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Details on Health Care Law’s Under-26 Coverage Rules
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As you may recall, the health care bill that was recently signed into law included provisions for the extension of dependent health insurance to those under 26. Specifically – “Young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ health plans until the age of 26. Many health plans currently drop dependents from coverage when they turn 19 or finish college.”
This week the government released the details of how this would work.
Health Plans that cover Dependents: If your health care plan currently covers dependents, the rules takes effect on or after Sept. 23, 2010. The rule would now require that the policyholder’s children be covered until the age of 26 unless they have access to an employer-sponsored plan. If they were previously dropped, they can re-enroll as long as they don’t have access to an employer-sponsored plan. The child does not need to live with the parent and does not need to be claimed as a dependent on the parent’s tax return. If the health insurance plan’s open enrollment period isn’t in the fall, the plan must give dependents 30 days to decide whether or not to enroll.
So far, 65 insurance companies have allowed students graduating from college to remain on their parent’s plans. (you read this list on the 4th and 5th page of the White House release.
Health Plans that don’t cover Dependents: If your health care plan doesn’t cover dependents, then it won’t be required to cover children until Jan. 1, 2014, when a child can re-enroll if they do not have access to an employer sponsored plan. The rules are the same, the implementation date is just further out.
How much will it cost? “The health department estimated that the average cost to cover each new enrollee would be $3,380 in 2011, $3,500 in 2012 and $3,690 in 2013.” (from NYT)
The White House also shared some sobering statistics – 30% of young adults are uninsured, making it the largest percentage of any age group. They don’t share the source of this statistics but I remember, when looking for a job, that health insurance was the biggest concern. Before the recent law, I wouldn’t have health insurance under my parents once I graduated. I didn’t know how much it cost on the private market and I was fortunate not to have any pre-existing conditions, but the prospect of being uninsured was a little daunting. It’s like being on a ship without having a life preserve under your seat, 99.99999% of the time you’re fine, but that slim chance of disaster is still scary.
(Photo: lenifuzhead)
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I love my children But I DO NOT want to pay their insurance till they are 26…
In my eyes at 18 you are a LEGAL adult and you can get your ass out there and get a job and get your own insurance and not suck off your parents forever.!!
I’m middle aged and the problem with this is , If I pay my childs insurance till they are 26 , I’ll be past retirement and stil paying thier insurance …Thats a crock of SHIT!
That’s 10 More years .. I will be retired and still paying my childs insurance .
Sweet justice if my children have their own children at 30, you’ll be almost 60 when they come off..So the ball and chain is on you too..
So have fun with that idea…!
This sure does help me and my wife out. Both of our children will graduate college this Spring. The way the job market is this day and time for college grads, I’m thankful that I’m still able to provide some protection for our children with their Health Care.
If there is somthing I can do for my kids in order to help them out, I will till the day I die.
Please help your children, sounds like you do not beleive in paying for your childrens college or health insurance after they turn 18.Unless they join millitary, what future do they have.These days it’s much tuffer then when you were 18.It does not cost much more to have dependants on your policy, but if they go on there own to buy coverage it is very expensive. Help them to get a good start in life, you don’t want them to be a taxpayers burden or be working poor for the rest of there life.
That’s the problem these days. Everyone is giving their children so much “help” that they don;t knwo how to stand on their own two feet anymnore. It isn’t that much harder now then it was then. In fact right now it is easier to get a job as a fresh graduate becuase companies like hiring young workers for lower wages and less benefits and the kids don;t knwo the difference. My point is they can get a job and htey can pay their way. Do I beleive in helping my kids. Absolutely, but I use the true sense of the word. I help them, I dont; allow them to stay in my house and eat my food for free while they sit and play video games all day and don;t work becuase “It’s so hard these days”. It’s an excuse and the problem is too many parents are not helping their kids at all by allowing their children to take advantage of them. Remember, the baby bird has to be ready to fly before Mom kicks them out of the nest. BUT, you know what? That baby bird will NEVER leave it’s nest on it’s own. No one WANTS to work or be responsible, it’s just something that we have to do and I think there are too many parents out there that are not preparing their children well enough and making them be responsible for themselves so that they CAN lead a succesful and fullfilling life.
Well maybe you should have your children pay the insurance but keep them on yours so its available. If you have to get health insurance not through a job its very expensive and the deductables are extremely high.
This really shows your ignorance. Its so hard for young adult to receive health insurance. And some jobs, EXSPECIAL PART-TIME JOBS, dont offer employees insurance. And besides you cant even really get a great job or a good enough job with benefits until you graduate from College and then you child would be atleast 21. I was diagnosed with cancer at 20 and without my mothers insurance i wouldnt have gotten any help. i probable would be dead now. so stop being so selfish and help you children out. you had them so your a parent for the rest of you life who cares if your retired. i bet when your in need they want say your retired dad. you dont need my help.
