By Hector Flores
Ryan¹s father, Gregory, worried that he would have to pay his son¹s monthly health insurance premiums under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, which offers insurance policies to people without health care, but at high cost. If not, Ryan, no longer covered by his family¹s health insurance, would have no financial protection in the event of an emergency.
Now, however, the state will allow college students to be covered under their parents¹ health plans up to age 25, so students who decide to extend their college studies with internships or graduate school will have access to health care.
³We are already paying high college tuition costs,² Greg Blair said. ³To add [Ryan¹s] COBRA coverage on top of that would be another financial burden on our family. This new opportunity to obtain coverage with our insurance carrier gives us hope to better our son¹s well being and our finances.²
At a press conference at Hofstra University¹s Student Center on June 1, State Sen. Kemp Hannon, a Republican from Garden City who represents parts of East Meadow, unveiled the new program. Hannon explained that the law, which was passed along with the state budget, enables health insurance companies to cover children under their parents¹ policy six years beyond age 19, when, up to now, coverage would end for those who do not go to college, and two years beyond the cutoff age ‹ 23 ‹ for those who do.
Hannon acknowledged that the extension of health insurance benefits would be a great relief for many parents who have faced extremely high COBRA costs when their children reach the ages of ineligibility but are either still in school or searching for work. ³We have to be realistic,² Hannon said. ³With double and triple majors and five-year master¹s programs, many of our young people are not graduating college when they are 21 anymore. Burdening them and their families with COBRA costs is unfair.²
The senator added that under COBRA, the monthly premium for individuals with HMO coverage on Long Island can reach $946, and $1,559 for those with a point-of-service (non-HMO) plan.
Andrew Sykora, a 23 year-old student at Hofstra, said that he has had to take a full-time night job in order to pay for insurance coverage. ³Most young people feel they¹re invincible, and when they see the cost of health insurance, many would choose ‹ or be forced ‹ to go without it,² Sykora said. ³Providing increased access to affordable coverage would be one less thing hanging over the heads of busy young people who are focusing on finishing school, kicking off careers and starting their lives.²
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
