health insurance

I'm not sure what to do. I'm a healthy 25 year old grad student. Until I was 23 I was covered by my step-father's work plan and by my father's military benefits.

For the past two years I have been uncovered and I have no insurance. Since I am healthy, at the moment, this isn't a real problem, but I would like to get some coverage.

My problem is that I can't afford to pay for health insurance. I have quotes from companies give me amounts anywhere from 400 a month to a 1,000. I am unemployed, a full-time grad student, and I have student loans up the wahzoo. I just don't have the money to pay for the insurance and the quality of what they are willing to give me is subpar at best.

I am not pregnant, have no kids, and I'm not working so I can't qualify for my state, Texas, women's health plan. I have no major medical expenses so I don't qualify for medicaid or is it medicare (gets the two programs confused).

There are no free-clinics so I can't get any basic tests, such as physicals and what not done.

The only option that I and my folks see is trying to make some kind of payment arrangement with a local doctor and dentist (I need a crown to be replaced, a tooth to be pulled, and some fillings). Other than that, I see no option to be able to get medical coverage.

Do you have any suggestions?

[MysteryPrognosis]

You are looking in the wrong places. If you are as healthy as you say, and have had no serious past medical problems or preexisting conditions....

You should be able to get a very good policy from HumanaOne or a couple other companies.

Check out http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/

You should be able to find some quotes for around $60-$100 per month.


Also, you say you are a full-time grad student. Almost every university offers SHIP, Student Health Insurance Plan. It is a group policy, because it is a group of students and therefore tends to be pretty good. Check to see if your university offers that.