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Sorry kids, checking out WebMD just ain’t gonna cut it. Here’s our consultation: Check out these simple steps to getting proper medical coverage. But please, don’t call us in the morning -- we had a late night.

Club Swine And Your Health Care

By Stuart Schultz
9/15/09
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I remember the good old days of freshman year: parties on frat row and in college town, pursuing the highest level of academic achievements late night in the stacks, and the all-you-can-eat cafeteria buffets. It was new

Making the Most of a Trip Back Home

By Lauren Gerber
8/28/09
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We all love the trip home. Back to the over-comforted bed; our favorite family pet; long, huge meals; and our parents’ personal TLC fit for an 8-year-old (we love dearly, even if we are almost a quarter of a century years old). But some of us might not be getting as much bang out of our trip home as we could. After all, why leave all of the perks at the door?

Considering Short-Term Health Insurance

By Christopher Schonberger
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Quick Tips

  1. You need insurance – Just because you’re unemployed or between jobs doesn’t mean you should roll the dice.
  2. It’s like 911 – For emergencies only, in other words. Short-term health insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions or preventative care, but it will cover when, all of a sudden, you have an accident and a $500,000 hospital bill.
  3. “Credible coverage” – If you have a lapse in health care coverage of over 63 days, you’ll have a trickier time getting long-term health care when it becomes feasible. Make sure the short-term plan you choose is recognized as “credible coverage.”
  4. Beware of non-participating states – Short-term health care is not available in NY, NJ, CT, MA, VT, and HI. However, you can carry short-term policies from other states into these ones.
  5. What about COBRA? – If you've been laid off or left your job, you're entitled to continue receiving the same health benefits you did as an employee for 18-36 months, but at your own expense. It's more expensive, but useful if you get a lot of prescription drugs, visit the doctor often for a pre-existing condition, etc.

Here's a common recent grad dilemma: you know that health insurance is theoretically important, but you don't have a job yet or you're about to take a little time off before switching to a new one. Yes, you could try throwing away all sharp objects and locking yourself away in a room, but

How Viable Is DIY Insurance?

By Christopher Schonberger
3/03/09
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We've all used WebMD to self-diagnose ourselves (and then subsequently convince ourselves we had Parkinson's). We've all taken echinacea tablets and believed that maybe we'd never get sick again (at least until the next time we got sick)

Understanding Life Insurance

By Joan Mitchell
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When your employer breaks out the big box o’ benefits, you may be surprised to see that life insurance is on the table. If you’re like me, you probably thought that life insurance was only for wealthy fat cats and rednecks who want to fake their own death, collect on their policy, and escape to Mexico with their wife (who’s also their aunt). But while the vast majority of recent grads might think that they don’t need a life insurance policy, it’s not a completely cut-and-dry issue.

Choosing a Great Dentist

By Karen Keller
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Dental dilemmas aren’t usually the stuff of existential crises—that is, until you feel a shooting pain from a tooth or gum area and think you're going to die…and then you remember that the family dentist is back with

Video: Getting Insurance and Building Credit

By Gradspot Dot Com
9/15/08
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Rachel Solomon is the personal finance maven behind a number of articles on Gradspot.com, and she’s recently begun producing a series of money-related videos for SmartMoney geared specifically toward issues affecting recent grads.

Getting Healthcare Without a Job

By Theodore Bressman
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Quick Tips
  1. Don't test fate – Although there are many options for health insurance, not having it is not an option.
  2. Talk to the folks – They might be able to hook you up with the family healthcare plan until you can get your feet on the ground.
  3. On your own – If you're a freelancer, join the Freelancers Union to get health insurance at low rates. Short term insurance might also be an option if you don't have a history of medical problems.
  4. For the long haul – If you don't foresee health benefits in the next year, you should consider covering yourself for the long-term. Also, a Medical Savings Account will give you the opportunity to recoup money if you don't cover the deductible.
  5. Find your match – As with any insurance plan, choose one that suits you best. Think about if having the flexibility to move freely between doctors is important to you.

Many recent grads who freelance, work for start-ups, or spend their days playing backgammon and other games of leisure do not have health insurance. In fact, a quarter of all Americans in their 20s live without medical insurance of any kind. Hospitals don't

The Grad Olympics

By Christopher Schonberger
8/12/08
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Are you amped that the Olympics are finally here? Yeah, me too—no matter how hard

Finding a Great Doctor

By Julie Fishman
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Quick Tips

  1. Finding doctors – Call your insurance provider and ask for the list of participating doctors in your area (most providers will also have this info listed online). You can also find doctors by visiting The American Medical Association or WebMD. Local publications like New York Magazine and Philadelphia Magazine provide annual rankings. Asking friends and colleagues for recommendations is also helpful.
  2. Research – Once you find a docs, do some due diligence: Where did they graduate from? What specialties does they focus on? Are affiliated with any hospitals/schools. Also, be sure to check if they’ve had any disciplinary action by checking your state board of medicine.
  3. Quality of service – Don’t accept anything more than a one to four week wait for an appointment. In addition, any doctor your see shouldn’t treat more than 3-5 patients per hour. Finally, find out how after-hours calls are handled.
  4. Insurance – Unless you have cash to burn, double check that the doctor takes your insurance, especially if you moved to a new state. All listing services should include the insurance plans each doctor takes.
  5. Get comfortable – If after visiting a doctor for the first time you just don’t think they’re the one, move onto another. There’s no contract to stay.

When you move to a new city and no longer get to visit the same doctor who knew you since your "hairless" days, it can feel pretty daunting to find a new physician...let alone a dermatologist for your newly developed eczema and a physical therapist for your ultimate frisbee injury.

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