Short-Term Medical Insurance in Pennsylvania for Students
- Short-term medical insurance plans provide coverage for major medical expenses. This includes hospitalization for an illness or injury. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department approves all insurance policies sold in the state, including short-term medical policies. Short-term plans do not cover preventive care, such as routine doctor visits and lab tests. If you're currently enrolled in school, you can use your student health center for these services. You can also visit local clinics, many of which use a sliding scale based on your income to determine how much to charge. There are clinics throughout Pennsylvania.
- Short-term health insurance policies cost less than individual health insurance policies. Given the cost of a college education, this is definitely an advantage. Short-term policies also have less rigorous underwriting, or decision-making, standards; individual policies have dozens of health-related questions that must be answered, short-term policies typically have a few yes-or-no questions. The application process is quick and sometimes can be completed over the phone.
- Short-term care policies typically are not renewable, which means that the insurance company can choose not to allow you to renew your short-term policy if you need to continue it after the policy period. Short-term care plans may also have a high deductible, which could lead to significant out-of-pocket costs. Short-term plans also don't cover pre-existing conditions, so any illness or health condition you had before your short-term health insurance policy started, whether it's diabetes or a sprained ankle, will not be covered.
- Pennsylvania has approved several companies to offer short-term health plans to students and others in the state. These companies include Assurant, HCC Life Insurance Company, Health Insurance Innovations, Standard Security, United Healthcare and Celtic. Your student health center or financial aid office may also be able to recommend companies.
