What are age limits?
Minimum age requirements are usually left to the discretion of the insurance company, but some states have laws that prohibit minimum age restrictions. The minimum age may also depend on if that primary applicant is a child only plan, or if that child is to be included as a dependent on a parent’s plan. Some insurance companies will not insure a child only under the age of 1 because they consider them a high-risk until they have an established medical history. Minimum age limits are not permitted by an insurance company if the child is a new dependent on an existing health plan. If an adult has an existing policy and they give birth to a newborn child, or adopt a child, the insurance company may not refuse to add that child to the parent’s policy, regardless of the age of that child. Newborns must be added to the parent’s policy within 31 days of birth or the insurance company may be able to deny covering the newborn child based on health status. For dependent children covered under a parent’s policy, they may be loose dependent status and can be removed from the plan once they reach a certain age. This is usually age 19, unless they are a full-time college student, in which case they may remain on the parent’s policy through the age of 22. The dependent child age maximum can vary by insurance carrier and some states have regulations that require the insurer to increase this maximum age limit. 9 CommentsLeave a comment |
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What are age limits?
Every medical insurance plan will have stipulations on the eligible age of applicants or the maximum age that a person may remain on the policy. The age limit will also apply to the age that a dependent child may remain on the parent’s health insurance policy. Most health plans will terminate a member’s coverage when they reach the age of 65 because this is the age that they become eligible for Medicare and are no longer in need of individual or private coverage. Even if an insured member is not eligible for Medicare, they will still lose their coverage when they turn age 65 and are insured under an personal health plan. Most group plans will allow an employee beyond the age of 65 to remain on the employer sponsored plan, as long as they remain an active employee with that company.
Our son is 19 years old and going away for college this year. We have insurance trough my husbands group plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield Health which covers our family as dependents including our son. Could you help me understand what our options are for our son’s health insurance when he goes away for college? We live in Connecticut where there was recently passed legislation that allows children to stay on their parents group plan until they are 26, regardless if they are studying in college or not. I understand that the laws are different in other states. Our son is going out of state for his college education. Does this mean that he will not be eligible to stay on our plan or can he still be covered? We want him to have insurance even if this means signing short term insurance for him, but if we can keep him on, then we would of course prefer that and save the money.
Comment by Helena — May 25, 2009 @ 7:19 am
Check with Blue Cross to find out about the out-of-state benefits under your current coverage. If you have a PPO or POS plan, you should be fine as Blue Cross Blue Shield has participating PPO physcians nationwide that participate in the BlueCard program
Comment by Moderator — May 27, 2009 @ 7:31 pm
Has Minnesota passed the insured child up to age 26? I cannot find a list of states that have it.
Comment by laurie — June 6, 2009 @ 7:23 am
Effective January 1st, 2008, Minnesota chaged the definitation of a dependent on insurance plans to “an unmarried child under the age of 25.” Prior to this, an child under the age of 25 had to be a full-time college student if they were over the age of 19
Comment by Moderator — June 9, 2009 @ 1:30 pm
Same question as #3 but for Illinois.
Has Illinois passed the insured child up to age 26? I cannot find a list of states that have it.
Comment by KURT — July 14, 2009 @ 8:46 am
The state of Illlinois passed similar legislation that became effective on January 1, 2009 through House Bill 5285.
Comment by Moderator — July 14, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
If your employer is in Illinois and they offer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minn. and you live in Illinois and work in Illinois what age is you child cover up to. There Mother company is in Minn.
Comment by Elaine — August 5, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
I would like to know the age limit on keeping my son who is no longer going to higher education, on my husbands health insurance in the state of Texas. I heard that new legislation passed on this subject.
Comment by Patricia — October 28, 2009 @ 9:17 am
At what age does a dependent child still living at home but not in shcool have to come off parents group health insurance in North Carolina?
Comment by Ann — November 19, 2009 @ 9:39 am