Thread: Health insurance while in clinicals?

Does anyone know about health insurance while you are in clinicals? I'm married and have kept insurance through my spouse in our home state during our first two years, but when we move out of our home state in the fall we will need to get new insurance.

If the school provides it, is it just basic emergency insurance or is it a decent plan? I put in for clinicals in New York, any idea of any New York insurance that might be affordable? I have a "pre-existing condition" so I'm really wary about losing our current insurance.

Since the administration is busy pointing fingers at all the people in our class and calling us big liars, I'm guessing I won't have much luck placing a call regarding health insurance. So I figured maybe you guys might be able to give me a heads up.

Thanks!

I am actually researching that right now and will let you know what I find out. The schools insurnace is not a wellness program meaning there is no dental, gym discounts, eyeglass program, psych visits etc. etc. It is a basic medical plan. It is through multiplan and I think you can look it up online to get an idea. The problem that me and my husband found is that he is the student and the insurance for him i slike $120/month but for a spouse it was like $700/month on top of the $120! We are having a baby so to add a baby was another $200 something. My husband also has insurnace out of state and has not switched it yet. My Dad mentioned to me that you should call your insurance and find out if you can keep it even if out of state due to the fact that you are only going to be in NY for school but are keeping your primary residence back at home. When I was in college, I kept my health coverage back at home and saw doctors in NY with no problem. So ask them if you can keep it. NY is EXTREMELY expensive for healthcare if you try to do it on your own as an individual. The cheapest I found was Oxford HMO and for a wife and spouse it was almost $2000/month. So the school's is actually cheaper in the end but still a fortune!! Anyway, I will let you know whta I find out when I call tomorrow.

No matter what you end up with, consider supplementing with some type of medical evacuation option or getting MedjetAssist: Medical Evacuation from Anywhere in the World to your Hospital of Choice or an equivalent. If you are a Platinum Amex card holder (the regular platinum, no the free ones) then you should have air evac included. Medjetassistance above, is about $885 per year for a family of expatriates, but read the fine print to find what is appropriate in your case.

Why would they need medical evacuation from anywhere in the world when they're doing their clinicals in NY?

No, I definitely won't need evac insurance since I'll be living in the US.

JRose, we had considered the option of keeping the home state insurance, but it means I would have to fly back to my home state every time I needed to be seen, which seems kind of silly, although it might be my only option. I have BC/** in my home state, and I thought it would transfer to BC/** NY, but apparently it's a state thing and not a national, and I too had heard that the insurance will cost much more in NY than anywhere else. So I guess if I have to fly back and forth from time to time, I will. I had no idea adding a spouse to the school insurance was so expensive! That's really ridiculous.

Do keep me updated. Thanks.

Originally Posted by mojojojo

No, I definitely won't need evac insurance since I'll be living in the US.

JRose, we had considered the option of keeping the home state insurance, but it means I would have to fly back to my home state every time I needed to be seen, which seems kind of silly, although it might be my only option. I have BC/** in my home state, and I thought it would transfer to BC/** NY, but apparently it's a state thing and not a national, and I too had heard that the insurance will cost much more in NY than anywhere else. So I guess if I have to fly back and forth from time to time, I will. I had no idea adding a spouse to the school insurance was so expensive! That's really ridiculous.

Do keep me updated. Thanks.

really? i have BC/** anthem from Va. and i have no problems carrying over state lines- my copay may be higher, but they will cover as if i am seeing a non-PPO.

and since many of the docs will show you courtesy(usually charging insurance only as oppose to completely free)- the higher copay doesn't really come into play.

plus i'm (knock wood) essentially healthy and other than the yearly gyn visit(which is covered) really only need catastrophic care.

heard though med students can qualify for NY state insurance (ie medicaid) though not sure how that works - there was a thread on it a few months ago- maybe search for that.

emt? vaguely remember you commmenting on this- can you fill in my gaps?

Yes, what I meant was waht Rokshana is doing. You don't have to fly back whenever you need to see a doc. You can keep your home state insurance and still see doctors here without switching. BC/** here to pay as an individual with spouse was over $2000 a month! I almost had a heartattack! Rokshana-so you have been to dr.s here in NY and used your out of state BC/** and their was no problem? That is what I did in College and had no problem.

Originally Posted by jrosenberg

Yes, what I meant was waht Rokshana is doing. You don't have to fly back whenever you need to see a doc. You can keep your home state insurance and still see doctors here without switching. BC/** here to pay as an individual with spouse was over $2000 a month! I almost had a heartattack! Rokshana-so you have been to dr.s here in NY and used your out of state BC/** and their was no problem? That is what I did in College and had no problem.

i'm in jersey, remember? And luckily haven't had to use the services of my attendings, but others have and have had ins billed but thats all (some don't even do that!!- just see us for free)

I go home for my gyn visits- don't really want to switch that doc.

Originally Posted by rokshana

heard though med students can qualify for NY state insurance (ie medicaid) though not sure how that works - there was a thread on it a few months ago- maybe search for that.

emt? vaguely remember you commmenting on this- can you fill in my gaps?

Don't know about Medicaid, I guess it is theoretically possible, but I don't know if they count loans as income or resources as part of the requirements. Medicaid

Personally, I am enrolled in a "low-cost" state subsidized health insurance program HealthyNY but I qualify because I work in NYS, and my employer doesn't offer me health insurance.

I don't think either would help mojojojo, since you need to be a resident of/work in NYS.

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