May 2005. This date has various implications for graduating Tufts seniors. No more pulling all-nighters in Tisch and more importantly, no coverage under parents' health plans.
For most health insurance plans, students are no longer covered on their parents' plans after the termination of their full-time education. Although the realization of being responsible for the maintenance of their own health is frightening to seniors, the actual effort of finding a career after graduation which offers full health as a benefit is too time-consuming and painstaking for many.
"It's scary to think that I won't be on my parents' plan when I graduate, but I'm more concerned with having any job as opposed to a job necessarily with health care," senior Leigh Bernstein said.
For many seniors who know they won't attend graduate school in the fall, finding employment after graduation is a top priority. Salaries and the extent of employment benefits measure in as determining factors in the job search.
"Salaries and benefits as a whole, not just health insurance, are important to me," senior Andrea Frydl said
Director of Career Services Jean Papalia agreed. "It's rare that a student asks about health insurance," Papalia said. "We encourage students to look at the overall compensation package, not just the salary. Although most full time professional positions offer attractive health insurance benefits, it shouldn't be assumed that this is the case when considering offers."
Many students are unaware of the actual costs and procedures involved in receiving medical treatment outside of their parents' health insurance plans. As with other leading health care providers across the country, the insurance provider Tufts uses, Harvard Pilgrim, officially terminates coverage on Sept. 30 after receiving a member's student enrollment form saying he or she is no longer a full-time student.
Individuals in the Boston area can then sign onto a Cobra plan, a type of policy which retains many Boston employers. Through this plan, persons pay the costs of an individual plan based on the benefits given by their employers. Former students can also join Harvard Pilgrim non-group regional plans. These plans are based on the member's location to accessible Harvard Pilgrim facilities. The closer a person is to Boston, where new technology and the supply of doctors are abundant, the higher these treatment prices tend to be.
Youth and previous good health also can blind people to the immediate effects of having no health insurance. Although "it's definitely a concern" for senior Mike Doyle, "there will probably be a transition period or two where I will not be covered. Thankfully I don't have many regular health expenditures," he said.
According to a National Health Interview Survey, 31.5 percent of 18 to 24 year-olds are uninsured. Additionally, within the same age group, men were more likely than women to lack health insurance coverage.
Yet youth also makes finding adequate medical benefits much more difficult. Often not knowing the full potential of their new staff, employers are hesitant to present new workers with extensive benefits. "It's tough for employers too, if they're hiring people right out of college, often for a limited time or on a part-time basis, to offer health coverage," Doyle said.
In light of the current job market, this knowledge of cautious employers is nerve-racking to seniors dependent on health insurance. The use of specialists makes continuing treatment both necessary and costly. Nonetheless, the abundance of low-paying jobs in this economy greatly influences some decisions.
The scarcity of well-paying jobs also forces seniors to consider health care in broader terms. "Ideally I'd like to find a job that offers health coverage, but if I find a position that doesn't, but it looks like it will be a better stepping stone to where I want to go, I'd still take it," Doyle said.
As for students going on to graduate studies in September, continuing with their parents' health insurance is an added benefit. Many graduate programs, such as the medical school at the University of Connecticut, mandate that students utilize the school's own insurance. Yet many other universities do not offer health insurance coverage.
"If it weren't for being on my parents plan, my choices of medical programs would decrease," medical school-bound senior Alyssa Lillo said.
Despite the security of coverage in graduate school from their parents, upcoming employment is of chief concern to seniors.
Knowing that her peers, along with a growing number of Americans, are challenged by health insurance costs, Lillo is hopeful. "Because of the degree of public attention it receives, strides towards affordable health care are just around the corner," she said.
