Do You Lose Parents’ Insurance When You Get Married?
Understand how marriage affects your ability to stay on a parent's health insurance and learn about your future coverage choices.
Young adults often have questions about health insurance as they transition into new life stages. A common concern arises when individuals covered under their parents’ health insurance plans consider getting married. Understanding the rules governing dependent coverage and the implications of marital status on health benefits is important for making informed decisions about future healthcare. This article aims to clarify these aspects.
Understanding Dependent Coverage Rules
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to health insurance for young adults. Under this federal law, health plans offering dependent coverage must allow young adults to remain on a parent’s plan until age 26. This provision applies to both individual market plans and employer-sponsored plans.
A young adult’s financial dependency, student status, or marital status does not affect their ability to stay on their parent’s plan. The determining factor for eligibility under the ACA is simply being under the age of 26.
How Marriage Affects Coverage
Getting married does not automatically disqualify an individual from remaining on a parent’s health insurance plan. The ACA’s dependent coverage rule states that both married and unmarried children qualify for coverage until age 26.
While you can remain on your parent’s plan, your spouse cannot typically be added to that plan. The dependent coverage provision generally extends only to the adult child, not their spouse or any children they might have. Your spouse would need to secure their own health insurance coverage.
Exploring New Health Insurance Options
When considering health insurance after marriage, especially as you approach age 26 or choose to transition off your parent’s plan, several options are available. Employer-sponsored health plans are a common choice, where either spouse may add the other to their work-provided coverage. Many employers offer family plans that include spouses, though some may have a spousal surcharge if the spouse has access to their own employer-sponsored plan.
Another avenue is the Health Insurance Marketplace, also known as ACA exchanges. These marketplaces offer various plans, and individuals may qualify for subsidies based on their income to help reduce premium costs. Marriage is considered a “qualifying life event” (QLE), which allows individuals to enroll in a new plan or change existing coverage outside of the standard annual open enrollment period. This Special Enrollment Period lasts for 60 days following the QLE.