Health Insurance

[Jdabrowski]

Hey all! I was recently accepted to a PA program in North Carolina, however they do not provide student health insurance at the university for either undergrad or graduate students. Any ideas on when to start and what to look for? I will be 28 when I start, single, and currently live in MN. No major health concerns other than I am as blind as bat (however used to paying completely out of pocket for eye care). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[hustleforthePAC]

with zero income assuming you won't be working during pa school you will qualify for medical /Medicare check at the nearest social services office in the city or you can apply online i am not from nc but here's what i googled

https://dma.ncdhhs.gov/medicaid/get-started/apply-for-medicaid-or-health-choice

From my experience it's quicker in person you won't have to wait for pertinent paperwork in mail

And congrats on your acceptance!!!!!  

 

[lancer_dancer01]

Check with NC to see what they offer as far as low to no income. I worked during school making very minimal income (as the state I was in didn't have any options for no income) but enough to qualify for a policy through the marketplace at no cost to me which was nice (plus it was better than any other policy I have ever had, go figure). 

[Jdabrowski]

I asked a student who is assigned to me for the PA buddy part of the program, and she informed me she does have insurance and that a large number of students do the exchange to purchase health insurance and one student is paying like 400$ per month for his through it. I've always had insurance through my employer so I am not sure what to expect.

[PinkPeonies]

Im at a PA school in NC and my school also does not provide health insurance to its students. Their are two options for students in NC if they are over 26 and not married with 0 income, 1- Go through the health insurance market place. Here you have no income so you won't qualify for any assistance and NC did not opt in for the Medicaid gap coverage so you would qualify for the catastrophic plan. I currently pay $210 a month. It has a pretty hefty deductible but my school offers a PA on campus through the school clinic that we can go to for free and they are pretty good about picking meds on the Walmart $4 list so I have yet to tap into my deductible. The catastrophic plan covers a physical, 3 'Sick' visits and free birth control like the rest of the marketplace plans. The second option is through Christian healthcare ministries, in which you technically file no insurance at providers offices and then file a claim directly with the healthcare company. You would have to check an make sure that this insurance would actually qualify for your school though.

Hope this helps. I spent many hours last year trying to figure out the healthcare coverage before PA school and these are the only two options that I found.

 

[ilygurlie]

14 minutes ago, PinkPeonies said:

Im at a PA school in NC and my school also does not provide health insurance to its students. Their are two options for students in NC if they are over 26 and not married with 0 income, 1- Go through the health insurance market place. Here you have no income so you won't qualify for any assistance and NC did not opt in for the Medicaid gap coverage so you would qualify for the catastrophic plan. I currently pay $210 a month. It has a pretty hefty deductible but my school offers a PA on campus through the school clinic that we can go to for free and they are pretty good about picking meds on the Walmart $4 list so I have yet to tap into my deductible. The catastrophic plan covers a physical, 3 'Sick' visits and free birth control like the rest of the marketplace plans. The second option is through Christian healthcare ministries, in which you technically file no insurance at providers offices and then file a claim directly with the healthcare company. You would have to check an make sure that this insurance would actually qualify for your school though.

Hope this helps. I spent many hours last year trying to figure out the healthcare coverage before PA school and these are the only two options that I found.

 

Sorry if this is off topic, but do you have to get your own health insurance right once you turn 26 or is it when you turn 27?

[Jdabrowski]

16 minutes ago, PinkPeonies said:

Im at a PA school in NC and my school also does not provide health insurance to its students. Their are two options for students in NC if they are over 26 and not married with 0 income, 1- Go through the health insurance market place. Here you have no income so you won't qualify for any assistance and NC did not opt in for the Medicaid gap coverage so you would qualify for the catastrophic plan. I currently pay $210 a month. It has a pretty hefty deductible but my school offers a PA on campus through the school clinic that we can go to for free and they are pretty good about picking meds on the Walmart $4 list so I have yet to tap into my deductible. The catastrophic plan covers a physical, 3 'Sick' visits and free birth control like the rest of the marketplace plans. The second option is through Christian healthcare ministries, in which you technically file no insurance at providers offices and then file a claim directly with the healthcare company. You would have to check an make sure that this insurance would actually qualify for your school though.

Hope this helps. I spent many hours last year trying to figure out the healthcare coverage before PA school and these are the only two options that I found.

 

How many hours do you have to work to qualify for assistance out of curiosity ( not that I would be able to do much if I could at all)

[PinkPeonies]

1 hour ago, ilygurlie said:

Sorry if this is off topic, but do you have to get your own health insurance right once you turn 26 or is it when you turn 27?

You have to get your own insurance when you turn 26, but I would look into it a few months before hand. I waited 3 weeks until I turned 26 and I had a gap in coverage for when my new policy started( It normally takes at last 30 days to go into effect). Thats not a big deal unless you have something happen during that time.... and I would want to mess with luck :)

1 hour ago, Jdabrowski said:

How many hours do you have to work to qualify for assistance out of curiosity ( not that I would be able to do much if I could at all)

Last year I think it was around $ 11,000 to have assistance (no clue what they are requiring this year), which in my opinion would not be feasible to work that much in PA school during the didactic year and definitely not in the clinical portion. If I have a weekend off, I don't want to be working.

