Insurance for families

Nontraditional Premed Discussion
1

Hi All,


First post here and I have to say “thanks” for all the great info - very helpful!


I’m 32 and looking at being a Dr. as a second career (Mech. Engineer now).


I’ve done my due diligence by searching, but have not found anything on medical insurance for families while in school.

  1. Do med school student insurance programs offer the ability to cover your family too? If so, how much do they typically run (wife plus 3 kids)?

  2. If this is not viable, other options besides getting it through a spouse’s job? We would rather not have my wife work while I’m in school.


    Thanks in advance,


    Joe
2

It varies from school to school. Many schools offer some kind of insurance program, especially those affiliated with large universities. A great many of them also offer the option for family coverage. You’ll have to look at the cost/benefit, though. Some of my classmates found it to be cheaper to buy their own insurance for themselves and their families than to go through the school’s program.


Honestly, depending on your spouse job, the insurance coverage offered through a job might not be substantially cheaper than what you could get through your own, especially when you factor in the cost of having your wife work, daycare, etc.

3

Joe, I have my family on the plan offered by the school, and it is less expensive than the group plan I was on at work. It’s not quite as much coverage, and there are a handful of restrictions, but I have been satisfied so far.


You might look into whether or not your state offers a discounted purchase plan for modest-income families.