Dover – Starting Friday, many parents in Delaware can purchase health coverage for their adult children up to age 24 so long as the child is in college or lives in Delaware, Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn announced.   Delaware insurance carriers will be complying with this new regulation over the next 60 days.  In the past, adult children generally were dropped from their parents’ health coverage when they turned 18 unless they were full-time students.

 

Now, within the next 60 days health insurance companies must offer parents the chance to purchase continued coverage under their employer or family plan and do so at a fraction of what it would cost to purchase an individual policy for the young adult. The change came as a result of the passage of House Bill 446 in 2006, sponsored by State Representatives Donna Stone and Nancy Wagner and State Senator Patricia Blevins, but does not apply to health plans that are “self-insured” and thus exempt from state regulation.

 

This initiative targets the age group with the highest uninsured rate in the state. Almost 23 percent of adults age 18 to 29 in Delaware are uninsured – double the percentage of any other age group.

 

“I thought this was a good idea, but even I have been surprised by how many people have told me they intend to take advantage of it,” Commissioner Denn said. “It fills a real need and will provide real peace of mind to parents.”

 

The law is based in part on “Michelle’s Law” in New Hampshire, which was inspired by a college student who died of cancer at age 22 and had been told she could not stay on her parents’ health insurance unless she remained a full-time student.

 

The law was designed to go into effect three months after state government made the benefit available to its own employees. That occurred back in March.

 

Rita Marocco of the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Delaware, said the opportunity to keep adult children on health plans could have a tremendous impact on those who develop mental illness..

 

“NAMI Delaware is grateful to Delaware Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn for initiating the college student and under-24 health insurance requirement,” Marocco said. “Over 22 percent of Delawareans suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. The average age range of onset of major mental illness is between 18 and 24 years old. This enhanced ability to access treatment will save lives and contribute immeasurably to the quality of life of Delaware’s young adults.”

 

Joann Hasse, health care chair for the League of Women Voters of Delaware, said the new law offers an opportunity to expand coverage to young adults in the transition years between school and jobs.

 

“Just because the members of this age group are generally healthy does not mean that they will not develop a catastrophic illness or sustain serious injuries requiring costly treatment. Although its scope is limited, this law is one more step in expanding access to coverage,” Hasse said.