[Guest hcruz496]

On 10/31/2017 at 2:03 PM, ChristineQLe said:

with zero income assuming you won't be working during pa school you will qualify for medical /Medicare check at the nearest social services office in the city or you can apply online i am not from nc but here's what i googled

https://dma.ncdhhs.gov/medicaid/get-started/apply-for-medicaid-or-health-choice

From my experience it's quicker in person you won't have to wait for pertinent paperwork in mail

And congrats on your acceptance!!!!!  

 

OP won't qualify for medicare until over age 65 unless disabled. You mean medicaid.

[EmPA26]

On 11/1/2017 at 5:22 PM, ilygurlie said:

Sorry if this is off topic, but do you have to get your own health insurance right once you turn 26 or is it when you turn 27?

I didn't have to change until the end of the calendar year I turned 26. My birthday is in June, so I had a few extra months. 

 

On 11/1/2017 at 1:33 PM, Jdabrowski said:

I asked a student who is assigned to me for the PA buddy part of the program, and she informed me she does have insurance and that a large number of students do the exchange to purchase health insurance and one student is paying like 400$ per month for his through it. I've always had insurance through my employer so I am not sure what to expect.

If you plan to work for this employer any next year and they offer an FSA (flexible savings account), sign up for the max amount you can contribute for next year. You will get the full amount for the year in January, but a fraction will be deducted from your paycheck pre-tax each check. You can use it for contacts/glasses and a new STETHOSCOPE!! Bonus- if you spend all of it and only work part of the year, you don't have to pay it back :)

Edit: You will also have insurance from your employer through the end of the month that you are working, so DO NOT sign up for an exchange plan just yet and try to work one last day during the month you start school. Once you are off employers insurance, then worry about the exchange. Quitting or losing your job is a "qualifying life event" and you can sign up for a new plan after you start school.

[PinkPeonies]

50 minutes ago, EmPA26 said:

I didn't have to change until the end of the calendar year I turned 26. My birthday is in June, so I had a few extra months. 

 

If you plan to work for this employer any next year and they offer an FSA (flexible savings account), sign up for the max amount you can contribute for next year. You will get the full amount for the year in January, but a fraction will be deducted from your paycheck pre-tax each check. You can use it for contacts/glasses and a new STETHOSCOPE!! Bonus- if you spend all of it and only work part of the year, you don't have to pay it back :)

Edit: You will also have insurance from your employer through the end of the month that you are working, so DO NOT sign up for an exchange plan just yet and try to work one last day during the month you start school. Once you are off employers insurance, then worry about the exchange. Quitting or losing your job is a "qualifying life event" and you can sign up for a new plan after you start school.

Hmm. I turned 26 a few years ago and I lost coverage the day I turned 26 but according to the current US department of Health and human services, your health insurance under your parents ends on the day of your 26th birthday. But as I always say, due diligence.

https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/young-adult-coverage/index.html

As far as having insurance through your employer I would investigate through your personal employer. I worked for a major health system in NC before school and lost coverage the last day of the pay period. For us this was every 2 weeks, so I would say ask Human Resources at your employer if you go that route. Cobra is offered after you leave the employer but that would be way more than the health insurance market place.

 

[EmPA26]

45 minutes ago, PinkPeonies said:

Hmm. I turned 26 a few years ago and I lost coverage the day I turned 26 but according to the current US department of Health and human services, your health insurance under your parents ends on the day of your 26th birthday. But as I always say, due diligence.

https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/young-adult-coverage/index.html

As far as having insurance through your employer I would investigate through your personal employer. I worked for a major health system in NC before school and lost coverage the last day of the pay period. For us this was every 2 weeks, so I would say ask Human Resources at your employer if you go that route. Cobra is offered after you leave the employer but that would be way more than the health insurance market place.

 

Well, I did turn 26 more than a few years ago :( Every policy, state and employer is different, so yes check with the benefits person in HR. In Florida, the last 2 major health systems I worked for extended all insurance to the end of the month of your last day. Most recently, I started school January 2016, used PTO through the end of the month and worked my last day as the first Saturday in Feb and I had coverage until Feb 28th. I chose Cobra as it was cheaper (and hugely better coverage) than a marketplace plan, but I'm married so have to count hub's income thus no subsidy.

[eheadley]

I am having the same issue. For me to cobra my insurance, it would be $460 a month, the cheapest marketplace plan is $300, I am meeting with the Medicaid office today to see what they say. In addition, although I am 27, I am seeing if either of my parents can add me to their insurance as an extenuating circumstance (still waiting to hear on this). I'll let you know how it all goes!

[Jenn22]

If your state is not a Medicaid expansion state you will not qualify for Medicaid. The marketplace is different for each area, but the prices for the coverage that you get is ridiculous.  Medi-share is a also a route that students can look into;  these are christian based organizations and have requirements and conditions that must be met in order to participate, but rates and coverage are extremely reasonable if they line up with your views and lifestyle. It won't be for everyone, but it is worth exploring. 

https://mychristiancare.org/medi-share/