For most students approaching graduation, one of the biggest concerns they face is how much longer they will be covered by their health insurance provider. However, there is a handful of students that this issue doesn’t affect at all-the students who are attempting to make it through four years of college without any health insurance.
According to a 2002 study by the Heinz Family Philanthropies and the Chickering Group, 30 percent of college students are without any kind of health insurance. Also, according to the Independent Insurance Agents of America, young adults ages 18-24 are “more likely than any other age group to lack health insurance.” In addition, they discovered that those 4 million students are less likely to finish school than by their covered classmates. They reported that “sadly, the reason is often that students have to drop out of school in order to work and pay off their medical bills,” according to StudentDoc.com.
Shelbi LaValley, a senior Communications major, knows firsthand what it’s like to live day to day without insurance at college, and has been doing so for the last three and a half years. “Living in the dorms, and constantly being around people, and in the cold, I was getting sick a lot,” she said. “I hurt myself a couple times too and I had to just let it go. You don’t realize the little things that can happen and you think, ‘Oh maybe I should go to the doctor’s,’ and then you realize you can’t. Well, you can, but you know you can’t afford it.”
No matter a person’s age or status, being without health insurance can be detrimental. Not only is their health at risk, but for those who do choose to treat illnesses or injuries, there is the issue of being in debt for a long time in order to pay off medical bills. “I was sick and unable to go to the doctor to get a prescription because I knew the visiting cost and the prescription cost would be too high,” said LaValley.
There is also the issue of basic care for one’s own personal well-being. Most doctors recommend that a person should receive a yearly physical. This is a necessary precaution in order to maintain one’s personal health. Also, a dentist appointment is a must twice a year. However, for those without insurance, that is a luxury they cannot afford. “I know I can’t afford it, so I can’t go to the dentist and I haven’t had a physical in three years, which can’t be healthy,” said LaValley.
While some colleges insist that all students show proof of health insurance coverage, Plymouth State University does not require it unless a student is an athlete or decides to study abroad. Although they are “strongly encouraged to have health insurance coverage,” it is not a necessity. Like many schools, there is a basic package available for students to purchase who may not still be covered under their family’s insurance plan. According to the PSU web site, “a Blue Cross Individual plan is available through local agencies here in Plymouth or around the state.” However, many of these basic policies limit students to only being provided for during the school year, which doesn’t include breaks or summer vacation.
Students who are still covered under their parent’s insurance may not yet feel the pressure to find their own coverage, but they must be aware of the policy because the time in which a student is covered post-graduation can greatly differ. Some agree to only cover graduates for two weeks before they must pursue their own means of insurance. According to an MSN.com article by Pat Curry, “Top Ten Shocks for College Grads,” almost no one can be covered on their parents’ plan after the age of 23, although some plans do allow graduate students to still be covered.
The main message is that no matter what the situation, students and graduates alike should make insurance a top priority. There are numerous amounts of agencies that offer basic coverage depending on a person’s needs. For recent graduates, there are temporary insurance policies available. Even if they are able to score a job with health benefits, they should check the company’s policy on when the coverage starts.
“Many companies have employee probation periods before coverage goes into effect,” said Curry, meaning that a person may not be insured until they have worked at a company for a certain amount of time.
Many college students believe themselves to be indestructible. However, they are more at risk for illnesses because of the amount of germs that they share in small, common spaces like residence halls and computer clusters. Students who think that health insurance is a waste of their money should take advice from others like LaValley, who said she thought “it’s crazy” that some people don’t think they are in need of it.
“You may think that when you have it, not even realizing how great it is when you use it. When you have it, you’re not afraid, you know you can go to the doctor’s whenever you want because of insurance. When it’s gone, you don’t have it when you need it the most,” she said.