Have a blessed day!!!!!
really? ha ha that is crazy. Wait until you have children and they have grown up and are 18. then you can have a conversation about this topic and know what you are talking about. You are right I will always be a parent, BUT I am only financially responsible for my kids until they are 18. After that they need to stand on their own two feet. That’s what I had to do and that’s what I did. No reason why they can;t. The jobs are there, if you look hard enough. Most kids just sit and play video games or sit on Faceboiok all day and say “its too hard” to find a job. Whatever, if you are willing to work and spend the time and effort to finding work, whatever it may be. it’s out there. My son just had a GREAT job, $14/hour benefits and everything. But it was “Too Hard” so he quit. lol dumbass..
The law says you CAN include your child until he is 26. It doesn’t say that you must do such thing. It is like you can drink alcohol but nobody obliges you to do so.
If that annoys you, wait until you realize the implications… Not only are you going to be responsible for the monthly premiums, you are also going to be held personally liable for ANY bill incurred by your adult child including such things as co-pays, extended hospital stays, hospice care, elective surgery, “family planning services,” and counselling services….. PLUS, due to HIPAA rules, when you call to find out why you are being billed several thousands of dollars in medical expenses, YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW OR QUESTION WHY THOSE MEDICAL PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED! You cannot even argue as to whether they were “medically necessary” since your child’s right to privacy trumps your responsibility to pay the bill.
How do we repeal this law or join in on the lawsuit… I have no problem with supporting our daughters with the addditional 250 a month charge however the rest needs to be theirs, period. I think once you are 21 you are an adult and can be tried as an adult and not us at 50 still supporting you and taking the hit for the co-pays. if there is acrisis and it costs amillion dolars and it can, we now owe at least 100,000.. for your choices.. that is completely unconstitutional!
Everyones circumstances are different. I don’t mind providing health Insurance for my 21 year old but I cannot afford to pay her copays and the portion that our insurance does not cover. I’m just wondering how that will be billed. Will the policy holder be billed or the adult child?
It’s my understanding that the parent is responsible for any copay, and balance due, after insurance, on Dr. visits and Hospital stays.
If you have a bad relationship with your child due to drug or alchol problems, and they enter a rehab program, the parent is responsible for payment that insurance doesn’t over. If they are in an auto accident and are hurt badly, or injure someone else, you are repsonsible as the “parent” for any balance due after insurance. This will bankrupt most people, and could even cause them to lose the home they have worked their entire life for. Check with yur Insurance Co, and see what your liability is, to cover your children.
My daughter got married this year. Someone told her that she could still be covered under our health insurance since she is not 21. I don’t mind helping out because I still have other children on our plan. She has always paid her part. They both are students and only work part time. So, is this true.
I would like to know just as Diana Guinn asked. My daughter is in college and 23. She will graduate 12/12 and is planning a June wedding. She will be married before she graduates, so can she stay on our plan till she’s 26? His job does not have great insurance. Once she graduates, if she can find a job, it will more than likely have good insurance. She is a great daughter and pays her phone and auto insurance and buy groceries every now and again and like Diana, we have other kids so it’s not an additional cost to us and we don’t mind helping her some.
How can I find out more on extending my health care insurance on my daughter after she graduates from college? And how does the Health Care Law’s under 26 coverage rules a
applies to her.
Can my child be covered under my wife insurance, this would be her stepchild that lives with us.
does that mean that evenif the child is married with children of thier own you can cover them? Is that really legal??
Wow. I am a senior in college (woo hoo!) and sadly my parent’s insurance coverage dropped me when I was 19. Since my dad has HMO coverage through his employer, he would have to pay extra to keep me on and pay me back. To the parents that expressed that they would do anything to help their child…it is so refreshing to here that. My parents never taught me how to drive, how to financially budget,…I want to make it clear that I love my parents, but there are things I wish they helped me do. Thankfully, I am academically successful but you have NO IDEA how hard it is for your parent not even WILLING to help get insurance…co-sign a student loan…and let me make this clear, I have always had a job…worked 2-3 at one time…and I am graudating college in 4 years!!! From a student’s perspective, all we want is to see how far you will go to help us succeed…we know finances are tough, but it’s the willingness. With some of the comments read, I truly feel sorry for those parent’s kids because I know exactly how it feels. And for the parent’s who want to help their kids, more power to you!
if my 17 year old drops out of school and does not live with us are we still responsible for her health insurance?
well now I am not opposed to helping my kids out but there is a limit. i have two kids and just found out today that if your kids are not working and have no ins you have to keep them on your ins. there is no ifs ands or butts your ins can not take them off unless they have a ins option to them. now that being said my daughter is going to college and sis headed in the right way. my son well he is a problem not doing anything and stealing,in jail,and so on. I for myself am retired and teying to make every penny work for me.I am responsible for every co pay and anything outside of what ins covers because they are on my plan which I can not take them off.Now for my daughter have no problem keeping her on bur when you have a kid that does nothing and yells and calls you names and so on u cant take him off. He could go into rehad a 100 dollar co pay everyday and my ins will bill me cause i am responsible for it cause hes on my plan. now does this seem fair.
My employer wants to drop my 18 year old daughter from my insurance plan so that they can save some money. Is this legal to do? I want to keep her on.I currently pay 30% of my premiums and they pay 70%.