Adult Children’s Coverage
One of the goals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to provide access to health insurance to a larger percentage of young adults.[i] Under the ACA, children can remain on their parents’ health insurance plans up to age 26 as long as they do not have an offer of health insurance coverage from their own employer.
This applies to all children under the age of 26 who are currently covered by their parents’ healthcare insurance regardless of whether they have:
- Moved out
- Graduated from college
- Gotten married
At a Glance
At a Glance:
Adult children under the age of 26 can be insured by their parent’s health insurance coverage under the following circumstances:
- The child is currently covered under the parents’ health insurance plan.
- The parent’s group or job-related Plan or Policy Year began on or after September 23, 2010.
- The parent purchased their health insurance directly on the Individual market (not through an employer or group).
The following exception exists until the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented in 2014:
- The parent’s Plan or Policy is “grandfathered”; that is the plan was in effect on March 23, 2010 and no significant changes that reduce benefits or increase member deductibles, copayments or coinsurance were made.
- The adult child is offered health insurance coverage from their employer.
For more detailed information, go to the section on this website entitled, “Adult Children’s Coverage.[DP1]
Go Back to Health Reform Information: Business
[i] US Dept of Health and Human Services, (2010, November 12) www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/adult_child_fact_sheet.html