<p>My son is 23 in a graduate program with his own insurance since he was kicked out of my insurance once he turned 23 years old. Now that the health care law has been signed I wanted to put him back on my family insurance. I notice that Obama said the effects for the 26 year old limit will take effect “this year.” Any idea how soon I will be able to put him on my insurance???</p>
<p>I believe those effects take place in November of this year. if you go to the NYTimes website, they have a pretty detailed break-down of the bill, as do several blogs like The Wonk Room and FiveThirtyEight.</p>
<p>Thank you SmithieandProud.</p>
<p>I found this useful for a timeline of changes:
[Timeline</a> for health care provisions to take effect](<a href=“http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/timeline-for-health-care-provisions-to-take-effect-416925.html?imw=Y]Timeline”>http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/timeline-for-health-care-provisions-to-take-effect-416925.html?imw=Y)</p>
<p>by the way, the bill allows for coverage until the child reaches 27; I looked it up because I found the reference to age 26 confusing - it means that 26 year olds are covered.</p>
<p>oops - that was under the earlier House Bill, which is no more. Looks like the final bill, the Senate Bill, only extends the coverage until the age of 26, so it only applies through the 25th year. That’s consistent with the way it is described in the press.
The provision is in section 2714 and provides that a plan that provides for coverage of dependants “shall continue to make such coverage available for an adult child (who is not married) until the child turns 26 years of age.”
This is a link to the bill:
<a href=“GovInfo”>http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3590enr.txt.pdf</a></p>
<p>I know it is early days, but as a parent of a college senior graduating in May, I wonder if anyone knows when this provision will go into effect? Also, does the provision stipulate that the coverage for the young non-student be continued as before, i.e., as any other dependent?</p>
<p>I really need to know this too…haven’t been able to pin down when this starts.</p>
<p>I think this part of the reform is one that takes effect immediately upon signing…it’s in subtitle A, right up top: Immediate Improvements in Health Care Coverage for All Americans. </p>
<p>It seems pretty clear to those graduating this spring, but what about those who graduated last year, were no longer covered, and who are now uninsured? I wonder if they will be able to come back onto the parent’s plan.</p>
<p>according to this question and answer section of the New York Times (see 2nd question):
[Readers</a> Questions on the Health Care Overhaul - Prescriptions Blog - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/send-us-your-questions-on-the-health-care-overhaul/]Readers”>Readers' Questions on the Health Care Overhaul - The New York Times)</p>
<p>“the provision goes into effect six months after enactment, meaning six months after the president signs the legislation”</p>
<p>There’s already a thread about this further down. I don’t know about the specifics of the provision, but this particular provision is supposed to go into effect six months after the signing date, so at the end of September.</p>
<p>I believe that this goes into effect in 6 months. </p>
<p>Our state enacted this provision for state residents as of Jan. 1 this year. In WI, single adults can stay on their parents’ policy until they turn 27 or get married. The premium and coverage remains the same. The catch, though, is that insuring our older non-student children is considered a taxable benefit. We put our 24 and 26 year old sons back on our insurance. However, by doing that we are receiving a benefit valued at around $9000. Therefore, for tax purposes, our income has increased by $9000 and we have to pay state and federal income taxes on that amount. I don’t know if the federal program will also consider providing health insurance for adult children a taxable benefit. Under our policy, we can keep them on if they are full time students, up until the end of the calendar year in which they turn 25 and that is NOT a taxable benefit. </p>
<p>I haven’t quite figured out why it is a not taxable benefit if they are in school full time but a taxable one if they aren’t. In any case, it is worth paying the extra taxes to sleep a little better at night knowing they are covered. However, the oldest turns 27 in Aug. so he will be uninsured after that :(</p>
<p>That’s an odd approach. Is the $9,000 taxable for State and Federal or just the state?</p>
<p>Our insurance rates are dependent on the situation. If you’re single, it’s one rate, married, another, married with one child, married with more than one child and I think that there are some adjustments if your spouse has coverage. I would think that adding another adult would just increase the employee’s premium. I guess we’ll find out later this year. The six months gives the insurance companies time to figure this all out.</p>
<p>^^ I think the idea is that your premium will just be whatever it is for you, your spouse, and your child/children, even if the child is over 18, so that it doesn’t raise your premium it just stays the same. </p>
<p>Also, I don’t know when it goes into effect or if it’s in the Senate bill or the “fix it bill” that’s still being considered, but there was supposed to be a special exchange for young people to buy catastrophic insurance, rather than paying a lot for coverage they don’t really use, but that’s after you come off of your parents’ plan.</p>
<p>Does the adult child have to be a “dependent” per the taxcode criteria, or simply not have insurance under another company?</p>
<p>PRJ, that site is very helpful. Thanks! </p>
<p>note : “the restriction is that you can’t have another offer of employer-based coverage, meaning you can’t be able to get insurance through your job. Finally, the provision goes into effect six months after enactment, meaning six months after the president signs the legislation.”</p>
<p>I believe they changed the wording from “dependant” to “adult” - but the child can’t be married or have a job that offers health insurance.</p>
<p>So, we too also purchased an individual policy as grad student son age 23 was kicked off of my employer based policy.</p>
<p>Does this ability to insure adult children through age 26 apply only to private health insurance policies? or employer provided ones as well?</p>
<p>Anyone know?</p>
<p>Do they still have to be a full time student to be able to stay on the parents’ insurance? Because that’s how it works now, right?</p>
<p>musicmom,
Can you clarify your question? I think, with what little I’ve read, is that companies that kicked off adult children past a certain age (or if not a fulltime student) will have to allow you to elect family coverage. We happen to have a family plan (covers 3+ family members) so hope/assume that if we need to add our other s, we will just add him at no cost under this family plan.</p>
<p>If a couple has a H/W plan with no dependent children on their current policy, I wonder if they will have to wait until their company’s re-enrollment time to add them to the plan. Don’t know the answer- just thinking aloud.</p>
<p>From what I’ve read (which includes other posts in threads here) they have to be adults, unmarried, not covered under another company plan. That said, if you dont currently have a “family plan” with yoru company, do you have to wait for re-enrollment time? Fortunately we have the family (3+ members) so hope we could just add other s if need be in September.</p>