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How do I get secondary health insurance?

I'm a full time graduate student currently receiving health insurance through my parents. However, my coverage sucks and I would like to purchase secondary insurance. I looked through all the different plans on einsurance.com (united, humana atena, etc), but when I called they told me that I can't purchase it when I already have insurance. I did some searches for secondary health insurance, but I can't find companies specifically for secondary insurance. It seems that I should be able to purchase any type of insurance I want and that the secondary company should pick up some of what my primary doesn't. Right? Yes, I know. I want to purchase an individual policy to use as supplemental. I was told that I can't buy supplemental when I called einsurance. I don't understand why they cannot let me buy an individual policy to use supplemental to my primary insurance. Know what I mean?

Public Comments

1. "Secondary" insurance refers to a a situation where a person is covered under two insurances. In those cases, one is deemed primary payer and the other secondary. If you purchase a policy in your own name, that one will become your primary and your coverage under your parent's policy will become secondary to it. You can't purchase a "secondary" policy.
2. Well, you CAN buy a secondary policy, but it's NOT going to pick up copays and deductibles, which is what you're probably hoping it's going to do. What it will do, is become your primary policy, because any policy in YOUR name, covers you first - the other policy is in your PARENTS name, so will become secondary. THEN, both companies get to decline your claim, saying the other guy should pay it, and you get left with an ugly mess on your hands that YOU have to straighten out, while the bills go to collections and ruin your credit.
3. There are multiple reasons why this is not going to work for you: 1) Before trying to buy your own policy, you might want to find out whether it will get you kicked off your parents' policy. Its very possible that if you get a policy in your own name, then you will no longer be eligible as a dependent on your parents policy. (Because being an adult with coverage under your own name, you'd no longer be considered as a "dependent" as defined on your parents policy.) The first thing I would do is look at the eligibility criteria for your parents policy and read what it says regarding dependent children over the age of 19. If getting a policy in your own name means that you'll get kicked off your parents policy, then you'll have to decide whether its worth it to you. 2) A policy that you purchased for yourself would not be a secondary policy - it would be your primary policy, and your parents' would become secondary. (If you were allowed to stay on your parents policy.) You don't get to decide which policy is primary and which one is secondary - it goes according to industry standard Coordination of Benefit rules. One of the first rules is that a policy in your own name is primary over a policy you're a dependent on. 3) Having 2 health insurance policies doesn't mean that you won't end up having bills to pay. You'll still have the potential of deductibles, copays, coinsurance, non-covered items, etc. even with more than one insurance. *And* you'll be paying premiums for the second policy. When a person has the opportunity to enroll in 2 policies, the first thing they need to do is figure out whether whatever the 2nd policy will pay out will be worth paying the premiums on the other policy. Quite frankly, I'd be surprised if the payout for any private policy you purchased yourself would exceed what you were putting in for premiums...especially if you already have group insurance through your parents.
4. Try applying for state medical assistance (known as Medicaid in some states) if you are 18 or older and feel your income is below-average. It's worth a try if you are having trouble paying your medical bills. Medicaid is a last-resort payer so they will automatically become your 2ndary health insurance *if* you are eligible. You must meet certain income & asset qualifications to become eligible for Medicaid, depending on what state you live in. Call your local Department of Social Services/ Department of Health & Human Services/etc. to inquire about applying for single-person medical assistance.