How to Get Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance

6. Parent's Health Plan

If you’re younger than 26 years old and your parent has health insurance, you're likely eligible to be covered under that plan as well.

(If you're not already enrolled in your parent's health plan, you'll only be able to join the plan during its annual enrollment window or a special enrollment period triggered by a qualifying life event.)

You can be covered as a dependent if your parent has:

• An individual market plan that was purchased on-exchange or off-exchange

• A grandmothered or grandfathered plan

• A job-based plan that offers coverage to dependents

You can still get covered even if you’re not your parent’s tax dependent, you’re married, or you’re living on your own.

Note that Medicare doesn't offer any dependent coverage, so if your parent has Medicare you'll need to obtain other health insurance regardless of your age.

How to Get Coverage

You may have to wait until the next open enrollment period with your parent’s health plan to be added to their health insurance coverage.

However, if you’ve recently lost other comprehensive health insurance coverage, you might be able to enroll before open enrollment if you meet the health plan’s requirements for a special enrollment period.