Nursing students required to have health insurance?

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I was just reading through the paper-work I received alongside my acceptance letter into the ADN program.

It states, "Health insurance is required. If you do not have health insurance coverage, you need to apply as soon as possible, because there is usually a waiting period before coverage becomes effective. Nursing students may be eligible for coverage through NSNA. See nsna.org for more info."

Yesterday I was thrilled to have gotten this letter, but today not so much. The more I read, the more fees I find, and now I am required to have health insurance? I can't afford insurance. Already, I have no clue where I am going to come up with the money for the background check, physical examination, drug tests, etc. Does anyone have experience with NSNA? I went to the website and all I could find was a membership fee of $35.00 for one year, and $70.00 for two years. I saw nothing about health insurance costs.

Any information you can give me will be helpful. The more, the better.

I don't have health ins. and may have signed a waver that I don't have ins. but i'm not sure... i'm going into my last semester and haven't had ins. for almost two years b/c I had to quite my job to be in the RN program... If you are healthy I wouldn't worry to much. I'm pretty sure you are paying a minimum through your expenses at the school to cover if something happens while at clinical/lab.

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When I was in nursing school, a car was required for my community health clinical. I was turned down for for the usual financial aid I was receiving at that time (A BEOG, now known as a PELL grant), for that school year. I copied that page from my catalog that stated a had to have a car as well as prices for some other items I was required to have beyond the usual books...liability insurance, insurance for the car, uniform, shoes, stethoscope, as well as the miles I would have to drive each week ...the clinical took place in a town 60 miles away from the college--resubmitted it all and received an SEOG instead. It never hurts to ask.

That's just evil to REQUIRE you to have a car. do they not know that some people simply can't afford a car? School really shouldn't be made nearly impossible for some just because of the lack of a car. If it's such a necessity, maybe they should pay for it...and all the necessary expenses. I hope this was a rural area. Additionally, I understand the need for health insurance, but I don't like having someone twist my arm saying that I have to have it, either. Where'e the liberty in that? Who's business is it if I get sick anyway? That's just tough cookies for me. Nursing school really likes to take away our sense of autonomy that we are supposed to advocate so much for our patients.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

When I was in school, Massachusetts required all students taking at least 10 credits to have health insurance. All of the community colleges offered the same horrible student insurance plan, which specifically excluded medications, physicals, all GYN care aside from prenatal care, and organ transplants. Fortunately, I had insurance through my job.

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Yes, nursing school has been unexpectedly expensive for us. AND nursing students are required to purchase basic health coverage. If you absolutely cannot cover the cost, your school may have an assistance type program for students who have certain expenses that would prevent them from continuing in their nursing program.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, School Nurse.
That's just evil to REQUIRE you to have a car. do they not know that some people simply can't afford a car? School really shouldn't be made nearly impossible for some just because of the lack of a car. If it's such a necessity, maybe they should pay for it...and all the necessary expenses. I hope this was a rural area. Additionally, I understand the need for health insurance, but I don't like having someone twist my arm saying that I have to have it, either. Where'e the liberty in that? Who's business is it if I get sick anyway? That's just tough cookies for me. Nursing school really likes to take away our sense of autonomy that we are supposed to advocate so much for our patients.

Although it has been 30+ years since I attended, I went to my college's web site and checked their current catalog, and for almost if not all of their clinical courses it states that "individual transportation is required". At least in my day we only needed a car for community health, for our other clinicals, they loaded us up on buses.

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Specializes in i can read really good lol.

im having to buy insurance now so confusing , wonder why we just cant use the studend health center oh well spending more money is what i shall do

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At my University, every student is required to have health insurance (regardless in which school, program, major, or whether fulltime or parttime). Either you are required to buy into the University student health policy ($2350/year), or must show proof that you are covered on someone else's policy.

You need to show proof of insurance to be seen at Student Health as well.

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im having to buy insurance now so confusing , wonder why we just cant use the studend health center oh well spending more money is what i shall do

At my school you pretty much need the student insurance to go to the student health office. They take other insurances but the student health plan is around $2500 I think.

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Specializes in Med/Tele.

