Young adults targets of legislation to extend HealthCare coverage in 24 states

Healthcare Financial Management, Nov, 2007

Nearly half the increase in the U.S. uninsured population over the past five years is attributable to young people between the ages of 19 and 34, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In an attempt to directly address that population, 24 states have enacted legislation that extends dependent benefits to children beyond age 19, the age at which children typically lose healthcare coverage under a parent. Of those states, 13 extend coverage to age 25 (some specify that the dependent also must be a full-time student). In January 2006, New Jersey went even farther, enacting a law that provides coverage for dependents until age 30, as long as they have no dependents of their own.

Aside from the 19 states shown in the table, four other states have enacted legislation that does not specify dependents' age for coverage. Michigan requires any insurance policy that covers dependents while they are enrolled in school (either fulltime or part-time) to continue to cover those dependents for up to 12 months if they take a leave of absence from school due to injury or illness. Oregon revises its current statute's definition of coverage-eligible dependent to include elderly parents and disabled adult children. Pennsylvania's law relates to military personnel, stating that full-time students whose studies are interrupted by service in the reserves or the National Guard must be extended healthcare benefits as a dependent of their parent until they finish school, regardless of their age. And Vermont's law states that if an insurance company covers dependents after the age of 18, it must continue coverage for a dependent's medically necessary leave of absence from school for up to 24 months.

AGE-RELATED HEALTHCARE COVERAGE IN 19 STATES

Cover Dependents   Cover Dependents       Cover Dependents
to Age 24          to Age 25              to Age 26

Delaware,          Colorado, Idaho,       Connecticut,
Indiana,           Illinois (applies to   New Hampshire,
South Dakota       members of             Utah
                   armed services),
                   Maine, Mary-
                   land, Massachu-
                   setts, Montana,
                   New Mexico,
                   Rhode Island,
                   Texas, Virginia,
                   Washington,
                   West Virginia