Health Insurance Options For College Students?
I’m a California resident but I attend college in NY. My school requires that I have a medical insurance. I’d like to know how I can extend my current insurance plan [in CA] to NY.
Or, should I apply for another separate plan in NY?
Answer
College students can get a Marketplace health plan with assistance, get a student health plan through the school, or potentially qualify for Medicaid. Your best option will depend upon your coverage needs and your household income.
When attending college out of state we suggest getting a multi-state health plan, this allows you to get treatment in multiple states (traditional non multi-state plans only cover a specific region). This will be useful for going back and forth between school and home. If your college is not out of state then you can get a Marketplace health plan using either your residence at school or residence at home as a starting point.
Another thing to note is that Marketplace cost assistance is based on household Modified Adjusted Gross Income. What this means is that your whole families income for the year (after some deductions) is counted if you are filing taxes as a family, but only yours is counted if you file on your own. Given this you may find Marketplace subsidies or Medicaid to provide the best value (if you can, without negative tax implications for you and your family, file on your own).
You'll have to choose between one of these options. The thing to keep in mind is coverage must be obtained during open enrollment. Your school has an open enrollment, the Marketplace has an open enrollment, but Medicaid is offered 365 days a year.
TIP: When filling out the Marketplace application, choose “No” when answering whether you currently have health coverage. Choose “No” even if you have a student health plan now and plan to drop it in order to enroll in a Marketplace plan.
Learn more about ObamaCare and college students from HealthCare.Gov.