My son is turning 26. What are his health insurance options?

Coverage for adult children ends on a child’s 26th birthday when they are required to secure their own health insurance. 

Regardless of whether their birthday occurs during Open Enrollment* or not, they will qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that allows them to sign up for a health plan outside of the Open Enrollment.The Special Enrollment Period will end 60 days after their birthday.

If they enroll before their 26th birthday, coverage can start as soon the first day of the month they lose coverage. If they enroll during the 60 days after their birthday, coverage will start the first day of the month after they pick a plan.

If they don’t enroll in health coverage within 60 days of their birthday, they will not have to wait to get coverage until the next Open Enrollment period and may have to pay the fee for being uninsured. For 2015, the fee is 2% of your income or $325 per adult, and $162.50 per child, whichever is more.

 

If they go without coverage for less than 3 months of the calendar year, they don’t have to pay the fee.

* Open Enrollment is going on now through February 15, 2015