College Student
Individual Health Insurance
Individual policies are usually more expensive
than student health plans and may or may not be more expensive than COBRA.
However, they are good options if you have a pre-existing condition.
Your parents probably have a "group" health insurance
plan, meaning they receive coverage through their job regardless of their
health status. “Individual” health insurance means the plan is not
offered through an employer, but is purchased directly by an individual. If you
decide to purchase individual health insurance, the
health
insurance company will consider your past and present health (pre-existing
conditions) to determine your premium. An individual plan can, with all of
its stipulations, be less expensive than
COBRA
health
insurance coverage. If you do have a pre-existing condition, continuing
your present plan through
COBRA may be a
good option. If you are relatively healthy, obtaining a less expensive
individual policy may be the way to go.
The availability of
health
insurance plans that sell policies directly to individuals varies across
Alabama counties. Visit the Alabama Health Plans
page for a list of authorized health plans in Alabama.
Excerpts taken from the CareCounsel,
LLC web site, www.carecounsel.com
and, Insure.com.
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