20-somethings may stay on family health insurance

Young adults age 19-29 will be able to retain health coverage on family insurance plans under a bill approved by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives May 12.

Nearly 44 percent of the nearly 1 million uninsured, working-age adults in Pennsylvania are in this age group, according to an Insurance Department survey completed in 2008. That percentage has likely grown during the recession as high school and college graduates scramble to find jobs with benefits during a time of rising unemployment.

The newly-passed legislation (Senate Bill 189) addresses this problem by requiring insurance companies to permit adult children up to age 30 who are not married, have no dependents, and either live in Pennsylvania or attend college full-time in another state to remain on the parents' insurance plan. Additional premium payments may be required.

The Senate passed the same bill earlier. Governor Rendell has said he is eager to sign the bill into law.

The change will benefit young adults who are unemployed, betweeen jobs, or working at jobs without benefits. It will be particularly helpful to young adults in such circumstances who have health histories suggesting increased risk of needing medical care. Such individuals usually must pay much more for coverage, especially when shopping for health insurance as an individual who is not part of a larger group.