Help your college student manage their health care

1.

Know your college student’s health insurance options

First things first: your college student should have health insurance. They should also know how to access and use their health insurance benefits. You have a few options to ensure they have coverage:

• Keep them on your existing health plan. This is the best option if your child has any pre-existing conditions or if they plan to manage all non-emergent medical care and appointments when they are home during school breaks. If they’re already insured on your plan, they can stay on it until they turn 26. Students moving out-of-state and currently covered by an HMO plan may need guest membership. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield members can start this process by calling the customer service number on your ID card.
• Consider enrolling them in their own individual health plan. Whether your college student is attending school in state or out of state, moving may qualify them for a 60-day Special Enrollment Period (SEP). That means they won’t have to wait until Open Enrollment to enroll. Keep in mind that this window doesn’t start until they have officially moved, and you’ll need to provide proof of residence once they’re on campus. If their school offers their own health plan, you may need to sign a waiver every year stating they have other insurance to avoid unnecessary charges on the tuition bill.

2.

Make sure they know where to go for care

After being driven to countless well-child checkups and other medical appointments, it’s time for your college student to decide when, how and where to seek care for themselves — whether they’re just feeling under the weather or are experiencing a medical emergency. Here are a few things they should know:

• Where the student health center is. Student health centers can usually treat simple colds and other minor ailments at little to no cost for students, since they are already funded by tuition. If there isn’t a student health center on campus, ask the school if they have any preferred health care providers in the area close by.
• The location of the nearest urgent care center. Your child may want to consider urgent care if they need a last-minute appointment or the student health center is closed. Discuss how they’ll get there, especially if they don’t have a car on campus.
• An in-network hospital nearby. Emergency room visits can be expensive, so your college student should know what’s considered a medical emergency and when it's appropriate to dial 9-1-1.
• How their health plan works. Do they have to pay for visits up-front, or will they receive a bill in the mail later? Do they need their insurance card with them for every visit? Will they need to have guest membership if they’re on your plan but attending school out-of-state? Make sure your child knows the answers to these questions.
• Where they can fill their prescriptions. Typically, a college campus will have several nearby drugstores with pharmacies, but you should help your child pick one (ideally, one that is open 24 hours) and walk them through the steps of getting a prescription filled.

Members can use the tools on myWellmark^® to find in-network care, set up mail-order delivery for added convenience when filling prescriptions and more.

3.

Share their health history

It’s important that your college student has a basic understanding of their medical history and family health history to help them make decisions about their care down the road. In addition to talking to them about their medical history, be sure to go over:

• Immunization records.
• What’s generally covered (and not covered) by their health insurance.
• Prescription information, including dosage and reason for taking, plus any side effects.
• Eyeglasses or contact lens prescriptions, if applicable.
• Information about how to manage chronic health conditions, like diabetes or asthma, on their own.
• Anything a new health care provider would need to know.

4.

Be open to questions and communication

Once your child turns 18, health care providers generally need their permission before sharing medical information or discussing care decisions with parents, family members or university staff.

While college is a key time to build independence and learn life skills, your child may feel comfortable with you remaining somewhat involved in this part of their life. To do that, you’ll need to fill out a few forms.

If your child has developed a relationship with a primary care provider (PCP) at home, it may be helpful to maintain that communication. Depending on their plan and PCP, they may have virtual visit options.

5.

Ensure they prioritize mental health

While starting college and living away from parents can be exciting, it can also increase the prevalence of common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. According to the Healthy Minds Study from the University of Michigan, 37 percent of college students experience moderate-to-severe depression and 38 percent suffer from anxiety.

Symptoms of depression are harder to catch when your child isn’t living at home, but watch for the following:

• Feelings of sadness, frustration, hopelessness or worthlessness.
• Losing interest in hobbies, sports or other activities they previously enjoyed.
• Negative performance in school.
• Increase in drug or alcohol use.
• A lack of energy.

If you think your college student may be more than just overwhelmed by their first few weeks and months of school, talk to them about your concerns and encourage them to seek help. They can make an appointment with a local mental health professional or use services like Doctor On Demand^® to chat with a board-certified provider via their smartphone, tablet or computer. Be sure to have your child check their benefits before scheduling an appointment.