So my kiddo’s school is now offering health insurance again. Beginning August 1. Yes, I know…that date is past but they just sent the info and bill. They had discontinued coverage a few years ago.
They are offering a United Health Care PPO that is less expensive than her individual plan with Ambetter. Seems to have better coverage as well.
My question…she is planning to take the school plan. Can she drop her Ambetter policy as soon as the new plan goes into action?? Like…now. She has paid for August, but we wondered if she can discontinue the coverage as of Sept 1.
I think the answe is yes…because she is now able to get group coverage…sort of like when a person gets a job or,something.
Agree that you should ask for a pro-rated refund if you can get the school plan effective today! Insurers are generally good about giving pre-rated premium refunds.
Our insurer would also retroactively refund pro-rated medical insurance premiums, so knce you’re SURE the school policy is effective, go ahead and inquire about cancellation and refund of your other policy.
One concern with our cockamamie insurance environment is networks, so be sure that the school plan would cover her when she’s home for the summer. All plans have to cover emergency care (for now), but what if she comes up with a mid-summer earache? Would they cover a visit to her hometown doctor, which would presumably be out of network?
We found the school insurance plan for D18 had better coverage than our prior plan at half the price, and includes access to a decent national PPO network. You need a student health center referral to use the PPO network (rather than the onsite university medical center) but only if you are within 25 miles of the college. So when at home during the summer it looks like she can just go to her old primary care doc who is part of the PPO network.
For now, required benefits are governed by the ACA, which is federal. Some states don’t have their own exchanges, so residents use the federal marketplace. I can’t find anything about free dental/vision in either case, but if a plan is ACA-compliant, they are Essential Health Benefits for children, and must at least be offered.
N.B. – As of this week, unregulated insurance is again going to be allowed. These plans, I’d guess, will not offer dental/vision to anyone.
Hmmm…DDs plan start date is August 1. I read the plan and it doesn’t sound like an unregulated plan…how would I find out? It’s a United Health Care PPO.
I’d ask the school for a copy of the med insurance contract. You are buying the policy for your D so they need to provide it upon request. It should list all benefits and copays.