Health Insurance Between Medical School and Residency
Many new doctors assume coverage will simply carry over from med school to residency. Often it doesn't line up perfectly, and the gap is easy to miss until it's too late.
Why gaps happen
Your school plan may end when you graduate or when the plan year ends. Your residency benefits may not start until your first day, or later. If those dates don't touch, you could be uninsured for some stretch in between.
Employer waiting periods
Under federal law, an employer health plan can't make you wait longer than 90 days for coverage to begin. Many programs start sooner, but the exact date varies, so ask rather than assume.
What to ask
- On what exact date does my school plan end?
- On what exact date does my residency health coverage begin?
- Do I need to enroll in the residency plan by a deadline?
- If there's a gap, can I extend my school plan?
Your program's GME or HR office can answer the second and third questions. Your school's student health office can answer the first and last.
Ways to cover a gap
Depending on your dates and situation, you may have a few options, including extending your school plan if it allows, an individual plan, or a private plan with a start date that matches your needs. Each has tradeoffs in cost and what's covered. Kyle can lay them out side by side.
The key is to start early. Looking into it a month or two before graduation leaves you time to choose well.
