Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas health insurance (BCBSTX) will be accelerating its implementation of the “Dependent Age 26″ reform provision for premium business. You may have heard that concerns about this spring’s college graduates spurred the government to ask some insurers to comply before the Sept. 23, 2010, effective date (i.e., for plan years beginning on or after six months post-enactment of the federal law). Days after passage, BCBSTX decided to implement and was in the process of determining the needed system changes. We expect to have this new benefit in place by the end of April.
Young adults will be able to continue to stay on their parents’ health plans (premium group or individual) up until age 26, regardless of their student, marital or employment status. It is important to note that any dependents who have dropped off their parents’ coverage earlier will not be eligible to come back onto those policies until their open-enrollment period.
