Dependent Coverage - Kaiser State Health Facts

Definition of Dependency by Age, 2009

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	State Defines Dependent Coverage	Age Limit in the Individual Market	Age Limit in the Group Market	Other Requirements

United States	NA	NA	NA

Alabama	No	NA	NA
Alaska	No	NA	NA
Arizona	No	NA	NA
Arkansas	No	NA	NA
California	No	NA	NA
Colorado	Yes	Up to 19 or 25	Up to 19 or 25	Up to 19: Unmarried. 19-25: Unmarried and either live in parent's residence or financially dependent on parents.
Connecticut	Yes	Up to 26	No	Unmarried, not covered under own ESI, and a CT resident or a full-time student.
Delaware	Yes	Up to 24	Up to 24	Unmarried, have no dependents, not covered under other insurance, and a DE resident or a full-time student.
District of Columbia	No	NA	NA
Florida	Yes	Up to 25 or 30	Up to 25 or 30	Up to 25: Dependent on parents and living with parents or a full or part-time student. 26-30: Unmarried, have no dependents, not covered under other insurance, and a FL resident or a full or part-time student.
Georgia	Yes	Up to 25	Up to 25	Dependent, enrolled as a full-time student (at least 5 months/year) or eligible to be a full-time student but prevented due to illness or injury.
Hawaii	No	NA	NA
Idaho	Yes	Up to 21 or 25	Up to 21 or 25	Up to 21: Unmarried. 21-25: Unmarried, full-time student and financially dependent on parents.
Illinois	Yes	Up to 26	Up to 26	Unmarried
Indiana	Yes	Up to 24	Up to 24
Iowa	Yes	Up to 25 or full-time student	Up to 25 or full-time student	Up to 25: Unmarried, IA resident. Full-time student: Unmarried.
Kansas	No	NA	NA
Kentucky	Yes	Up to 19 or 25	Up to 19 or 25	Up to 19: Unmarried. 19-25: Unmarried, full-time student, and primarily dependent on parents.
Louisiana	Yes	No	Up to 24	Unmarried, dependent on primary insured, and full-time student.
Maine	Yes	Up to 25	Up to 25	Unmarried, have no dependents, and either ME resident or full-time student.
Maryland	Yes	Up to 25	Up to 25	Unmarried, dependent on parents, and live at home.
Massachusetts	Yes	The earlier of 25 or 2 years after losing dependent status	The earlier of 25 or 2 years after losing dependent status
Michigan	No	NA	NA
Minnesota	No	NA	NA
Mississippi	No	NA	NA
Missouri	No	NA	NA
Montana	Yes	Up to 25	Up to 25	Unmarried and not eligible for ESI where child's share of premium would be same or less than it is for dependent coverage under parents's plan.
Nebraska	No	NA	NA
Nevada	Yes	Up to 19 or 24	Up to 19 or 241	Up to 19: Unmarried. 19-24: Unmarried, full-time student, and financially dependent on parents.
New Hampshire	Yes	Up to 26	Up to 26	Unmarried, not otherwise covered by individual or group insurance, and a NH resident or enrolled as a student at an institution of higher learning.
New Jersey	Yes	No	Up to 30	Unmarried, have no dependents, not eligible for Medicare or covered under other insurance, and NJ resident or full-time student. Must elect within 30 days of aging off policy or during open enrollment.
New Mexico	Yes	Up to 25	Up to 25	Unmarried
New York	No	NA	NA
North Carolina	No	NA	NA
North Dakota	Yes	No	Up to 22 or 26	Up to 22: Unmarried, and live with parents and financially dependent on parents. 22-26: Unmarried, full-time student, and financially dependent on parents.
Ohio	No	NA	NA
Oklahoma	Yes	No	Up to 18 or 231	Up to 18: Unmarried. 19-23: Unmarried, full-time student, and financially dependent on primary insured.
Oregon	No	NA	NA
Pennsylvania	No	NA	NA
Rhode Island	Yes	Up to 19 or 25	Up to 19 or 25	Up to 19: Unmarried. 19-25: Unmarried and financially dependent on parents.
South Carolina	Yes	No	Up to 19 or 221	Up to 19: Unmarried. 19-22: Unmarried, full-time student, and financially dependent on parents.
South Dakota	Yes	Up to 19 or 24	Up to 19 or 24	Up to 19: No requirements. 19-24: Full-time student. Insurers are also required to offer continuation coverage to full-time students aged 24-29.
Tennessee	Yes	Up to 24	Up to 24	Unmarried and dependent on parents.
Texas	Yes	Up to 25	Up to 25
Utah	Yes	Up to 26	Up to 26	Unmarried
Vermont	No	NA	NA
Virginia	No	NA	NA
Washington	Yes	Up to 25	Up to 25	Unmarried
West Virginia	Yes	No	Up to 25	Unmarried, and dependent on parents.
Wisconsin	No	NA	NA
Wyoming	Yes	No	Up to 19 or 231	Up to 19: Unmarried. 19-23: Unmarried and full-time student.

(show/hide notes)

Notes:	Data as of January 2009. This chart describes the state definition of “dependent” as it related to the age of an insured’s child. The definitions in this chart apply to either the individual and/or fully insured group market. Although not represented on this chart, a state may have other specific rules defining the dependent status of stepchildren, disabled children, grandchildren, or domestic partners. Currently, Federal law does not define “dependent" for purposes of group health plans.
Sources:	Data collection and analysis by researchers at the Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University. Data compiled through review of federal and state laws and interviews with government regulators. For more detailed information on consumer protections in any state see Georgetown University's "Consumer Guides For Getting and Keeping Health Insurance" available at http://www.healthinsuranceinfo.net/.
Definitions:	Federal law does not define who qualifies for dependent coverage under employer sponsored insurance or individual health insurance policies. Under federal law, full-insured, as well as self-insured group plans can define dependency in the group health plan. However, some states have defined who is eligible for dependent coverage under fully-insured group health plans, as well as individual health insurance policies. In recent legislative sessions, some states have expanded the definition of “dependent” to include older children (i.e. up to age of 25 or 30).
Footnotes:	Small group market only.

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