You can generally stay on a parent's health insurance plan until you turn 26, after which you typically need to enroll in your own coverage. Turning 26 is a milestone birthday for more than one reason, and this is usually the least fun one.
Why 26 is the cutoff
Under current federal rules, young adults are generally allowed to stay on a parent's health plan until age 26, regardless of student, marital, or financial dependent status. Once you turn 26, you typically become ineligible to remain on that plan.
This usually counts as a qualifying life event
Aging off a parent's plan generally qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period, meaning you don't have to wait for the next Open Enrollment to get your own coverage, but the window to act is typically limited, so it's worth planning ahead of your birthday rather than after.
What to consider when getting your own plan
- Whether you have access to coverage through your own employer
- Marketplace plans, especially if you may qualify for a subsidy
- Private plans, which are worth comparing directly against marketplace pricing, especially if your income puts subsidy eligibility in question
- Keeping continuity of care with current doctors or prescriptions, if that matters to you