Can You Work Part Time & Still Be Under Your Parent's Health Insurance?

According to a 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population study, young adults are more frequently uninsured than any other population group in the U.S. Because young adults often do not qualify for government health entitlements or employer group insurance plans, the federal government implemented a law in 2010 that revises the rules surrounding dependency health coverage, extending affordable health insurance coverage availability to many adult children under until age 26 -- including those who are financially independent.

Health Reform

• One of the first changes of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 took effect in September 2011, when adult children under age 26 became eligible for dependency on their parents' health insurance policies. Prior to the change, insurers commonly ceased coverage for dependents upon graduation from college or for non-students at age 19.

Eligibility

• Your employment status, whether part time or full time, does not affect your eligibility to remain on your parents' health insurance policy. Federal law requires insurers to accept adult dependents who are financially independent, as well as those who are married, attending school or living in another state. Your own dependents, however, such as a spouse or child, do not qualify for insurance dependency coverage on your parents' health insurance policy.

Exception

• The health reform law makes an exception for qualifying health insurers with policies that were effective prior to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010. Those policies do not have to extend dependency coverage to adult children with access to an employer's group health insurance plan. However, this exception is only valid until January 2014, when all insurers must offer coverage to adult children under 26, regardless of the dependent's available health care options.

Coverage and Enrollment

• According to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, the law also prevents insurers from discriminating against you because of your age. Insurers must provide the same coverage protections to adult dependents as minor dependents. Additionally, enrollment periods cannot differ between younger and older dependents. The law also allows adult children the choice of insurers if they are eligible for coverage through more than one parent's health insurance policy.