04/29/2010
Regence dependents to be covered until age 26 starting June 1
Starting June 1, we'll extend coverage through age 25 to all dependents currently covered on their parents' coverage. This change will apply to Individual and fully funded group plans.
As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ employer-offered or Individual family health plans up until age 26 beginning Sept. 23, 2010. However, many young-adult dependent children will go without coverage in the months before this provision is fully implemented.
To respond to this need, we will implement this provision early. Our goal is to avoid any interruption and possible confusion in coverage for our members. We believe this is a practical, positive step toward providing our members and their families with high quality, affordable health care coverage.
This extension applies to Regence members who currently have coverage and would lose that coverage during the gap between June 1 and the effective date of the new law.
We recognize that this change will trigger questions and interest from our employer groups and their employees. We are in the process of working out all the details of this implementation and will provide a more detailed communication to groups in early May.
For fully insured groups
We also intend to notify members in early May. The notification will include the information and eligibility forms that qualified members will need to extend their dependents' coverage. We’ll provide you with more specific details and information ahead of this communication so that you can help parents who want to extend their dependent(s) coverage.
For self-insured groups
Large, self-insured businesses will continue to determine their own eligibility requirements until the law takes effect in September. Until then, these businesses will have the option to extend this benefit to their employees, and we will encourage them to do so. Self-insured businesses that want to extend this benefit to their employees before September should talk to their Regence sales contact.
In the meantime, please refer to the FAQ (PDF) for more information about this change.
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