Health Insurance for Young Adults

Used to be, once children left home they were on their own in terms of health insurance. That changed with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Now, as long as your health insurance provides coverage for dependents, your child can remain on your plan until the age of 26, no matter what.

Did he get married? No problem, still covered. Does she have a job that offers health benefits? Until she turns 26 she can opt to go with the new plan or your existing one, whichever offers the best coverage.

An Exception in Health Insurance for Young Adults

Despite health care reform, there are some exceptions to health coverage on a parent’s plan. Health insurance plans that existed before the ACA went into affect on March 23, 2010 are considered to be “grandfathered” and are not required to extend enrollment to young adult children.

What is Covered in Health Insurance for Young Adults

As it stands, health coverage for young adults 19 through 26 is the same as the parent’s plan. The new law also ensures that everyone on the plan can enjoy access to free preventive services such as vaccinations, blood pressure checks, cancer screenings, help with dieting as well as smoking cessation and care during pregnancy.

How to Choose Health Insurance for Young Adults

If your young adult child receives health benefits from an employer, the option of staying on your plan is still available. A comparison of plans will help decide which is best for the child.

Should he or she decide to not remain on your health insurance policy, choosing benefits within an employer-provided plan or independently will probably include deciding whether to go with a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) or a number of other options. For more information, see our EINSURANCE Journal article What You Should Know Before Picking A Health Plan.

After the age of 26, or if employer-provided insurance is not available, your child can find health insurance policies choices on the insurance Marketplace. Every state either has a separate Marketplace site or directs people to the federal Marketplace website. To learn more about choosing an ACA Marketplace plan, refer to How to Find the Most Affordable Health Insurance.

Ready to explore health coverage for young adults and compare quotes? Visit the EINSURANCE comprehensive health insurance information page.