College and the "IBD Challenged" Student

Financial/Insurance

For college students, financial concerns and tight fund can be major issues, but for students with chronic illness, financial problems can be even bigger. Medications, doctor's appointments, and procedural costs can be very expensive and add up quickly, especially when dealing with a flare. It is not uncommon to find students without health insurance or short on financial support. Health insurance can be difficult to understand, but given the right information, a plan can be sorted out and some of your costs can start being covered. Getting a health insurance plan can be crucial when treating your disease. Because of the extreme expenses that can really add up, some students opt to not go to the doctor when they are having complications with their disease, which can be very dangerous. 

Here are some things to think about: 

•  - Stay on top of your treatment. This will prevent complications and further costs.
  
• - Check with the Student Health Services program at your college/university. Sometimes there are student health insurance plans offered through them.
  
• - Your parent or guardian's plan may cover you, at least until you are out of school. Check their policy for details about coverage. (This is usually the best way to go.)
  
• - Some student health policies only cover treatment within a certain distance from your school, so look into using "in-network" providers if that applies, so you will still be covered.
  
• - "Student" coverage usually means that only full time students are covered. Be sure to look into how many credit hours you will need to take.
  
• Look over the guidelines for pre-existing medical conditions. This will come into play with your IBD since, if you've had a gap in coverage, most insurance providers don't cover costs, or have limited coverage, for pre-existing conditions. (Important note: Don't let your medical insurance coverage lapse or you may have great difficulty finding an insurance carrier to cover any of your IBD related expenses in the future.)
• Research the insurance company you intend on going with so you don't end up spending more than you need to be spending, or should be spending.
  
• Don't be afraid to ask for help you figure out exactly what you need, or don't need.