<p>I just graduated from college, and my school health insurance has expired. I’m not working, and back to live with my parents. My mom refuses to add me to her insurance plan (Aetna). She is saying that I’m over 21, that’s why she can’t add me, but my dad who’s 65, and also working, and is eligible for Medicare, is on her plan, along with my 13 year old brother. What can I do to make her add me?</p>
<p>It is not her doing, it is the insurance company. You are a grad, no longer in college=no longer a defendant when it comes to most insurance plans. I am 21, and have a few more years to go for a bachelors, then on to grad school - but I can only keep my parent’s medical coverage until I’m 24 no matter how long I remain a full time student for. That is lucky for me because most plans mandate 21 or 22 as the cut off age. The reason you father is on it even though he is eligible for medicare is because he is her spouse - they could both have insurance from each of their work places and they would be able to just use one because a spouse is automatically added because it is a co-dependant relationship. The reason your 13 year old sibling is on it is because that is still considered a dependant minor, so as with spouses, can always remain on the main holder’s policy. The only way you could have still been on it now would have been if you had their plan throughout college instead of your college insurance, and you would have been lucky if they kept you on until the January after you graduate.</p>
<p>After leaving college there isn’t much that can be done except getting a job with an insurance plan, buying private insurance, getting public assistance, or going without; sorry to say. I’ve been dealing with the insurance systems entirely to long to think that there is hope in getting back on their policy at all (unless you were deemed a defendant by the court systems due to mental incapacity or medical necessity, which is only granted in extreme circumstances).</p>
<p>Most family insurance plans no longer cover a kid older than 19 or so who’s not a full time student. Once the kid graduates they’re usually no longer eligible for that plan. They need to get their own insurance. If you were already covered by the parent’s plan at the time you were no longer eligible then you can usually extend it through Cobra or some similar extension (at a cost) but if you weren’t on it and were using the college’s coverage instead, you probably aren’t entitled to this extension through your parent’s plan.</p>
<p>I suggest you check with your college to see if their plan can be extended, if they offer some reasonable insurance plans for alumni, or check into some other health insurance plan. Consider getting a high deductible plan to hold down costs if you’re healthy since you’re young. You can also seek employment at a firm that offers health coverage.</p>
<p>Don’t fault your mom on this - she’s correct.</p>
<p>However, there is a movement in certain states to mandate that insurance companies provide coverage to adult children beyond the age(s) that used to apply. And some policies are just extremely generous. For instance, my school system provides coverage to dependents up to age 24. They do not have to be in college. (And, you know, the employees were unhappy that it didn’t extend to age 25…unfortunately the school system seems to breed a workforce of malcontents!)</p>
<p>My son graduated from college in May. We were pleasantly surprised that he can stay on our policy through the last day of the year he turns 23. We found this out last year. Prior to that, I believe coverage only extended to the end of the month of his graduation from college. </p>
<p>However, he will be starting a job with excellent benefits in a few weeks, so it won’t be an issue anymore (whew!). </p>
<p>tcab, your mom may not be fully informed, as perhaps Aetna’s policy changed like ours did. Your state may have mandated that insurance companies change their policies. Do your own checking, and if indeed you could be added to her policy, offer to pay the policy increase. It probably won’t be much (well, relatively speaking!).</p>
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<p>Check the plan–look at the actual fine print. We were pleasantly surprised to find that our medical plan covers kids up to the age of 25, college or no, if they are dependent. Other plans may not be so generous.</p>
<p>If you are eligible, and if she already pays for “family” coverage, then it shouldn’t cost any money to put you on the plan. I’m surprised that she took you off when you went to college. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, you can’t force her to put you on her plan. She has no legal obligation to do so. If not, then you better get your own plan to cover catastrophic situations. </p>
<p>Maybe this is your mom’s way of saying, “Time to start taking care of your own needs.” If you get medical insurance if you are dependent on her, maybe she is worried that you will stay dependent on her in order to keep your medical insurance.</p>
<p>Some plans will cover kids up to certain age (23-24) regardless of student status, but many (most?) will not. I am sure that your mother would have added you if she could - it probably would not even cost anything, since she seems to have a family plan. So probably her insurance does not allow this.</p>
<p>You can get a high-deductible insurance from Golden Rule for under $50/mo. It will not cover most of the routine care and doctors visits, but you will be covered for the serious stuff.</p>
<p>Like the other posters, my medical insurance only covers 19+ year olds as long as they are full time students and under the age of 23. Policies do differ but this is pretty normal at least in Silicon Valley.</p>
<p>One suggestion I could make would be to get a job that offers medical insurance - Starbucks for example offers health insurance to workers at 20 hours a week. This would give you some spending money as well as some protection while you are looking for a job.</p>
<p>If you go back to school you might get back on, depending on the insurance company. For the most part you have to pay. She may be able to get you like a supplement through her company, but it is pay as you go and not cheap.</p>