About Health Insurance for Students Up to Age 30

Health care reform is becoming much looser with dependent age requirements. The Affordable Care Act allows for coverage of adult dependents up to age 26. Several states have extended this age to 30, with certain requirements including student status. Other options for students up to age 30 include school-sponsored health insurance plans and individual health insurance. Many states also have laws regarding coverage of disabled dependents, regardless of age and student status.

School-Sponsored Health Insurance

• Many colleges and universities offer health insurance to students at special group rates. Schools may require their full-time students maintain health insurance coverage. Students of any age, including up to 30 and beyond, can obtain insurance directly through their school. Student health insurance policies provide comprehensive coverage and are considered period of time policies because they only cover a specific time period, such as the school year. The policies require re-application once the term date is reached. Students can add their dependents, such as spouse and children, to their school-sponsored policy.

Affordable Care Act and Group Health Insurance

• In 2010, the federal government passed the Affordable Care Act, allowing dependents to stay on their parents' insurance policies until age 26, regardless of student status, unless they can obtain group health insurance elsewhere. Because of this reform, many employers offering group health insurance have extended their policies to include students up to age 26 and older, regardless if other group insurance is an option for the dependent. If you want to cover your adult dependent child up to age 30, contact your employer's benefits representative to inquire the age limitations for dependents. Many employers that cover adult dependents require dependents to be students.

States With Dependent Coverage to Age 30

• Though the Affordable Care Act doesn't allow dependents up to age 30, several states have expanded their laws to include coverage of dependents up to age 30. As of May 2011, these states include Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Each state law is slightly different. In Florida, you must be an unmarried student with no dependent children. In Illinois, dependents up to age 30 who are veterans can remain covered. In New Jersey, the age is 31 for unmarried dependents with no dependents of their own. New York only requires the dependent be unmarried while Pennsylvania requires the dependent to be a full-time student without dependents.

Individual Health Insurance

• Students also can purchase an individual health insurance policy. Individual policies range in price and scope of services from basic to comprehensive, inexpensive to expensive. All major national insurance companies offer individual policies for adult students of any age. Visit the websites of national carriers such as Aetna, Cigna, United HealthCare and your regional Blue Cross Blue Shield plan to learn about individual health insurance options.