If a Child Attends School Full Time for Part of the Year, Can They Stay on Our Health Insurance?

College-age students often struggle financially, and may forfeit health insurance coverage in order to afford other living expenses. Thanks to the passage of The Affordable Care Act in 2010, many college students and other adults under age 26 no longer need to purchase individual health insurance, but instead can remain a dependent on a parent's health insurance policy.

Historical Trends

• Prior to 2010, the policy of most health insurers was to cease providing dependency coverage to adult children at age 19 unless the child went on to attend school full-time in college. Upon graduation, however, post-grads lost dependency status and were forced to either find their own health insurance independently or through an employer, or else have no health insurance at all. According to FastWeb, approximately 40 percent of recent college graduates were uninsured in 2008.

The Affordable Care Act

• In 2010, Congress and President Obama succeeded in establishing The Affordable Care Act as law. Effective September 23rd of the same year, all adult children under age 26 became eligible to remain on their parents' health insurance policies, regardless of college enrollment status or financial dependency. The law applies to all private and employer health insurance policies created after the passage of The Affordable Care Act. Those policies that were in effect prior to the passage of the law receive temporary "grandfather" status until 2014 that allows them to exempt adult children with access to an employer's group health insurance plan.

Coverage and Premiums

• Health insurers must provide the same coverage benefits to adult children as are given to minor children. Insurers cannot discriminate based on age by charging a higher premium for adult children than minors. Additionally, with the exception of the preexisting condition rules that apply to children under age 19, insurers must provide the same benefits to adult dependents as minor dependents enjoy.

Continuation of Coverage

• Adult children enrolled in a parent's employer's group health plan at the time they turn 26 have the option of continuing coverage through COBRA. Though these adults lose dependency status, they can continue the same benefits and coverage --- albeit with higher monthly premiums - as an individual for up to 36 months, or until age 29. Anyone wishing to participate in COBRA has 30 days following the conclusion of dependency coverage to enroll.