Learn about your health insurance options as a young healthcare consumer

As a young adult who will soon be graduating from college and looking for professional employment, it is important to start thinking about your health insurance options. Under the current law, the Affordable Care Act, you can stay on your parents plan until you turn 26 years old.

Children can remain on a parent’s plan even if they are:

• Married
• Not living with their parents
• Attending school
• Not financially dependent on their parents
• Eligible to enroll in their employer’s plan.

This coverage will end on the day of your 26^th birthday. During this time, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, where you are allowed to enroll in a health plan outside of Open Enrollment.

With that being said, it is important to be prepared and explore your healthcare options ahead of time. Some options include:

• Your own job-based plan. If your employer offers health insurance that you have not been enrolled in, contact the human resources representative before turning 26 to learn about the next steps you should be taking.
• Get a Marketplace insurance plan. The Health Insurance Marketplace provides health plan shopping and enrollment services. Through this process, you are able to determine what you qualify for.  

For more information on how to become a more educated, informed healthcare consumer, check out the Healthy UNH website!