Insurance can be a major expense for Montana college and university students and there are more coverage options than ever before. Learn about your student health insurance options below and reach out to an enrollment assister if you have questions.

Parent’s Coverage

Private coverage:
With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, young adults can stay on their parent’s health insurance plan until they turn 26. These are usually employer sponsored insurance plans and probably meet the Montana University System requirement to have health insurance coverage.

As with any health insurance coverage, check your local in-network providers so you know where to access care. If you get care from an out-of-network provider, clinic, or hospital it will be more expense. To check your network, visit your insurer’s website and search for hospitals, clinics, and providers who are in-network with your specific plan.

Public coverage:
If you are on your parent’s plan and are covered through Medicaid in another state, that coverage probably doesn’t meet the MUS coverage requirement because of the limited network of most Medicaid programs when utilized out-of-state. However, you may qualify for Montana Medicaid, the Health Insurance Marketplace plan, or the MUS student plan.

Montana Medicaid

Medicaid eligibility: Montana Medicaid is a free or low-cost public health insurance plan for Montanans who meet the eligibility requirements. Medicaid provides comprehensive coverage. Learn more about Medicaid plan benefits. To qualify for Montana Medicaid:

NOTE on Montana University System students and Montana Medicaid: Anyone who qualifies for Montana Medicaid is required to tell Medicaid if they have another offer of health insurance coverage through an employer, spouse, parents, including the MUS student plan. For anyone with an offer of coverage, Medicaid will ask you a series of questions about your health and health needs and will determine whether it is more cost-effective to buy you into your offer of coverage instead of Medicaid. This assessment of cost effectiveness is done through the Montana Health Insurance Premium Payment Program (HIPP) and is required by federal law. If the HIPP program buys you into your offer of coverage, you will be also covered by Medicaid as a secondary insurance and will have two insurance cards. Information about the HIPP Program are included in your paperwork when you are approved for Medicaid.

Health Insurance Marketplace or Healthcare.gov plans

If you are above income eligibility for Medicaid, you may be eligible to enroll in a plan on the Health Insurance Marketplace. Most Montanans qualify for financial help to make your monthly premium more affordable and many are eligible for reduced out-of-pocket costs. The lower your income, the greater financial benefit you may qualify for. See what you qualify for on Cover Montana’s eligibility calculator.

Your family size is based on your tax household and your household income includes everyone in your tax household. The Healthcare.gov application asks for your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) for the coming year. The Marketplace asks you to project your yearly income and this is a helpful income worksheet.

Health Insurance Marketplace plans provide comprehensive coverage and cover the 10 essential health benefits. Marketplace plans all have different provider networks, but all network meet network adequacy requirements. Each plan has different premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. Enroll: Montana Health Insurance Marketplace plans are sold on Healthcare.gov. However, the Healthcare.gov application will also screen you for Medicaid eligibility.

Montana University System (MUS) Student Health Plan

Students taking more than six credits are eligible for the MUS student health insurance plan administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana. This is a comprehensive private health insurance plan that exceeds a gold-level plan sold on the Health Insurance Marketplace. You can learn more about the plan here. You can also review the full Summary of Benefits and Coverage for the student plan.

The student coverage is offered by semester and premiums are for the full semester. Students opt into the student plan through their normal registration for classes. Students have until the 15th day of classes to waive or cancel coverage for the semester.

The current cost of coverage on the MUS student plan is $385 per month.
Spring 2021 semester premiums:

Note: Enrollment assisters are not able to help students enroll in the MUS plan, but they can help you compare your coverage options. Contact the student insurance representative at your college to ask questions about the MUS student plan.

Native American Students

Native American students who are eligible for Indian Health Services, Tribal Health, or Urban Indian Health programs are considered covered, but may be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Marketplace in addition to their access to IHS, Tribal Health, or an Urban Indian Health Program.


Connecting Montanans to health insurance coverage

Not sure if you qualify? We can help!

There is free, local help available across Montana. You can call the Cover Montana Help Line to get questions answered and to get help enrolling over the phone: (844) 682-6837. Or click any of the links below for more help. Whether you need phone, virtual, or in-person help, we’ve got you covered!

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With just some basic information, the calculator estimates what you qualify for including Medicaid, Healthy Montana Kids, and the Marketplace.

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