I am currently still covered by my parent’s health insurance but only for the next 2 months! Yesterday I went to the doctor to receive a shot and realized that health insurance isn’t such a simple topic and it really depends on which insurance you have to know whether or not you are covered for certain things.
First of all, the shot that I received is the new Gardasil shot that they are recommending for women under the age of 26. Although this shot may be life changing for many, you must receive 3 shots and the shot costs around $350 PER SHOT…crazy huh? I couldn’t believe it…and after calling my insurance we still aren’t sure if they will cover it because many still don’t.
Secondly, health insurance coverage had never really been an issue or a concern for me. Always being covered under my parents has been nice, but I have also seen my fair share of emergency visits (migraines, allergies to bee stings, etc.) in the past few years and I am starting to wonder which coverage will be best for me when I start my new job. And within the price range that I am willing to pay each month of course!
I came home from my doctor’s appointment worried that I wouldn’t quite be ready in September for choosing the right health care plan for me unless I did some research first.
An article on MainStreet.com by Juliana Bunim titled “Just Got a Diploma? Here’s What You Need to Know About Health Insurance” seemed to pop right out at me and be exactly what I needed! The article explains that about 34% of college graduates aren’t covered by health insurance (I definitely did not want to be another statistic)!!
The article put things into perspective for me. Although another cost (especially for insurance) is not something that graduates want to pay out of their own pockets, health insurance is extremely important. Things may be going great for you right now (and hopefully nothing will happen) but if something were to go wrong, the cost of emergency fees, doctors’ visits and things along those lines can add up and become extremely expensive if you do not have a health insurance policy.
Short term health insurance is also available! If you are waiting to receive a job offer or are in between jobs, still make sure you are covered by some type of insurance. eHealthInsurance.com allows you to compare plans, figure out how much you can afford, and even sign up online!
After realizing how much one shot can cost, I hate to think what other tests and doctors visits can cost as well. Don’t put your financial certainty at risk. Use Geezeo to manage your budget and make sure to include your health insurance in there as well. Definitely better to be safe than sorry in the future!
Picture: Andrea Church
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
This kind of sounds like an ad for ehealthinsurance, cleverly disguised as a blog entry. I am always skeptical about companies that use these tactics, especially the ones who provide false information. Short term health insurance will NOT cover a Gardasil shot, in fact it wont even cover that routine check-up. Short term health insurance is only for emergencies. People will mistakenly sign up for these plans thinking they will be covered, and sadly they will find they are not. Usually not until AFTER they get treatment thinking the insurance will cover it, only to find themselves stuck with a huge medical bill on top of their monthly insurance premiums. Short term health insurance can be terriffic for emergency situations, but this article is very misleading and false, and if you go to a website to buy your insurance you can’t exactly ask these specific questions. Find a reputable company to deal with one on one, not these internet quoting tools that are impersonal and do not have your best interest at heart.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
haha, I promise you that this was NOT an ad for ehealthinsurance but I really appreciate your input and corrections!