I finally got around to researching various health insurance options today, as in about a month I will loose coverage under my current plan due to my age. Fortunately, and unfortunately, my current income has made me eligible for a NYS-sponsored public assistance plan: [1] HealthyNY. This plan is actually administered by a variety of HMO's, including the one I am currently a part of, so I get to keep the same PCP… (Who I actually have an appointment with when I am home for summer break, as I have never actually been seen in the office, yet I still managed to have all my health care needs taken care of, including diagnostic imaging, specialist visits, and prescription medications… I guess the HMO finally figured out my end run around its gatekeeper, and is requiring me to actually be examined by my PCP.) Anyways, the HealthyNY plan costs about the same as the health insurance plan offered through the school, but has smaller co-pays. If for some reason I am denied for the HealthyNY, at least I'll have the school's plan to fall back on.

Reading through some of the limitations/exclusions of the plans was kind of funny though. I guess I would be screwed if Iraq really had WMD:

19. Nuclear, chemical or biological Contamination,whether direct or indirect. “Contamination” means the contamination or poisoning of people by nuclear and /or chemical and /or biological substances which cause Sickness and /or death;

Also good to know: I'll be covered if the plane I am riding on crashes:

28. Skydiving, parachuting, hang gliding, glider flying, parasailing, sail planing, bungee jumping, or flight in any kind of aircraft, except while riding as a passenger on a regularly scheduled flight of a commercial airline;

Good thing scuba diving isn't prohibited!

And this is interesting:

25. Routine physical examinations and routine testing; preventive testing or treatment; screening exams or testing in the absence of Injury or Sickness;

The professors that teach my public health classes keep saying that 70% of the major medical advancements of this century in reducing mortality were preventative measures. Seems kind of backwards to refuse to pay for cheap prevention now, instead of costly treatment later… But I am no economist!