University of Delaware student Michelle Rigney has stage-four malignant melanoma, and her biggest fear, next to dying, is losing her health insurance.
By federal law, students 19 to 24 are eligible to keep their parents’ health insurance only if they attend school full time, leaving a tough choice for those like Rigney.
If she stays in school, she may not be able to balance a full load of classes and the demands of treatment. If she’s too sick to go to school, she could lose her health insurance when she needs it most.