Getting your son or daughter ready to head off for college can be stressful, for both you and your child. The to-do list is long, and you cannot afford to forget anything that your college-bound student will need. But what about your child's healthcare while he or she is away from home? Making sure that your child has coverage for college student healthcare will be vital to your peace of mind, and to your child's well-being.

Effective in 2010, the new federal health reform law mandates that young adults be allowed to remain on their parents' health insurance plan through the age of 26. This means that if your son or daughter can be covered under your health insurance and is under 27 years old, coverage will most likely continue while he or she is away at college. However, you will need to make sure that coverage is available if your child is attending college in another state or foreign country. Many plans limit coverage in other states or countries to emergency services only. In addition, if you have a network plan, such as an HMO or PPO, you will also need to check out whether primary care physicians are available in the college's geographic area.

If your child cannot be enrolled under your health plan, you still have options for providing college student healthcare. Many colleges and universities have clinics that can provide basic medical services to students at little or no cost. Check with the college to determine the availability and extent of any student health services on campus. If some kind of clinic is available for basic needs, then you will only need to obtain a plan that would cover more serious illnesses or injuries. Catastrophic plans and plans with high deductibles are usually quite affordable because they only cover medical treatments that are unusually expensive. Under these plans, basic medical needs are paid out-of-pocket.

Before requesting a health insurance quote for your college-bound student, understand the type of coverage your child will need (for example, a full coverage plan versus a catastrophic plan). If you get quotes for both without understanding the difference, you will be comparing apples to oranges. As with any health insurance quote, price is important but should not be the only factor in making your decision. Does the plan meet all of my child's needs for college student healthcare? Can the plan be used in the college's geographic area? Will the plan cover my child if he or she goes on a trip during spring break? As much as price, these are also important considerations in deciding upon a college student health plan.