For students heading to college, fall is a season full of the excitement and distraction of a new environment, new friends and new classes. With all of the activity, it can be easy to let signing up for health care slip through the cracks. However, health coverage is critical to keep students healthy and financially secure. Young adults need health care just like everyone else, and preventive care is vital for the long-term health of students. Moreover, 16 percent of young people have a chronic condition, like diabetes or asthma that can require expensive doctors' visits. There’s also the unexpected - a broken bone or random accident could cause severe economic hardship for a student who’s not insured. In fact, young adults go to the emergency room more than any age group under 75, and can easily rack up thousands of dollars in a visit.
The New England Alliance for Children’s Health, a Community Catalyst initiative, is partnering with Young Invincibles to bring students and their families a free Back-To-School Toolkit breaking down student options for health coverage in every state. The toolkit gives up-to-date information on the costs and benefits of student health plans, walks through how to stay on your parent's plan, explains what to do if you have a pre-existing condition, and provides relevant updates on the new health care law (like the new rules on birth control and preventive services for women). It also has tips for young women, important information on young adults and cancer, and much more.
Click here to download the Back-To-School Toolkit. With your help, we can make sure that everyone has the information they need to stay healthy this school year.
-- Nicole Tambouret, Program Manager New England Alliance for Children’s Health