Have you looked into health insurance coverage for your new high school graduate and soon-to-be college student?

Most parents hold health insurance, either individually or through work, that will cover their children as dependents until the children are in their twenties to mid-twenties. The dependent can live at home or not.

If you aren't able to provide health insurance coverage for your student, you might consider looking at a college health insurance plan. College plans are often subsidized by tuition, making them cheaper than the normal individual health insurance plan.

The premiums and benefits vary from college to college. School officials work with the insurance company to tailor specific plans for the school. State laws may affect the coverage of the policy offered to the student. All of the various factors result in a wide range of premiums and benefits that vary from school to school.

Because students are usually allowed to go to the college health center for free, most college plans limit preventative care. Although the visit itself may be free, the student is often charged for lab work, X-rays, prescriptions and specific treatments.

Most college health plans pay 100% for covered services at the college health center. These services may include mental health, well-child care, newborn and infant care, routine pap and pelvic exams, cholesterol screenings and routine STD and AIDS testing.

If services are performed outside of the health center, the student's coverage may fall to 70% and be subject to a deductible.

Pre-existing conditions coverage

Some states allow "blanket disability" products to exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions on individual and college plans. In these states, the insurance company can refuse to provide benefits for the treatment of medical conditions that existed before the application for insurance coverage. You need to know if the plan is subject to blanket disability before you sign up for a plan. Make sure you know what pre-existing conditions won't be covered.

Some college students face problems with their parent's insurance coverage because they live out of state for school. With many HMOs requiring referrals for visits to out-of-network providers, students often receive faster care by using a college health plan.

Health insurance is essential, whether it be through your employer or through your student's college. A serious illness or injury could have a lasting financial affect on your family and the student. The best way to protect your child is through proper insurance coverage.

Questions to ask

There are many details that affect your health insurance coverage. Make sure that you ask the following questions: