Employer Family Plan Ending for 26 Year Old, What are our Options?
My daughter is currently on my employer plan, she turns 26 in March and will be off my employer plan end of March. What does she need to do now under Obamacare?
Answer
Under ObamaCare when a child turns 26, and loses family plan coverage, it triggers a 120 day Special Enrollment Period. This is true for employer family plans and private ones.
That period starts 60 days before they turn 26 allowing them to enroll in a plan that will start when the old one ends.
Check with your insurer to know exactly what day their coverage will end and make sure you enroll in a Marketplace plan before the 15th of the month before the month you need coverage. For instance if you need coverage August 1st, enroll no later than July 15th.
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Didn’t it used to be that the 26 year old was covered until the end of the year? My son turned 26 in June 2014, and I’m sure he was covered until Dec.31, 2014.
No it is until their birthday. At that point they get a chance to use special enrollment to switch to another plan.
My son turned 26 in Sept. and lost his job the same month. Now he’s on unemployment. Should he apply for Medicaid or sign up for Obamacare that he can’t pay for? It’s Nov. 8th 2016 and we don’t know what to do!! HELP
You can go directly to healthcare.gov during open enrollment when you don’t know the answer. That is typically the best general advice.