Health Insurance Arkansas AK

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Reader’s Question:

I need to purchase a private health insurance for my 22 year old son who is already in college. We are from Arkansas. What should I purchase if I want a plan with a choice of doctors which also reimburses for medical care in other states? Should I pick the university health insurance instead?

Brooke

Jonesboro, AR

 

Hello Brooke!

I remember being on the same boat in the past when our son, Dilan, was still in college, too in Arkansas. Back then, Dilan was covered both through college health insurance (HMO style, which was expensive and convenient with an on-campus clinic) and through our own family’s health insurance policy. Since Dilan was very actively participating in sports programs, he had 2 episodes of memory lapse, black out, and difficulty in breathing. He had to go to the on-campus clinic and was found out that he had no problem at all (he was already in a non-stress physical condition at the time of the checkup). He was told he probably just hyperventilating (too much oxygen) and that he had to wear a mask during his strenuous physical activities to keep his oxygen level from going too high. The coach however, decided he should see a “real doctor”,

Now since the college medical insurance plan was an HMO style, he had to get referral to see a skilled practitioner in sports medicine. My husband and I had to intervene from a distance to help through the appeal such that my son would get the medical attention by an expert, which I think he already needed at that time.

I finally decided we use our family’s health insurance. By doing that, my son was immediately attended by a sports medicine specialist. It was a great sports medicine facility with renowned sports medicine staff. The cause of his problem was quickly determined, which tuned out to be a defect in his heart resulting to his referral to a cardiologist.
Lesson learned? HMO structure can sometimes be cumbersome in emergency situations. Individual health insurance policies are still almost always better.