Parents of college students know, or will soon discover, that the “adult-looking” person that they sent away to school doesn’t always make the most grown-up decisions. So, while visions of empty nests aren’t too far from your grasp, your parenting responsibilities haven’t quite ended either!

In order to make those tuition dollars pay off best, keeping students in good health is as important an aspect of college life as any. And, many college students don’t take their health as seriously as they should. Late nights and active lifestyles make illness and injury even more likely for these young people who often gamble that they won’t need health insurance (about 30 percent of them to be exact).

For many parents, this isn’t going to be difficult. Most group health plans allow children to remain covered under their parent’s insurance until the age of 23, or even 25 for some, if the child remains a full-time student. If this is not the case for you, or if you find yourself between insurance coverage, there are other options. Just know that if you don’t lead on this issue, the temptation for most young people is to ignore their need for health coverage, risking huge debt and health issues just when they are getting started in life.