<p>Mafool, be sure that COVERAGES are comparable, or you’re comparing totally different creatures. In general, the COBRA coverages are supposed to be just an extension of the coverage the student has. The short term insurance will have its own policy with new terms.</p>
<p>you are correct, of course, HImom. The shorter term policies I have reviewed have higher deductibles, for instance, and do not include the vision and dental coverage that the COBRA would.</p>
<p>For insurance, so much depends on the health of the person to be insured and how much risk the family is willing to take. For most young HEALTHY people, it’s not a big issue to have even a singnificant deductible for a few months or even a few years. </p>
<p>The key is to be sure they have continuous coverage and won’t have problems down the road for any gap in coverage, especially regarding pre-existing conditions. Not sure what the new healthcare legislation will do, but best to be safe rather than sorry.</p>
<p>Mileage varies by case, of course.</p>
<p>We would have loved to keep our son on my very complete coverage via COBRA until he is done with grad school. But the premium was exorbitant, like $500+/month.</p>
<p>We did opt for an individual high deductible plan…less coverage but adequate for him…at $104/month.</p>
<p>Yea, we would also have loved to keep S on our plan, but he aged out at 22, so we bought him the university plan for $1K/year which ends in Aug after he graduates. Hopefully his employer will cover him after that or we’ll get him GAP or COBRA for about $400/month until employer starts his insurance OR the healthcare bill gets him covered.</p>
<p>How sad is it that medical Insurance is now a grad’s college gift? GRrrrrrr!</p>
<p>HImom, I am with you. My concern is continuity of coverage, first.</p>
<p>Our son is fortunate that he has a job with benefits. I don’t know yet whether the insurance kicks in immediately or if there is a waiting period. So, we may be looking at a gap of a few weeks or a few months. Nothing major, but I want him covered.</p>
<p>Sadder still for folks who have no coverage and no hope of getting any. Have met folks in that category, some even have jobs but are wrongly classified as “independent contractors” or not allowed to work 20 hours/week, so that they are part-time & don’t qualify for benefits!</p>
<p>Actually, paying insurance premiums is a rather generous gift, even if it doesn’t have “bells & whistles.”</p>
<p>until they have a lot more info about long term lasik issues- I think I am waiting.
D, just wore glasses ( although she brought her contacts), when she was in India and Africa- she is also planning on Peace Corps in Africa after college graduation.</p>
<p>We bought D1, the always classic 
ipod for graduation.</p>
<p>Shesonherway, lasik is also on my radar for both my D’s for college graduation gifts. Only if recommended by the surgeon, of course, and if they want it. I had it when I was in my late 30s (almost 10 years ago), and it is the BEST investment I ever made. I do want my Ds to make the decision on the risks/rewards on their own in conjunction with the surgeon. And I think I will offer it as an option that is good for a while after they graduate (do not need to do it right away). Also, it is a way to ensure they go to a reputable surgeon; I have a friend who is an attorneyfor opthamologists, and he says the cheaper places definitely have more issues with lawsuits related to complications… But, oh, how I wish I could have had it at age 25 and had all my adult years with the benefits (before those pesky reading glasses kicked in!).</p>
<p>I am also considering a considerable investment toward a good used car for them (neither will have a car in college) My dad did something like this for me, he thought it would be great for me to start out my working life without a car payment. He did counsel me to start saving the car payment amount monthly toward the purchase of my car’s replacement, which I did. Started me on the lifelong habit of saving ahead and paying cash for my cars. Again, I will be willing to defer this if they want to live in a city where they don’t need/want a car right after graduation.</p>
<p>Himom, I believe that as soon as the healthcare bill was signed, the insurance companies are supposed to allow dependents to stay on family plans until age 26. This is one of the provisions that takes effect right away. I am not clear on the details (Can you only add during enrollment period? Will ins companies be able to charge more? If your family plan is better than the plan you paid for, can he switch now? If he had coverage under both plans, how would coordination of benefits work between them? etc…) Call your company to see what is involved in this.</p>
<p>How about an iPad for graduation gift? What kid wouldn’t want one? Just taking the thread in a different direction!!</p>
<p>Read in the paper this morning that the provision allowing kids to stay on parents’ policy doesn’t kick in until September 23 or 26 of this year, which will be 5-6 weeks too late for our S (will have to get him gap coverage if his employer’s policy hasn’t started by then). It is scheduled for 6 months after the bill was signed rather than immediately, to get the kinks oout.</p>
<p>Insurers WILL be allowed to charge more, I believe, but it’s all still being worked out. It’s good to see what the college has to offer kids who are graduating, as many kids have similar situations. Your insurer should be able to explain all the options they offer as well. Our insurer had options that kicked in when S aged out of coverage under H’s plan (when he turned 22). They would start as soon as his coverage ended and were about $400-500/month but under his university group plan, it was about $1000 for an entire year ending in mid-August. We went with the latter and will get gap coverage to tide him over until his employer’s policy starts.</p>
<p>iPads are great for kids who like apple products. Both my kids are confirmed windows geeks so I’m not sure they’d appreciate an iPad the way some of their MAC friends would. S liked his netbook for now & is good about finding the tech he’s happy with. He’s good about reading & finding out everything before he makes the choices that suit him best.</p>
<p>So far, he hasn’t said anything about wanting an iPad, so I don’t think he’s interested at this point.</p>
<p>Not wanting to derail the thread (so please keep talking about gifts!), but here is what the National Law Review says:</p>
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</p>
<p>So when your new plan year starts (Jan 1 for most people, but not all), you should have the option to add him then. So you will have a gap. So… maybe paying insurance for that gap is a good gift :)</p>