How do I Verify Student Status on Group Health Plans?

Many health insurance plans do not cover dependents after they become 19 years old. However, an exception for those attending an accredited college or university may be made. For medical coverage to extend to these dependents, however, verifiable proof of their student status must be presented to the insurance company. This should be undertaken before the student's 19th birthday to ensure that there is no lapse in coverage and that no additional measures should be taken. The process differs between insurance companies, but there are general steps that you should take.

Things You'll Need

• Documents verifying student status (current ID, official transcripts)

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Instructions

• 1

  Confirm the maximum student age available under your current group health plan. This usually ranges from between 23 and 25 years of age and can be found as part of your policy documentation, according to VitaCompanies.com. Student status is not relevant after a student exceeds the maximum age available on the plan.

• 2

  Contact the eligibility administrator associated with the plan and ask what documentation is required to verify student status. Typically, it will be either an in-house form filled out by a student's school or a copy of a current transcript, student identification (ID), certificate of attendance or other official document verifying the student's current enrollment status. Others simply require the policyholder to list the start date of classes and the institution being attended by the dependent in question.

• 3

  Submit the required documentation four to six weeks before the dependent's 19th birthday, or sooner, if necessary. This will ensure that there is no lapse in coverage for the student while the account is being updated.

• 4

  Confirm with the insurance company that the group health plan covers the dependent as a student after the documentation has been received.