One of the concerns parents often have when sending their kid to college is the issue of medical insurance. In some cases, your employer’s medical insurance will continue to cover a child up to about age of 25, as long as they’re a full-time student. Even if they’re not a full-time student, the policy may cover the child up until the age of 23. Obviously, the details will vary from one policy to the next and from one state to the next.

Unfortunately, there are some circumstances that can thwart this sort of traditional coverage. Here are some things to consider that may muddy the waters a bit:

• Your student is going to college out of state. Medical insurance, for the time being, is governed by state, rather than federal, law. This means that health insurance in one state may not cover your student very well if they’re living in another state. Chances are pretty good that if you have a PPO, for example, your student will have to pay for any medical expenses out of pocket and then be reimbursed for only a portion of those expenses by the insurance company.
• Your coverage lapses. One of the harsh realities of our day is that job security is a thing of the past. As we become a more fluid workforce, we’re that much more likely to have a gap between the time we’re covered by our employers. HIPPA regulations and the availability of COBRA have helped this situation a bit, but if you’ve got a kid in college you need to be keenly aware of when you (and she) are or are not covered.
• Understand the loopholes. In many cases, if a student has an accident or an illness that makes him have to drop out of school, even for a semester, the student won’t be considered “full time” and may lose coverage. Fortunately, a law known as “Michelle’s Law” now states that group insurance plans have to cover students who are on medical leave for up to a year. If your child’s illness goes beyond that, however, you might have a challenge.
• Know the options. If your student isn’t covered, you may be able to purchase an individual medical insurance policy for your student. Many schools have access to a group policy that you can buy into, as well. In fact, more than 50 percent of colleges offer some sort of plan, although the plans vary greatly from one to the next.

Photo via karpov the wrecked train