Student & Young Adult Health Insurance Plans

As a college student or young adult, you have options for health insurance. You might get coverage through your parents, school, employer, the Health Insurance Marketplace, or other options. The best health insurance provides affordable student and young adult health insurance plans covering preventive, primary, and urgent care.

Learn essential aspects of student health insurance you should compare.

Get temporary short-term health insurance. Apply and enroll in under 5 minutes.

• You can’t stay on your parent’s plan forever: Once you turn 26, you’re no longer able to stay on your parent’s health insurance policy.
• Your school or employer may offer plans: Some schools offer sponsored health insurance plans. If you have a job, your employer may have a group plan you can use.
• You may qualify for assistance: You can apply for individual insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. In the marketplace, you can determine your eligibility for subsidies to help you pay monthly premiums.

• Financial strength: The financial strength rating is based on the insurance company’s A.M. Best financial strength rating. A.M. Best is a credit rating agency specializing in the insurance industry, which rates an insurer’s ability to meet ongoing obligations.
• Customer satisfaction: The customer satisfaction rating takes into account Kaiser Permanente’s Better Business Bureau (BBB), National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), and Consumer Affairs ratings. These ratings are calculated using customer complaints and satisfaction ratings.
• Value: The value rating calculates an insurer’s overall value based on monthly premium, annual deductible, office visit cost, emergency room (ER) visit cost, and annual maximum out-of-pocket cost.
• Coverage: The coverage rating considers the insurer’s availability of coverages, plan types, and network size.

There are numerous ways to get affordable student and young adult health insurance, including staying on your parent’s plan if you’re under age 26 or enrolling in a student health plan if your school offers it.

Other options include:

• Employer-sponsored health insurance: You may have access to employer-sponsored health insurance as part of your benefits package. Your employer selects one or more group health plans and may pay part of your premium. Part-time employees may not qualify for health insurance.
• The Health Insurance Marketplace: You can purchase an insurance plan that provides ACA mandated minimum essential coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. But if your parents claim you as a tax dependent, you may not qualify for any savings because you must include your parent’s income. If you aren’t claimed as a dependent, you may be eligible for a subsidy that pays part of your monthly premium.
• Medicare: If you’re age 65 or younger, you’re only eligible for Medicare if you have a qualifying disability. Use the government eligibility tool to see if you’re eligible.
• Medicaid: If you’re a student or young adult living independently with a low income and certain life situations, such as pregnancy, you may qualify for free or low-cost health coverage through Medicaid. In some states, you may qualify if you’re under age 21 and a dependent of a parent who receives Medicaid. Apply through the Health Insurance Marketplace or directly through your state Medicaid agency.
• Short-term health insurance: Short-term health insurance offers limited coverage for a limited period, usually 30 to 90 days but some for up to three years. These plans can cover a lapse in long-term insurance due to job loss, change in life situation, or a missed enrollment period. Most short-term plans don’t cover preexisting conditions, preventive care, maternity care, immunizations, dental, vision, or other specialized services.

Formed in 2004, Anthem serves 25 states and is one of the largest health insurance providers nationwide. It offers a wide range of medical and specialty products, including health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and hybrid offerings within a large provider network. Although Anthem received a poor rating from the BBB, it remains a leading health benefits company. Its varied individual and family offerings may provide affordable student and young adult health insurance plans.

Is Anthem a Good Student Health Insurance Provider?

What Do Anthem Student Health Insurance Plans Cover?

Anthem offers several health insurance options, including:

• Group plans
• Individual and family plans
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Vision and dental

How Is Anthem Rated?

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how we rated Anthem.

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) offers a full spectrum of coverage in all 50 states. BCBS has 36 separate health insurance organizations nationwide, but these regional companies operate differently, and not all plans are available in every state.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield a Good Student Health Insurance Provider?

What Do Blue Cross Blue Shield Student Health Insurance Plans Cover?

Blue Cross Blue Shield offers several health insurance options, including:

• Individual and family plans
• Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plans in 24 states
• Medicare Advantage Plans

How Is Blue Cross Blue Shield Rated?

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how we rated Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Cigna partners with more than 1.5 million health care providers and institutions to ensure members have access to quality, affordable care. While it provides an array of individual and family plans, Cigna only operates in 10 states.

Is Cigna a Good Student Health Insurance Provider?

What Do Cigna Student Health Insurance Plans Cover?

