Looking for a job isn't the only concern University of Memphisgraduates will have this summer because gaining a college degreeoften means losing health insurance.
After being dropped from their parents' health and carinsurance, most college-aged adults don't get their own policiesuntil they're offered one through an employer, according tostatistics from the United States Census Department.
"One of the problems we are seeing in the health care industryis the number of young, well-educated people who are uninsured,"said Bill Stevenson, spokesman for BlueCross BlueShield ofTennessee. "College students think they are invincible."
Paul Lynch, freshman biology major, said he wouldn't be able toget coverage if he didn't find a job with health and life insurancebenefits after graduation.
"I don't think I'll have (insurance coverage) if it I don't geta job," Lynch said.
Lynch has two more years before he is kicked off his parents'heath insurance policy, but when he is, he will likely use ahospital's emergency room before he goes to a family doctor.
"It's just so expensive," he said.
However, experts say using emergency room services instead ofregular doctors' visits is the most expensive way to obtain medicalcare.
"This is a very expensive way to go about getting medicaltreatment," Stevenson said, adding that emergency room care is notthe best method to maintain good health care.
While federal laws prohibit emergency rooms from turning awaypatients, the service is not free, and hospitals can go as far asgarnishing a patient's wages to recoup unpaid fees.
"The cost of going to a family doctor can sometimes be much lessthan the emergency room visit, even without health insurance,"Stevenson said.
There are other ways students can reduce the cost of automobileand health insurance, according to the United States Department ofHealth and Human Services. Insurance costs can be reduced if astudent has maintained continuous coverage, has a good drivingrecord and lives in a ZIP code with a low crime rate.
For example, an average rate for a typical first-timepolicyholder would be $453. If that same student had a grade pointaverage of 3.0 or higher, the insurance premium would be $387 andwould drop after six month of coverage, according to GEICO DirectInsurance.
Students can end up paying more because the insurance agent doesnot ask the right questions and young college students don't knowwhat to ask, said Rich Miller, agency owner of Nationwide Insuranceand Financial Services.
Insurance companies have designed policies that are cheaper thantraditional policies but still cover everything from minoraccidents to major catastrophes. These cheaper policies, Stevensonsaid, will usually cover only the most expensive and rarestcatastrophes.
But for students who are able to find a job that offers healthinsurance, this option is usually the cheapest, said Karen Hayes,director of U of M Career and Employment Services.
"Most companies offer cheaper rates than an individual couldget," said Hayes. Usually companies either ask employees to pay apremium for health insurance or it is included as part of theirpay, depending on the size of the company, she said.
