employees is time consuming and a pain in the ***. I don't blame an office manager for not wanting to do so, but they can't just tell you, "No" unless they fall under some protected category.

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Specializes in Telemetry, ER.

I was in a similar boat as you. My job did offer Cobra but I could not afford it. Cobra tends to be expensive. I got insurance through the Markel Insurance Company: www.collegeinsurance.com. I'm not sure if your school is affiliated with them or not but its worth looking in to. Its not great insurance but it meets the requirement of having insurance coverage for nursing school and it costs me less than $750 per year.

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