Health Insurance Regulations Regarding College Students

According to a 2011 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, prior to 2011, individuals ages 18 to 26 were the most likely group of the American population to have no health insurance. The same Gallup report reveals that 28 percent more college-age individuals have health insurance in 2011 as opposed to 2010 thanks to federal legislation defining a health insurance dependent as a child or adult under age 26. Many college students can remain on a parents' health insurance plan now for many years into adulthood without fear of losing coverage because of college enrollment status.

Historical Trends

• Prior to 2010, when the federal government began regulating dependent health coverage, insurance companies made common practice of dropping children from health insurance policies once they reached a specified age. For many, the age was between 19 and 23, depending on whether or not the adult child attended college full time. Even full-time college students could lose health coverage if they chose to get married or take a semester off.

Health Reform

• In 2010, a health reform bill known as the Affordable Care Act became law, and now offers health insurance protections for young adults under age 26. The law requires that health insurers allow the adult children of policy holders to remain on or re-enroll in their parents' health insurance plan regardless of whether or not the adult children attend college part, or full time or do not attend at all. Insurers also cannot deny coverage to a qualifying adult child because he lives across state lines, is married or is financially independent.

Coverage

• Students and young adults enrolled as a dependent on a parents' health insurance policy will receive the same health benefits that minor children receive. Additionally, insurance companies cannot differentiate between adult and minor children regarding enrolling periods, deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance percentages. Furthermore, adult dependents must pay the same monthly health insurance premium for coverage as any other dependent on the same policy.

Considerations

• A student enrolled at a large college or university may opt to enroll in a campus student health insurance plan if she does not have access to a parents' health plan. Campus health insurance is usually tailored to the needs of the average college student, and may offer discounted medical care through a campus health center. If there is no university health plan available, some health insurers offer private student health insurance with similar benefits to those of campus health plans, as well as tuition insurance that pays tuition expenses if a covered student withdraws from classes because of a medical condition.