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By Ryan Pedro
- In Health Insurance
Having health insurance is a valuable asset, and being added to the health plan of a family member can be extremely beneficial to one’s health as well as one’s financial situation.
However, there are restrictions on who can be added to your health insurance plan. Common questions people have are:
I’d like to add my parents to my health insurance plan; is that possible?
How long are you allowed to continue to be covered by your parent’s health insurance?
Let’s take a look at these questions and a few others that frequently come up regarding the people who can be added to your health plan.
You can provide medical coverage for a spouse or dependent by incorporating them into your existing health insurance plan. However, there is a possibility that not all of your dependents will be able to join your health insurance plan.
If I get married, will I be able to include my future spouse’s children on my health insurance? Is there a specific time period that enrollment needs to take place?
Up until the age of 26, a stepchild may continue to be covered by their biological parent’s insurance plan. You are given at least thirty days to enroll a new dependent if your health insurance comes from a group plan offered through your employer and the plan includes benefits for children.
According to the terms of the Affordable Care Act, a child is considered eligible if they are a biological child, an adopted child, a stepchild, or a foster child. Your health insurance policy will cover the child regardless of whether or not they live with you, our students, or are still enrolled in school.
According to Rich Gisonny, a senior consultant at Towers Watson in White Plains, New York, although the federal rule states that you have “at least 30 days,” an employer may provide you with a longer period of time if they so choose.
The employees will have sufficient time to reach a decision and complete the enrollment process thanks to this provision.
However, there is no requirement that employer-based coverage includes coverage for children. According to Gisonny, there is no law that requires employers to provide health insurance for their workers’ families.
I Would Like To Add My Parents To My Health Insurance Plan; Is That Possible?
The definition of a dependent on a health plan is typically restricted to a person’s spouse and their children. Even if a parent is a tax dependent and lives with you, you typically won’t be able to add the person to your health coverage. This is also the case if the parent does not yet qualify for Medicare coverage.
According to Gisonny, there is no requirement imposed by the federal government that requires an employer health plan to provide coverage for an employee’s parents. There are a few plans that do this, but they are in the minority.
Can A Grandchild Be Added To A Health Plan If An Adult Child On The Parent’s Plan Has A Baby?
According to the Council for Affordable Health Insurance, a small number of states require grandchildren to be eligible dependents.
However, it is more likely that coverage will not extend to the infant. Instead, the parent will be required to obtain a plan for the child. A health insurance marketplace plan, Medicaid, or a Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plan are options.
Medicaid and CHIP are federal and state programs that provide coverage for low-income individuals, including children. Check with your state’s eligibility requirements.
Can I Remove My Separated Spouse From My Health Insurance?
You will likely have to wait until the divorce is final to remove your spouse from health insurance coverage. Until then, the spouse may remain on your health insurance plan.
Your spouse has the option to opt-out of your health coverage and obtain their own health plan. When a spouse loses coverage due to a separation or divorce, a special enrollment period begins for the spouse.
During special enrollment, you can obtain individual health insurance from a health insurer or the health insurance exchange. Or, if eligible, the individual may obtain a health plan through another employer.
Can The Child Of My Boyfriend Or Girlfriend Be Added To My Health Insurance? Does Living Together Make Any Difference?
It is unlikely that a health plan will allow you to add your boyfriend or girlfriend’s child.
According to Colleen King, CEO of Colleen King Insurance Agency in Los Angeles, some individual health insurance plans permit unmarried couples to be on the same plan, along with any legal dependents, if they are living together or there is a court order for one partner to provide insurance for their child.
“Group health insurance may also permit the same, but policies may vary by insurer and employer,” explains King.
Some Health Benefits Might Survive A Divorce.
After a divorce, you and your children may still have access to some of your ex-health spouse’s benefits.
According to Tassey, if you and your ex-spouse contributed to a health savings account, you may still be able to use your portion of the account’s funds to pay for health insurance premiums or qualified medical expenses.
In addition, even though your ex-spouse is ineligible for your health plan, your children remain eligible.