OPINION & EDITORIAL
Health insurance a priority for graduates
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Also by Johanna Schmitz:
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by Johanna Schmitz
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Spring semester for graduating seniors has the reputation of being a full-time party. But, in fact, graduating seniors have a lot to think about. They are overwhelmed with decisions about their future — finding a job, choosing a place to live and saying goodbye to friends and a familiar way of life. For most graduating seniors, health insurance is not high on the priority list. However, it should be.
Many students are on their parents’ insurance plan. This coverage typically ends upon graduation. Even if you accept a job that provides health insurance, often there is a waiting period of several months before health-insurance benefits begin. You should make certain you are covered during this period.
Most young adults are healthy and haven’t considered the importance of health insurance. Especially since University of Wisconsin students have some health services provided while in school, it is easy to assume access to health care is always available. Yet, this is not true. Being employed is no longer a guaranteed ticket to health care: more and more employers are not including health insurance as a benefit or are requiring employees to help with the burden of increasing premium costs.
Young adults are among the highest uninsured population. In Wisconsin, 11 percent of adults 15-29 are uninsured. Most young people assume they will not need to access the health-care system. Even for the healthiest individuals, life has its surprises and everyone should be prepared for the high costs of health care that come with treating something as simple as a broken arm to dealing with the more dramatic results of a car accident or serious illness.
What are the health-coverage options?
If you are a healthy individual graduating from college, you may not need to break the bank to insure against tragic circumstances. There are health plans known as catastrophic plans. These plans have lower monthly premiums and higher deductibles. If you only occasionally have to access the health-care system, you will have to pay for those costs out of pocket. But, you will also be protected if more significant health-care needs arise, as your insurer will take responsibility once you reach your deductible, say $2,500.
If you already have existing health conditions, a catastrophic plan may not be the most prudent course of action. You may need a policy with a lower deductible, which covers a wider range of services. There are some short-term health-insurance plans. The Wisconsin Alumni Association offers one for which all graduating seniors are eligible.
Another option for graduating students is to remain on their parents’ plan through a law called COBRA. Under this law, for up to 36 months, you can pay an individual premium to keep the benefits of your existing plan. To do this may be expensive, but if you are able to afford it, it provides comprehensive, consistent care.
If you are reasonably healthy, you may choose to investigate other private insurance companies, which may insure you at a reasonable rate. Don’t wait until you get sick. When you try to re-insure yourself after you have an existing condition, insurers are less likely to insure you or will charge you higher premiums.
Health insurance may seem expensive, but no matter what health-insurance plan you pursue, you are better off paying a monthly premium and some out-of-pocket fees for the occasional doctor visit than to be burdened with $200,000 worth of medical bills.
While many students have not had to deal with the prospect of being uninsured for themselves, this is an issue with which many Americans must cope. More than 15 percent of the United States is uninsured, and as employers cut health-insurance benefits, the uninsured population continues to rise. UW students are famous for their commitment to social justice and have the opportunity to extend their support for accessible and affordable health-care coverage for all.
The United States is one of only two industrialized nations without universal health coverage for its population. We may have the most highly technologically advanced health-care system, but it is rationed to those who can afford access to it.
For those interested in learning more about potential reforms to the U.S. health-care system, check out www.covertheuninsuredweek.com. Additionally, there will be a forum during Cover the Uninsured Week May 3 at the Medical School, with a panel to answer questions. Dr. Claudia Fagen, president of medical staff at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, will be discussing the benefits of the Canadian health-care system.
Staying healthy is an important component of an individual’s happiness and success, and of society’s productivity. Do not take good health for granted, but rather prevent illness and disease by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and understanding the United States’ health-care delivery system and staying insured.
Anonymous (April 21, 2005 @ 10:05am):
"...but it is rationed to those who can afford access to it."
Yup, in other countries it's rationed to those who live long enough to access to it. Some out-live the doctors that they are on a waiting list to see!
Anonymous (April 21, 2005 @ 11:52am):
"Yup, in other countries it's rationed to those who live long enough to access to it. Some out-live the doctors that they are on a waiting list to see!"
Actually the US spends twice as much on healthcarea as the next industrialized country and has the lowest benefit. Why? Profits,profits, profits...
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HEALTHCARE AROUND THE WORLD....Does socialized British healthcare suck? Is it really better to be insured in America rather than at the mercy of the NHS? Avedon Carol, an American who's been at the mercy of the NHS for some years now, says no:
To me, though, the priceless fact of UK healthcare is this: I pay for it when I can pay, and I get it when I need it. What that means is that, yes, when I'm getting a paycheck, money comes out whether I'm sick or not, but when I'm ill, I get healthcare whether I have money to fork-over or not. I don't feel that money coming out of my paycheck, but believe me, as someone who grew up in the US, I am acutely aware of the fact that when I'm thinking about seeking medical care or advice, I know with a certainty that the price is not an issue.
When I was getting ready for my eye surgery, I didn't forget that even some people I know who have health insurance in the US would have had to write-off their eye if they'd been in my situation because the cost of surgery, two nights in the hospital, and after-care might not all be covered and what they still would have had to produce out-of-pocket would have broken them. Someone with no insurance wouldn't even have been able to consider it. (And that's leaving aside the four weeks I spent house-bound while I kept my head in the necessary position to make sure the procedure works. Would your employer give that to you?)
I get the care I need when I need it, and so far it's been good care. I never have to think about whether I can afford it. Like I say, priceless.
And keep in mind that this is Britain, which is generally thought to have one of the worst national healthcare systems in Europe.
It's funny, isn't it? Conservatives keep telling us how bad healthcare is in the socialist hells of Europe and Canada, and yet the people who actually live in Europe and Canada mostly like their healthcare just fine. In fact, they like it better than most Americans like American healthcare (see Exhibit 1 in this report). They pay less for it than we do, too (see Figure 1 in this report).
Marc Danziger may think that "If I had a chronic or serious disease, and insurance, I'd rather be here," but I can't figure out why. After all, Europeans seem to get pretty good treatment for chronic and serious diseases, even compared to well insured Americans. I'm afraid the alleged advantages of America's healthcare system continue to evade me.
Anonymous (April 21, 2005 @ 4:54pm):
Wah wah wah.. Doctors are evil cause they want to profit from saving your ass.. Gimme a break.. Talk about being un-thankful..
Anonymous (April 21, 2005 @ 11:38pm):
Johanna Schmitz is a great writer! What a great article! Why doesn't she write more often for this newspaper?
