Turning 26
Aging off a parent's plan, without a gap
Coverage under a parent’s plan generally ends when you turn 26. What happens next is entirely up to you, and the window is short.
The sixty-day window
What to do, and when
Find out exactly when coverage ends
Some plans run to the end of your birthday month, others to the end of the plan year. Don’t assume — check, because the date starts your clock.
Check whether your employer offers coverage
If you have a job with benefits, this is usually the simplest and cheapest route. Losing your parent’s plan opens a special enrollment window at work too.
If not, look at the marketplace
Losing coverage is a qualifying life event, which opens roughly sixty days to enroll. Depending on your income, you may qualify for a subsidy.
Don’t default to going without
A bronze plan or a catastrophic plan costs far less than one unexpected emergency room visit, and going uninsured leaves you exposed at exactly the age when people take the most physical risks.
A note for parents
This page exists because the people who usually notice the deadline are parents, not twenty-six-year-olds.
If your child is approaching this, the useful thing you can do is find out the exact end date and make sure they know the window is real and short. Missing it can mean waiting until the next open enrollment with no coverage in between.
We’re happy to talk to either of you, or both.
Coming up on 26?
One short conversation usually sorts it. There’s no cost, and no pressure to buy anything.