Student Health Plans
Guidance for webpage that provides background on student health plans.
Final
Issued by: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Issue Date: May 07, 2013
Student health plans are often purchased when family coverage is not available. According to some estimates, as many as 3 million students are covered through student health plans offered by colleges, universities, or other institutions of higher education.
Differences between Student Health Plans
Not all student health plans are the same. Some plans are comprehensive but others offer limited benefits, which can put students and their families at risk for catastrophic medical bills. In addition, these plans are treated differently depending on how and where they’re offered. This has created a patchwork system of regulation for these plans that makes it difficult for students and their families to understand their coverage and rights.Individual Health Insurance Coverage
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a proposed regulation that would ensure students enrolled in these plans benefit from important consumer protections created by the Affordable Care Act. The proposed regulations clarify that these plans would be defined as “individual health insurance coverage.”Additional Resources
HHS is committed to making its websites and documents accessible to the widest possible audience, including individuals with disabilities. We are in the process of retroactively making some documents accessible. If you need assistance accessing an accessible version of this document, please reach out to the guidance@hhs.gov.
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this database lack the force and effect of law, except as authorized by law (including Medicare Advantage Rate Announcements and Advance Notices) or as specifically incorporated into a contract. The Department may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not posted on the guidance repository, except to establish historical facts.