Overview

Staying healthy is important for all. However, illness and accidents can and do occur. Health insurance is an important safety net that provides financial protection should you need healthcare. In the United States, healthcare is not provided for everyone. Individuals are responsible for arranging their own coverage. Understanding how health insurance works and exploring your options can be confusing. In this section, we explain the basics of health insurance in the U.S., the Penn State requirements for health insurance coverage, and the advantages of the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) available to Penn State graduate students enrolled in 4 or more credits on all campuses with the exception of the World Campus.

Objectives

After completing this module, you will be able to:

Explain the basics of how health insurance works in the U.S.
Make an educated decision about your health insurance.
Meet the health insurance requirements for Penn State students.