← The Survival Kit

REACH · The Survival Kit

Health insurance & care.Get care without the guesswork.

Getting sick shouldn't cost you a semester. Here is how student coverage works, what your campus already gives you, how to read your plan, and where to go if you have no insurance at all.

Where your coverage can come from

A parent’s planYou can generally stay on a parent’s job-based plan until you turn 26, even if you’re married, don’t live with them, aren’t in school or aren’t their tax dependent. On a parent’s Marketplace plan, coverage generally runs through 31 December of the year you turn 26.
Your school’s student health planMany colleges offer their own insurance, and some put it on your bill automatically. If you already have coverage, you can often waive it by a deadline and get that charge removed. Look in your student portal under Student Health or Student Accounts.
MedicaidFree or low-cost coverage for people with low income. Whether a student qualifies depends on your state and income. You can apply any time of year.
The MarketplaceHealthCare.gov (or your state’s own site). Many people get help paying the premium based on income. You join in Open Enrollment (1 November to 15 January), or within 60 days of losing other coverage, including a student plan.
Check what I may qualify forHealthCare.gov for students

Turning 26, graduating or leaving school soon? Losing coverage can open a Special Enrollment Period. Don’t wait until the day it ends.

What your campus probably already gives you

Every school is different, so call or check its website. Many of these are free or cheap because your fees already pay for them.

  • Student health center: sick visits, checkups, vaccines, birth control, STI testing, sometimes a pharmacy.
  • Counseling center: short-term counseling, groups, crisis help and referrals. Often free.
  • After-hours line: many counseling centers have a phone line that answers at night and on weekends.
  • Disability services: accommodations if a health condition affects your classes (see Accommodations Request).
  • Basic needs or food pantry: often in the same building, and often the people who know about emergency funds.

Ask the health center: “Do I need insurance to be seen here? What’s free with my fees?”

How to read my plan

Tap a word.

Your plan’s “Summary of Benefits and Coverage” puts all of these on a few pages. Ask your insurer or school for it.

The full glossary

No insurance? You can still get care.

  1. Community health centers.Federally funded health centers see people whether or not they have insurance, and charge on a sliding scale by income and family size.
  2. Your campus health center.Many see students without insurance for little or nothing.
  3. Apply for Medicaid now.You don’t have to wait for Open Enrollment. Ask whether coverage can cover recent bills too.
  4. A big hospital bill?Ask the hospital for its financial assistance (charity care) application before you pay, and ask for an itemized bill.
Find a health center near me

An emergency is an emergency. If you think your life or health is in danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. In a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

My insurance card

Keep what you’d need at the front desk or in an emergency. It stays on this device only, in this browser. Nothing is sent to EFF. Print it for your wallet or bag.

Health coverageMy insurance
In crisis
Call or text 988. Emergency: 911.

Don’t keep this on a shared or library computer. Erase it before you leave.

General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules and costs change every year and depend on your plan and state.