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ATTLEBORO - For generations, teenagers have put aside money to buy a car or to go to college.

Now, add to that health insurance.

Susan Leahy, media relations senior director of corporate affairs for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, told a group of banking students recently that Massachusetts' mandatory health insurance law and rising medical costs make it a good idea for teens to start savings accounts for future health coverage.

Leahy, speaking to James Hawkins' banking class, said health coverage is now mandatory for Massachusetts residents 18 and older. College students covered by their parents' insurance may continue to qualify for coverage up to age 26, but others will have to plan to meet their share of health care either by purchasing their own plan or buying coverage through their employer.

Luckily, since teens and young adults tend to file fewer medical claims than older people, their premums are less - as little as $182 a month with no prescription coverage. Leahy, who appeared along with Blue Cross' William Rowbottom and Diane Morris, who deals with health insurance benefits at city hall, is one of several business speakers who have appeared before class members to discuss the basics of personal finance, Hawkins said.

The course is designed as a financial literacy primer for teens.

Leahy broke down the basics of health insurance for teens, including what's covered, what's not, and how much they can expect to pay.

Health insurance, she explained, is designed to minimize the costs of preventing or treating illness, including yearly checkups. Procedures that may not be medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery, or have not been proven safe and effective, aren't covered.

Policies frequently come with deductibles, meaning a minimum amount a patient must pay before insurance begins reimbursing them.

But coverage costs money, and costs have been escalating steadily.

Typical coverage for a 30-year-old costs between $3,000 and $6,000 yearly in premiums, not including co-payments or deductibles. Employers usually pay from 50 percent and 80 percent of a worker's insurance costs.

Still, that leaves an individual employee responsible for anywhere from $600 to $3,000 a year.

Health-care organizations such as Blue Cross work to hold back increases in health care costs by encouraging preventative care, reminding policy holders of healthy lifestyle choices and offering incentives for members to join health clubs.

It may seem there's little a person can do, Leahy told teens, but in reality healthy choices about diet, exercise and avoiding smoking can help a lot in decreasing outlays for medical care and prescriptions. They also can pay big dividends in better lives for consumers.

Of the three leading causes of death - cancer, heart disease and stroke - all are directly influenced by lifestyle choices, such as smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise, Leahy said.

RICK FOSTER can be reached at 508-236-0360 or at rfoster@thesunchronicle.com.