Wow, all we have to have is so if something happenes at clinical we are not financially responsible. It's already included in our tuition for nsg school and it's only like 40 a semester. I have always had insurance but bc i went to part time bc of nsg school I lost it. I'm so glad reg insurance is not mandatory!:yeah:

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i was just reading through the paper-work i received alongside my acceptance letter into the adn program.

it states, "health insurance is required. if you do not have health insurance coverage, you need to apply as soon as possible, because there is usually a waiting period before coverage becomes effective. nursing students may be eligible for coverage through nsna. see nsna.org for more info."

yesterday i was thrilled to have gotten this letter, but today not so much. the more i read, the more fees i find, and now i am required to have health insurance? i can't afford insurance. already, i have no clue where i am going to come up with the money for the background check, physical examination, drug tests, etc. does anyone have experience with nsna? i went to the website and all i could find was a membership fee of $35.00 for one year, and $70.00 for two years. i saw nothing about health insurance costs.

any information you can give me will be helpful. the more, the better.

would you kindly give us the name of the college. this info could be helpful. is it a private institution, community college, or state university? while schools can require certain things, i.e., , cpr/fire cards, , uniforms, no tats, fingernails short; however, the requirements cannot be discriminatory or against the law.

i do not see the rationale for requiring a student to carry personal health insurance. they do not require the student to carry life insurance because it is illegal--the school has interest in the life. the same would be said for the student's health--other than the student must be healthy and able to lift, etc. insurance is insurance and the reason we have insurance is to cover a liability. the person who takes out the policy is the person covered, normally. plus, your health insurance is a private contract between you and the insurance company. if the school tried to contact the insurance company about you, without your authorization--and the authorization is not a blanket, unlimited authorization--the insurance company could not discuss whether you had insurance or not.

the school has no legal interest in paying for the student medicals, and there is no law that (yet) that states someone must carry health insurance. now saying that, many public educational institutions have health clinics (covered by student body fees and/or a nominal fee) and/or student accident and health insurance.

what i suspect is someone looked at the costs of the institution's insurance and is trying to find a way to reduce their insurance liability expenses. that is, if you get hurt at school or in clinical and have the mandated health insurance, the school or clinical may not be held liable for the medical bill. plus if you were hurt and the school did incur losses, the school or facility could sue your health insurance company for reimbrsement. similar to the way medical coverage is added onto your auto insurance. if someone hits you and your auto insurance covers your medical bills, then the auto insurance company will sue the person who hit you to recover their losses.

however, if this is the rationale, they are wrong. most private insurace companies will sue the employer (or in your case the hospital or clinic and possibily the school) to recover the cost of any medical treatment they paid out for the injury. this is why educational instutions have an umbrella policy, which would cover such things as student's getting hurt or acquiring an acute/chronic sickness on the job.

potential discrimination: while the indigent have medicaid (medical in calif), and many middle/upper class people/families can pay for health insurance, the poor (who do not qualify for medicaid/medical) have no insurance. they do without or use public health care and/or the emergency rooms. what i hear is this: if you have enouugh money to pay for health insurance or you are not uninsurable (despite being healthy) you can join their nursing program. if you are too poor or uninsurable, but healthy, and/or use public health for care, you are sol. that is, only those who have money need apply to their program.

whether a student is eligible to enter into a nursing program should be based on generally-accepted guidelines. last i heard, not having the money to buy health insurance, being uninsurable but healthy, or simply not having insurance is not a valid rationale for declining admission. you cannot discriminate--especially a educational institution who accepts government funding and/or loans.

sounds as if there is a potential for a lawsuit or a government investigation. what did you say the name of the school was? if you are hesitant to say the name publically, feel free to send me a private message or a private email through allnurses.

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Proof of health and is required for my program as well.

The federal government is about to tell everyone in the US that they HAVE to have insurance or pay a penalty. At least that was the last I read. At lease with the school situation you have the choice of attending school or not. Not much choice which country I live in unless I want to give up my citizenship.

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Specializes in i can read really good lol.

My school is a California state school you don't have to.have your own health plan because included in your fees are a student health fee quick gives you access to there services ad long as you ate enrolled as a full time student. I found some cheap insurance though like 74 a month with a $5000 deductible... needless to say ill be taking vitamins and home remedies if I do get sick because i can.afford to.lol

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