Needs some clarification on health insurance

[RESmonkey]

I'm a student at a university which requires some form of health insurance. I am paying for their student insurance plan, which says it covers you worldwide. But everytime I've gone to my local doctor's office (same state as university) and given the student insurance info, I get a letter in the mail eventually saying what Student Health Insurance was charged, and it's equal to the deductible, always!

I don't understand it. Why am I paying out of pocket?

 

[spidey07]

Because you have to pay something, it's not free.

 

[TuxDave]

You pay to cover yourself for catastrophic problems.

 

[Gooberlx2]

You'd have to post details about your student insurance. Most plans will have some form of co-payment. Then often you pay a portion of your treatments (or 100%...depends on the service) until you reach your plan deductible...then you pay a co-insurance until you reach an annual maximum out-of-pocket. After that you pay nothing.

...or your plan could be entirely co-insurance or something.

 

[RESmonkey]

Hmm, guess I should fall sick less often.

 

[FoBoT]

that is how insurance works, you pay the premium and you pay the bill
welcome to grown up world

 

[Gunslinger08]

Health insurance companies make money/cut expenses in 3 ways:
1. You pay premiums
2. You pay co-pays/deductibles
3. They negotiate a lower rate with health care providers

 

[spidey07]

Most student plans are there to insure huge medical bills. Otherwise you are going to pay for a sniffles nose.

 

[Muse]

Damn, when I was an undergrad I just went into the university's on campus hospital and got treated. Didn't have to pay a cent. Times have changed.
- - - -
Happiness is the harvest of a quiet eye.

 

[spidey07]

Damn, when I was an undergrad I just went into the university's on campus hospital and got treated. Didn't have to pay a cent. Times have changed.
- - - -
Happiness is the harvest of a quiet eye.

That's because you were still on mommy and daddys insurance.

 

[grohl]

use condoms = go to the health center less

 

[Bignate603]

Are you sure you're just not paying the deductible and they're paying the rest?

Also, they probably picked the deductible amount to be the rate they negotiated for normal office visits. If that's true just be glad you've got them negotiating a rate, otherwise the amount you'd be paying would be much higher.