Typically, people are covered under their parents' health insurance plans until they are 18 or until they move out of the home. There are gray areas, however, such as in the case of divorced parents or if a student goes away to a university or college. Finding a health provider can be a challenge for students that are just starting out and do not have a great deal of money to spend. But not having a health provider can be disastrous if a medical emergency occurs that requires extensive intervention or happens far from a family home. While they may not be as obvious as those for the typical American family, there are several ways that students can access reasonable health plans during their time away.

The first option open to students is to remain under their parents' plan, even if they are out of state or living in a dormitory. This is not always a choice; it will depend on the type of policy that a family has as well as the coverage that they have purchased. Some policies will simply cover a student by virtue of family relation and age, while others will provide options for adding student coverage onto a plan. In many cases, this coverage only provides for medical emergencies and necessities, especially if the care network used by parents is not available in the state or city where a student lives. Specialist care or referrals are typically not covered outside of the plan area, but may still be offered if the student is able to make the trip home.

Another option for students is to enroll in a university or college health plan. Many schools have medical facilities or teaching hospitals on campus, which allows them to provide easily accessible medical care. These schools will often team up with large insurance providers to offer affordable rates for students living on campus who are going to use campus medical services. Coverage offered under such plans is basic and is geared more toward making sure no serious illness or injury is allowed to persist, rather than covering for things such as ongoing care or specialist referrals. School plans have the benefit of being cost-effective, but are of no use once a student leaves school or often if he or she leaves campus for a long period of time.

Although health insurance plans are more difficult to locate for students, that does not mean that no options are available. Either using a family's current plan or accessing a plan sponsored by the school itself can give students access to the kind of care they need at a price that they can afford during their time on campus.