Answered by Shan Tuesday Feb 3rd 2009

Well Collegemom,

After doing a little research I have come up with an option that might be of some use. But, before I give you the details of the possible solutions I have found, I want to say that you should discuss with your son’s college’s health department possible solutions. Colleges and Universities understand that students typically do not have a lot of money, so they will have put into place special measures to help students in need.

Now, that I have talked up the generosity of today's high-education institutions let me say this, many schools, while focused on education, are powered by the all-mighty dollar. This means that it may not be the cheapest option for healthcare, so you may need to look at some other options. The best one that I have found is a program that will help not only your soon, but also your husband. The federal government has put into place a safeguard for those individuals who will lose their insurance; this program is called the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA.

COBRA has been put in to place to aid individuals in need, which includes:

• You or someone in your family is voluntarily quitting a job.
• You or someone in your family is being involuntarily terminated from a job (for any reason except "gross misconduct".)
• You or someone in your family is experiencing a reduction in work hours.
• You or someone in your family is eligible for Medicare.
• You or someone in your family loses dependent child status.
• You have suffered the recent death of a family member.
• You are going through a divorce or legal marital separation.

Both of these options are viable solutions for individuals who are in the situation that you are in. The best advice for I have for you is research, research, research. Also, read this articleHealth Insurance For College Students and Recent Grads: A Look at Your Options- it contains a lot of information regarding the many health insurance options that are available for college students.