Blue Cross now offers uninsured recent grads and active young people simple, online health plans called TONIK . Tonik health plans were designed especially for active young people to offer inexpensive yet comprehensive health care coverage. Tonik plans feature low deductibles, prescription benefits and regular doctor visits at an affordable rate. Best of all Tonik Health Plans also include dental and vision benefits at one low price

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You can check out the tonik website and apply for a plan in minutes. There can be minimal to no paperwork and if approved, an applicant can select from dozens of custom-designed identification card.

Recent Graduates and Health Insurance
Most recent grads are just starting their careers and are less likely to have insurance sponsored by their employers. Nearly half of full-time workers aged 19 to 29 lack job-based health benefits. As a result, many young people go without it. There are currently an estimated 1.6 million uninsured 19- to 29-year-olds in California. The financial cost of a sports related injury or other unforeseen event can outweigh the physical. Consider the following: an ambulance ride to the hospital is $607; the average cost of a day in the hospital is $7,175; and knee surgery and care is estimated at $48,302. Blue Cross Tonik plans are very affordable. They range from $64 to $123 a month, depending upon the plan, the insured’s age and where they live.

Tonik health plans are a break through in health insurance.
In a unique approach to product development, Blue Cross engaged in a “reverse point-of-view” philosophy by examining the preferences and lifestyles of young adults who represent the largest portion of uninsured individuals. Blue Cross research indicates that they would be interested in health insurance, if it met their needs and was available at the right price. “The more research we did to understand this group, the more we became convinced that the ‘young invincibles’ were willing and ready to take responsibility for their own health care—if they found a plan that fit their needs,” said Deborah Lachman, senior vice president of Individual and Small Group Services for Blue Cross of California. Tonik will initially be available only in California and expects to roll out to Colorado in October of 2005.

Click here to learn more about tonik .