Many new graduate students underestimate how much insurance they actually need. Many find out that schools don't offer graduate students good
insurance plans and that private insurance, including continuing coverage from a previous job or from parental insurance- through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA- can be expensive and complicated. For them, finding coverage may be difficult and, in a climate of generally skyrocketing health care costs, prohibitively expensive.
The students' first step is often finding out what available through their school, either to buy insurance outright or as part of compensation for an academic assistantship. There is a lot of variety as to what schools have to offer. They can range from practically no coverage to calamity insurance with a high deductible, to some of the big state schools who cover teaching assistants and research assistants with full health benefits like any other school employee.
Overall less than 50 percent of schools provide health insurance for teaching assistants, graduate assistants, and research fellows according to a study conducted by Binghamton University in 2004. That study, "The Survey of First Year Graduate Students" which collected information from a representative sample of 73 graduate institutions, also shows that while 57 percent of teaching assistants at public institutions receive health insurance, only 8 percent receive it at private institutions.
When school health plans are not an option, students can turn to a large variety of private plans, but it is important to be informed and to get information from trustworthy sources. Try to find a reliable insurance broker who can help explain the details over individual plans. This can be done in a variety of ways.
Students could try these outlets first:
• Contact your state department of insurance by phone or web site. They can provide information about what kinds of plans are available. And more importantly, how to find a reputable broker or company.
• Check out programs offered by alumni associations.
• Contact local organizations such as churches, women's centers, chamber of commerce for the recommendations on finding a suitable plan. Some of these community based organizations may endorse a plan or be able to put you in touch with a trusted local insurance agent.
• Check with upperclassmen for their coverage methods.
Students who are not covered by parental plans or by free plans offered by the schools need to educate themselves by all means before buying insurance.
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