College Grads Have Several Options To Get Health Insurance

Insurance News Net reports:

“Although the open enrollment period forhealth insurance under the Affordable Care Act ended in April, college graduates have several other options for coverage.

The website, healthcare.gov, says college graduates, who do not have health insurance provided from an employer, can enroll in private plans outside the online healthcare marketplace from health insurance companies.

“These plans meet all the requirements of the healthcare law, including covering pre-existing conditions, providing free preventive care and not capping annual benefits,” healthcare.gov said.

“Insurance companies, agents, brokers and online health insurance sellers may offer these health plans outside the online marketplace at healthcare.gov. The marketplace does not list or offer these plans. You can’t get premium tax credits or lower out-of-pocket costs for plans you buy outside the Marketplace.”

People who qualify can apply for Medicaid and Children’s Health InsuranceProgram coverage any time of the year.

If a parent’s health insurance plan covers children, they can be added to or kept on a parent’s health insurance policy until they turn age 26. Children age 18 and older can join or remain on a parent’s plan even if they are married, not living with their parents, attending school, not financially dependent on their parents or eligible to enroll in their employer’s plan.

However, some college graduates may still be able to apply using the onlineAffordable Care Act if they have a qualifying life event which include:

— Having a baby, adopting a child, or placing a child for adoption or foster care.

— Moving residence, gaining citizenship, leaving incarceration.

— Losing other health coverage, due to losing job-based coverage, the end of an individual policy plan year in 2014, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP and similar circumstances.

oluntarily ending coverage doesn’t qualify a person for a special enrollment period. Neither does losing coverage that doesn’t qualify as minimum essential coverage.

— For people already enrolled in marketplace coverage: Having a change in income or household status that affects eligibility for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions.

— Gaining status as member of an Indian tribe.

Those who don’t have minimum essential coverage, must either pay a fee or have an exemption from paying the fee, healthcare.gov said.”