Staying on a parent's health plan

Many students keep health coverage through a parent's plan, and this page walks through how that arrangement works while you are in school. It covers the age rule, care away from home, privacy, and what to line up before the coverage ends.

How the age rule works

Under the Affordable Care Act, a plan that offers coverage for children generally has to keep offering it until the child turns 26. The rule applies whether or not you are married, live with your parents, attend school full time or are claimed as a tax dependent.

The plan itself sets the exact day coverage stops, which is often the end of the month of your 26th birthday or the end of the plan year. The person who holds the policy can ask the employer or insurer for that date in writing. Some states extend dependent coverage further for certain plans, so ask the insurer whether a state rule applies.

Getting care near campus

A parent's plan was usually chosen for where the family lives, and its network of doctors and hospitals may sit hours away from your school. An HMO or EPO plan may pay only for in-network care outside emergencies, while a PPO plan usually pays something toward out-of-network visits at a higher cost.

Look up the plan's provider directory for the city where you study before you need a visit. Emergency care is covered under federal rules wherever it happens, but routine visits, lab work and prescriptions follow the network. Your campus health center may also bill the plan, so ask the center which insurers it works with.

Before you rely on it

• The exact date the plan will end
• In-network doctors near campus
• How the plan handles urgent care away from home
• A photo of the insurance card on your phone
• The member services phone number

Privacy on a family plan

Insurers send an explanation of benefits to the policyholder after most claims, and that letter can list the provider and the service. Several states let an adult dependent ask the insurer to send notices about sensitive care to a different address or to hold them back.

Call the member services number on the back of your card and ask what confidential communication options your plan offers. Rules vary by state and by the type of plan, so get the answer for your own policy.

Planning for when coverage ends

Losing coverage at 26 counts as a qualifying life event, which opens a Special Enrollment Period on HealthCare.gov or your state's marketplace. The window is limited, so start comparing options a couple of months ahead of the end date.

The choices to compare may include a student health plan through your school, a job-based plan, Medicaid if your state's rules fit your situation, or a marketplace plan. COBRA continuation may also be offered through the parent's employer, though you usually pay the whole premium plus a small administrative fee.