How Long Can I Stay on My Parent's Health Insurance in Maine?

In Maine, dependents are typically allowed to stay on their parents’ employer sponsored health insurance plan until the age of 26. Generally, dependents are able to continue their enrollment in their parents’ health insurance plan even if they:

• Get married.
• Have or adopt a child.
• Live with or separately from their parents
• Are in or not in college or school of any sorts.
• Are or are not claimed as a tax dependent.
• Are or are not offered health insurance coverage elsewhere.

Regardless of your situation, most parental employer sponsored plans will cover dependents until the age of 26. If you have any questions about your coverage under your parent’s employer sponsored plan, you or your parent can reach out to their employer sponsored plan administrator for more information

Can My Parents Remove Me from Their Insurance Plan Without My Consent? 

Yes, your parents can choose to remove you from their health insurance plan before the age of 26. However, they are not able to remove you whenever they want. Plan changes, such as dependent removal or additions can only happen during open enrollment or a qualifying life event. Since parents can remove you from a plan during a qualifying life event, similarly, you can join a new plan during a qualifying life event. Qualifying life events may include but are not limited to:

• Losing coverage through an existing plan
• Turning 26 and losing coverage through a parent’s plan
• Getting married or divorced
• Having or adopting a child
• Some changes in residence

If you have experienced a qualifying life event and wish to make coverage changes, be sure to reach out to your plan administrator or investigate obtaining alternative coverage as soon as possible, as you have a set amount of time, usually 60 days, where a qualifying life event can be utilized to enroll, remove, or change coverage.

What Do I Do After I Turn 26?

Coverage from a parents plan usually will end at the end of the month you turn 26. For example, if you turn 26 on June 15^th, your coverage will end on June 30^th. Once you lose coverage under your parents’ plan, you will generally have 60 days to find health insurance elsewhere. There are multiple routes that you can take when you lose insurance under a parent’s plan, the right one for you will vary based on your current personal, professional, financial, and academic situation.

If you are currently employed at a business that offers an employer sponsored health insurance plan, you can reach out to your plan administrator and enroll in the employer sponsored health insurance plan.

If you are not employed at a business that offers an employer sponsored health insurance plan, you can enroll in a Maine marketplace plan. To do this, you can either go to coverME.gov to review plans as well as connect with a customer service representative using the phone number in the upper left corner with any questions. Alternatively, you can request assistance from a representative at Cross Insurance and we can assist with exploring your options.

If you are a full-time student, you may be able to take advantage of a student health plan. Cross Student Health has been working with colleges and universities in New England to provide comprehensive student health plan solutions at competitive, cost-effective prices. Our goal is to create a plan that is responsive to the needs of each institution and student. We have in-depth knowledge of state and federal insurance regulations, health insurance trends, and more than two decades of healthcare and insurance experience. If you attend any of the following schools, you can find more information here. 

• Bates College
• Beal University
• Colby College
• College of the Atlantic
• Husson University
• Maine College of Art and Design
• Maine Community College System
• Maine Maritime Academy
• New England College
• Saint Joseph’s College
• Thomas College
• Unity Environmental University
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

If your school is not on the above list, for more information on requirements and enrollment for student health plans, you can review your school’s website or contact your advisor.

What If I Don’t Enroll in Health Insurance Elsewhere During My Qualifying Life Event? 

If you do not join a plan during your qualifying life event, you may need to wait to enroll in health insurance coverage.

If you miss the employer sponsored qualifying life event enrollment deadline, you can join the plan at open enrollment. Contact your plan administrator to confirm when you can enroll.

If you miss the marketplace qualifying life event enrollment deadline, you can join the plan at open enrollment. Coverage would usually be effective January 1^st of the following year. You can either go to coverME.org to review plans or connect with a customer service representative using the phone number in the upper left corner with any questions.

Health Insurance Quotes 

Understanding health insurance options can be difficult and confusing at times. Cross Insurance can help you explore your options when it comes to individual or group health insurance. To find out more, contact your local Cross Insurance today.

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.