Cigna offers several health insurance options, including:

• Dental and vision
• Individual and family plans
• Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plans
• Pharmacy

How Is Cigna Rated?

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how we rated Cigna.

Kaiser Permanente’s plans are only available in Washington, D.C., and eight states. But with this insurer, you can access more than 22,000 medical group physicians and its hospitals. It offers a wide array of health care plans, including individual coverage if you’re looking for affordable student and young adult health insurance plans.

Is Kaiser Permanente a Good Student Health Insurance Provider?

What Do Kaiser Permanente Student Health Insurance Plans Cover?

Kaiser Permanente offers several health insurance options, including:

• Employer plans
• Family health insurance
• Individual health insurance
• Medicaid/Medi-Cal
• Medicare

How Is Kaiser Permanente Rated?

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how we rated Kaiser Permanente.

Pivot Health offers health insurance plans in all 26 states and Washington, D.C. Plans include dental, short-term medical, and supplemental health insurance. It also offers limited benefit insurance, which can be an affordable alternative to major medical insurance if you’re young and healthy. However, it doesn’t offer traditional individual and family insurance plans.

Is Pivot Health a Good Student Health Insurance Provider?

What Do Pivot Health Student Health Insurance Plans Cover?

Pivot Health offers several health insurance options, including:

• Dental
• Individual and Medigap
• Limited benefit insurance
• Pre-Medicare and Medicare
• Short-term insurance
• Vision

How Is Pivot Health Rated?

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how we rated Pivot Health.

UnitedHealthcare, founded in 1977, is the largest United States health insurance company, with an estimated 14% market share. It offers a broad range of health insurance policies and has an extensive network of physicians, hospitals, and health care providers. While premiums may be a bit high, UnitedHealthcare offers extras such as virtual consultations, travel insurance, and online tools for individuals and group policies.

Is UnitedHealthcare a Good Student Health Insurance Provider?

What Do UnitedHealthcare Student Health Insurance Plans Cover?

UnitedHealthcare offers numerous health insurance options, including:

• Dental
• Employer plans
• Family health insurance
• Individual health insurance
• Marketplace plans
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Self-employed plans
• Short-term/TriTerm insurance
• Student plans
• Supplemental
• Vision

How Is UnitedHealthcare Rated?

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how we rated UnitedHealthcare.

• Find plans available in your area: Use the search tool found on most insurance providers’ websites to input your ZIP code and other details, such as student status, and let the system pull up the plans available in your area for comparison.
• Research the network: If you already have a favored health care professional or facility, research an insurance company’s provider network. These networks include every doctor, hospital, and other health care facility contracted with the company to provide care.
• Research prescription drug coverage: Prescription drugs may or may not be covered under a health care plan. Reduce your prescription costs by researching approved drug lists.
• Compare monthly premiums: Monthly premiums are what you pay to keep your insurance plan active. Compare premiums to find affordable student and young adult insurance plans with the coverage you need.
• Compare deductibles: Deductibles are an out-of-pocket expense you must pay before your insurance plan starts covering its portion of your health care costs. Higher premiums may result in lower deductibles, so consider this when comparing plans.
• Compare copays: Once you meet your annual deductible, you must still cover the copay portion of each medical bill. Copayments usually differ for each plan based on the service you receive, so compare every copay included in plans you’re considering.
• Research dental coverage: Oral health is important at any age, so research dental coverage to see what’s included. Some comprehensive medical plans may include certain preventive dental services, but many insurance plans require you to purchase separate dental coverage.
• Check insurer ratings: Ratings and reviews give you an idea of what current and former members think of a health insurance provider. You can also check insurer ratings to see how well a provider stacks up against its competition.

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services | Original Medicare (Part A and B) Eligibility and Enrollment | Last accessed September 2024
• HealthCare.gov | Getting covered if you’re under 30 | Last accessed September 2024
• HealthCare.gov | Health Insurance Marketplace | Last accessed September 2024
• HealthCare.gov | In school? Student health plans & other options | Last accessed September 2024
• Medicaid.gov | CHIP Eligibility | Last accessed September 2024
• Medicaid.gov | Medicaid Eligibility | Last accessed September 2024
• Medicare Rights Center | Medicare eligibility for disabled youths | Last accessed September 2024
• U.S. Department of Labor | Health Plans and Benefits | Last accessed September 2024