question about insurance

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Hello!

I'm starting nursing school in the fall, (yay!) and I need to have health insurance before hand, plus I also need to have a few physicals + vaccinations done, and I don't want to pay for that all out of pocket.

Do you guys know any pocket friendly insurance plans? (IM ON A SUPER TIGHT BUDGET)

I live in PA if that matters, and I tried for medicare/medicaid, I don't exactly qualify. I had the Womens Health Insurance thing for a while, but it only covered physicals, no sick visits or anything. Then my income level changed and I no longer have it, and I tried Affordable Health Care thinng, and I don't qualify for that either, it would be like over 100 dollars out of pocket, which I can't do.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Did you check to see if your school offers a health plan for students? You may be able to get low cost vaccines at your county health dept. School physicals can be done at an NP clinic like CVS minute clinic for low cost (relatively speaking....college physicals are $79 right now at cvs minute clinic ). Walgreens is likely about the same at their healthcare clinic

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

Does your college offer student health insurance?

Talking to an ACA navigator in person may help, but PA opted out of ACA, so you may be

out of luck there.

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Thank you! I believe they do offer, but I'm hoping also to get combined coverage for me and my hubby, which I don't think the school goes that far lol, I should have mentioned that ...

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Generally school only offers coverage for student only. Is your husband working full time? Is he eligible for health benefits through work (he should if working full time )?

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he's currently switching jobs, so if he gets it through work, it will probably we done as soon as he leaves. i need the health insurance by july.

its quite a pickle lol

worst case scenario - i get it through school, but i would prefer for both of us to be covered. so just looking for ideas :x

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Try calling local insurance agents. They work on commission and may be able to help. Honestly $100/month is very reasonable. I wish I paid so little.

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Does your college offer student health insurance?

Talking to an ACA navigator in person may help, but PA opted out of ACA, so you may be

out of luck there.

No state "opted out of ACA;" since it's Federal law, that's not possible. PA and a bunch of other GOP-controlled states screwed over their lower-income citizens by opting out of the Medicaid expansion built into the law, which probably would have benefitted the OP, after the conservative justuces of the SCOTUS made that part of the law optional while upholding the constitutionality of the rest of the law. The right-wing states also opted not to offer a state healthcare exchange, and let the Federal government help their citizens through the Federal exchange, which seems ironic to me,considering that, prioir to the passage of the ACA, all the GOP governors and state leges were carrying on about Federal takeover of healthcare and how state governments know better about what their citizens need and are better able to provide for the needs of their own citizens.

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

It's a shame that some states chose to deny Medicaid expansion. It really fills the gap for the working poor. Too much income for Medicaid, yet hard pressed to pay a few hundred a month to pay premiums. I think she may still qualify for federal credits though. Worth looking into.

also to the OP:

Has he left his old job yet? With most insurances, coverage ends at the end of the month when the person leaves. In other words, the person works at all into May, they are covered until May 31. You may be able to get a lot of stuff done before that ends.

Check out https://www.healthcare.gov

Contact your health department, and see what they offer

Google online labs. There are some, like walkinlabs.com where you can order and pay for any labs you want in most states, and it will be drawn at a LabCorp site.

Do you, or hubby, have a Flexible Spending Account for healthcare? If so, try to use it up before he leaves. This allows you to pay healthcare expenses with pretax dollars. Can save hundreds per year. Hopefully he can also utilize this benefit when he goes to his new job. It's one of the most under utilized tax savings, and is available to just about everyone.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Good day, zibi:

If you do go the Obamacare route (healthcare.gov), please note the following:

1. Security experts have confirmed time and time and time again the site is not secure, nor is your information.

2. You probably heard about the Target breach? Well, the government IS NOT required to report breaches to the Obamacare site.

So if you go the Obamacare route, it is better to work with local agents using regular paperwork vs. the website. An agent can also work with you for alternatives as Obamacare might be your best bet... or your worst bet.

I've used AnyLabTestNow for antibody tests, and CostCo (their pharmacy does not require membership) for vaccinations. The CostCo vaccinations have been extremely economical compared to other sources.

Thank you.

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Specializes in Cardiac/Tele.

Whichever route you take, make sure you move quickly. You need a "qualifying event" to buy insurance any time outside of the open enrollment period (usually November, but Obamacare's was extended to March 31st and is also now over). You usually have a short window, maybe 30 days, to get insurance after a qualifying event, which can be a change in income, marriage/divorce, having a kid, etc etc. If your income change was recent, the clock is ticking, if that's your only "qualifying" change right now. Make sure you start making calls to ask about plans ASAP, so you don't miss your window to get coverage. Otherwise, you'll have to wait til Novemeber (the next open enrollment). GOOD LUCK! I hope you find something that works for you and hubby!!

(PS If you do qualify for a special enrollment period now, some insurance companies in the past have offered student insurance plans even if your school does not. That's the route I had to go! Google "[your state] student health insurance".)

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Specializes in ICU.

You do realize that if you don't have health insurance you are going to pay a huge penalty at tax time? Just throwing that out there. $100 a month is much cheaper than the $1600 a person you will pay for a fine at the end of the year. I would talk to an insurance agent that specialized in ACA. It's law now that you have to have it. The physical, immunizations, background check, and drug screen should have all been spelled out for you before you applied so you knew how much it was going to cost. I am probably going to lose my health coverage in the next couple of months so I have been actively talking to people about ACA and I have learned a little about it. I don't necessarily think it is right that it's a law but it is and I would figure out how to pay the $100 a month. That is really pretty cheap for health insurance.

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