Health Plan FAQs for Young Adults

Generally, once you turn 26, you can no longer be covered by your parents’ health insurance plan and will have to get coverage either through your current employer or an ACA Individual and Family plan. The date of your coverage termination depends on the type of medical insurance your parents have and where they purchased it (See FAQs 2 and 3 for more information).

Prior to your coverage ending, your parents will receive a Certificate of Creditable Coverage notice in the mail confirming the date your coverage will end. You can always check the type of plan your parents have by contacting our Customer Care Center at 1-866-488-3266.

Based on your parents’ employer coverage, your end date will either be your 26th birthday, the end of your birth month or the end of the calendar year.

If your end date is your birthday or the end of your birth month, you will have 60 days from your last date of coverage to secure a plan. You can also start shopping 60 days prior to turning 26 if you like. This is called a Special Enrollment Period.

If your coverage ends at the end of the calendar year, you will have an opportunity to enroll in an Individual and Family plan during the Open Enrollment Period – the annual time where anyone can enroll –from November 1 to January 15.

You can verify when your coverage ends by contacting our Customer Care Center at 1-866-488-3266.

This answer depends on whether your parents purchased their Individual and Family plan on or off the healthcare exchange (Healthcare.gov).

On-exchange plans are sold on the public exchange – Healthcare.gov – and are offered to people who qualify for subsidies to help pay their insurance premiums. If your parents have an on-exchange plan, your coverage will be terminated at the end of the calendar year. You will need to buy a health plan during the Open Enrollment Period, from November 1 to January 15.

Off-exchange plans are available outside of the public exchange and are sold directly from an insurance company. If your parents have an off-exchange plan, your coverage will end at the end of your birth month. You will have 60 days from your last date of coverage to secure a plan. You can also start shopping 60 days prior to turning 26 if you like. This time is called a Special Enrollment Period.

You can verify when your coverage ends by contacting our Customer Care Center at 1-866-488-3266.

If you missed your enrollment deadline, you can still secure short-term health insurance. Short-term health plans offer fast and flexible coverage for when you’re in a period of transition in your life and need temporary coverage.

If you still want to enroll in an Individual and Family ACA health plan, you can secure coverage during the next Open Enrollment Period which runs from November 1 to January 15 every year.

Outside of the Open Enrollment Period, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period for certain life events like getting married, switching jobs, having a baby, moving or if your income falls below a certain amount.

Though you may think health insurance isn’t needed because you are young, eat healthy and exercise, you can become ill or get injured at any time. In fact, young adults have one of the highest admission rates to the emergency room. In addition, healthcare insurance is an investment in your future health, as it gives you access to preventive care services that may lead to lower medical bills for treating chronic conditions down the road.