Ohio Health Insurance Information for Young Adults

Young adults

Growing up, many of us are covered under a parent's health plan. Plans often cover children until college graduation. If you're healthy, it should be easy to get your own plan.

I don't have a lot of extra cash and I'm healthy. Wouldn't it be a waste of money for me to buy health insurance?

Now may be the best time for you to buy, for the following reasons:

• If admitted to a hospital because of an accident or illness, you will be responsible for the entire bill for your care unless you already had health insurance.
• If you develop a condition that's chronic (long-lasting), insurance may not cover the condition unless you have owned the policy for some period of time.
• Once you have health insurance, the law protects you from losing coverage due to illness. No company can cancel you unless you stop paying your premium.

I just landed my first job and the employer is offering coverage, but the premium is expensive. Should I accept it?

One of the best and least expensive ways to get and keep health coverage is through an employer. Not every company makes health insurance available to its workers. State and federal law can protect you from losing health insurance once you have it. If you get sick, change jobs or lose your job, you can stay fully covered in a health plan. Your coverage cannot be cancelled unless you stop paying premiums.

For a more affordable option, ask if your employer offers a flexible spending plan, such as a Health Savings Account (HSA). You combine the account with a high-deductible health plan, and fund the HSA with pre-tax dollars you can use to pay smaller medical expenses. The high-deductible plan covers large health costs.

I'm graduating from college this year. Can I keep the coverage I've had all along?

Normally, if you've been covered under your parents' health insurance policy while you were in college or by a plan offered through your college, the coverage stops when you graduate. Also consider that many employer plans have waiting periods before health coverage starts.

Young adults who reach the limiting age under such plans may extend coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act -- called COBRA -- or conversion.

Other options:

• Interim coverage may be offered by the college to graduates - check with the school
• Catastrophic health coverage in the form of a short-term policy
• A health discount card

I've checked out the premiums and I truly cannot afford health insurance right now. What else can I do?

You may want to consider applying for financial assistance. One possible option is Ohio's Medicaid program. Medicaid provides basic health care services for people with limited incomes.

The Ohio Department of Job & Family Services administers Medicaid. Apply at your local county Department of Job & Family Services or call the Ohio Medicaid hotline for information: 1-800-324-8680.