July 7, 2011


Our guest asks:

My student health insurance ends in August. I am a substitute teacher in New York and wonder what are my options for health care. Please let me know what i will qualify for. I am a male non-smoker in good shape with no medical problems.

OnlineAdviser responds:

Since the individual health insurance choices are so limited and the rates so high within New York state, perhaps you might consider enrolling for health insurance while travelling outside of New York state this summer. Many parts of the state are dominated by a single insurer and you have already ruled out that option. You may already be aware that there is no competitive health insurance exchange market within New York and little direction we can offer.

Some states allow residents to enroll in insurance available in other states but New York does not; you actually have to be physically staying outside the state on a least a temporary basis to legally enroll in any of the nation’s most affordable individual health insurance plans. We've heard about medical tourism where individuals travel to obtain medical care in areas where it is more affordable. In New York and a few other states we now see the growing trend of medical insurance tourism where residents travel outside the state to obtain more affordable coverage.

All health insurance plans listed on the various insurance exchanges throughout the U.S. provide coverage in all states, regardless of where you may reside or travel. Since we anticipate both state and federal insurance options will change by 2014, you should only consider the need for coverage for the next 28 months.

In your situation, two consecutive 12 month short term major medical policies may provide most of the solution. This is the most popular option nationally for those who need to buy their own coverage after leaving a student health plan.

Otherwise, New York residents typically use the “old fashioned” approach of responding to local health plan advertising or perhaps use the state insurance exchange consumer information at http://www.ins.state.ny.us/chealth.htm. 

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