Carefully review any student health insurance plan you consider

Providing health services for Cornell students is an ongoing adventure for all of us who work at Gannett. We love being around the energy and promise of students and supporting their goals and dreams. Unfortunately, we also have first hand knowledge of what can happen when unexpected health problems jeopardize a family’s personal and financial investment in their student’s academic success. We assembled a panel of experienced medical and mental health staff to discuss how the choice of health insurance directly affects student life and family finances, and what parents of new college students can learn from the experiences of others. 

Our staff share stories of lessons learned the hard way

	Stephen Hughes, MD, Associate Director for Medical Services: I think it’s important to start by saying that Cornell students tend to be a healthy group, and we really enjoy working with them to keep them that way. It’s also very rewarding to help students manage chronic illnesses or physical limitations so they can keep working toward their goals and get the most out of their Cornell experience. But, every year we work with students who encounter health challenges that they (and their parents) never anticipated, and we notice a big difference in how their health insurance does or does not support their recovery.
	Nianne VanFleet, RN, MS, Associate Director for Nursing and Clinical Support, Patient Advocate: I’ve lost track of the number of parents who have said to me, “tell our story to other parents so they will understand what to look for in choosing insurance for their kids.” Here’s a classic: A student with a respiratory infection came to Gannett. That was the right thing to do, because she could easily get a same day appointment and stop by between classes. She was pretty sick and needed an x-ray, lab work, and a couple of prescriptions. However, because Gannett was not an “in-network provider” for her insurance plan and her illness did not constitute an “emergency,” her insurance would not pay for those charges. Some students in her situation might be in a position to absorb those costs. In her case, money was tight, so she chose to delay treatment until she could see a doctor in her hometown (4 hours away) and ended up missing many days of classes. Take home message for parents: make sure any plan you consider provides coverage for illnesses that should be relatively minor inconveniences, but can become serious disruptions in the life of a student if not treated promptly.
	Dr. Hughes: I know of a similar situation involving a student who injured his knee skiing near Ithaca. His mother’s insurance provided “emergency only” coverage in Ithaca. All ongoing care had to be provided by an “in network” orthopedist, the closest one located 50 miles from Ithaca. This required expensive cab rides and several hours away from classes for every appointment. Following surgery at home over break, his plan did not cover any of the costs of follow-up care in Ithaca. It’s now a requirement that all students have insurance that provides coverage in the Ithaca area for medical care, not just emergency services. But parents still need to be careful: what’s considered “medically necessary” care often differs greatly from plan to plan.
	Greg Eells, PhD, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): As a parent, I know how hard it is to imagine that my child might have or develop a mental health problem. But it’s not as uncommon as you might think. About 2,800 students come to CAPS for counseling each year. We’re able to meet most of their needs with short-term, on-campus appointments; but some conditions (like a serious eating disorder, substance abuse problem, or mental illness) require more intensive services. I still think about a student who developed a mental health condition during her junior year that required brief inpatient treatment. Her father’s insurance had minimal coverage for inpatient care that did little to help with hospital costs of $20,000.I always tell parents: make sure your student has insurance that provides good inpatient as well as outpatient mental health coverage, a prescription plan, and coverage during any leave of absence. (About 125 Cornell students took medical leaves last year.)
	Valerie Lyon, MHA, Associate Director for Business and Finance, Patient Advocate: Many of the situations that come to me involve students who are away from campus for research, study, or vacation. A student, injured in a motor vehicle accident in Africa, had to be airlifted to a hospital in New York City to get appropriate treatment. The cost of the airlift alone was $24,000. Fortunately, she was on the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) which offers unlimited medical evacuation coverage. Another student was injured on spring break in Mexico. His health insurance provided very limited coverage outside the US, so he had to cover most of the costs of care. Cornell students tend to be very mobile and need to invest in health insurance that provides coverage anywhere they might travel.
	Dr. Hughes: One of the best outcomes of a bad situation was the student who was diagnosed with cancer during his second year at Cornell. His health insurance had a high maximum ($1 million), which covered his very expensive acute care, as well as follow-up care right here in Ithaca. He and his family have appreciated the fact that he was able to focus on getting well while continuing his studies, without having to worry about how to pay medical bills on top of tuition. The flip-side of this is the story of the student who was referred to a community provider for cardiology tests. Because the provider requested payment at time of service, and she could not afford the out-of-pocket cost, she decided not to go. Be sure your student’s plan has a manageable out-of-pocket expense at time of service.
	Dr. Eells: Confidentiality is a huge concern for many of our students and a delicate issue for parents who may be accustomed to knowing every detail about their child’s health. You understand that it is one of their developmental tasks to learn about autonomy and privacy; you also want them to be able to turn to you for support and care. Unfortunately, we are aware of many students who choose to forego certain kinds of health care because they don’t want their parents to learn about it when the “Explanation of Benefits” form arrives in the mail. Students who are on the SHIP don’t have this problem, because it is their insurance.  If your student is on your health insurance plan, talk with them about your concerns for their health and privacy.
	Ms. VanFleet: No one wants to think about what might go wrong when a young person is on the brink of such wonderful opportunities. But as I told my daughter when she left for college, “that’s what insurance is all about. We hope for the best, but we plan for the unexpected so that, whatever comes along, it doesn’t disrupt our lives any more than necessary.”

Here at Gannett, we often rely on parents and guardians to be our partners in reducing barriers to students seeking medical and mental health care so they can get the care they need, when and where they need it. Having adequate health insurance is key to protecting them from the moment students set foot on campus to the time they leave for their next big adventure.