Medical Insurance for Adolescents and Young Adults
Angela Oswalt Morelli , MSW, edited by C. E. Zupanick, Psy.D.Another medical topic that can overwhelm just about anyone, including older adolescents, is medical insurance coverage. Some youth have several options to choose from, while others have very few options. Youth who are working full-time at a job that is benefits-eligible can choose to sign up for, and to pay for their own medical coverage. Parents should talk with their youth and help them figure out what coverage choices are best for them. If youth are thinking about skipping health coverage or do not seem to be acting quickly enough to sign up during open enrollment periods, parents should once again use the problem-solving, open dialogue approach to talking about the pros and cons of obtaining or forgoing health insurance. Most youth do not have a realistic understanding of medical costs so it may seem like a huge costs savings to skip health insurance, particularly when they are just barely able to make ends meet. But parents can help their young adults understand the enormous financial debt that can occur for even small accidents or injuries. A broken finger, or a cut or injury requiring a few stitches, can literally cost thousands of dollars for emergency room care.
If youth are not working a job that has medical benefits available, but their parents receive health insurance benefits through their employers, youth can still be covered under their parents' health insurance plan until age 26. Due to the new health care reform law passed in 2009, youth are permitted to be covered under their parents' coverage. Previously youth could only be covered under parents' policies if they were full-time students, resided with their parents, or were listed as dependents on a parent's tax return. Once again, however, parents should educate their youth about the rules of the coverage and educate them how to use the coverage. Parents also need to negotiate with their youth how costs like deductibles, co-pays, and other financial responsibilities will be handled. Parents and youth should decide whether these costs will be paid by the parents, the youth, or a combination of both.
If youth don't have insurance through their own employer or through their parents' employer but are full-time students, they may be able to enroll in health coverage for students at their college. In fact, many colleges and universities require that youth either provide proof insurance coverage or buy coverage through a college plan. Once again, parents can help youth figure out how to pay for their premiums, co-pays, and other costs through work earnings, allowances from parents, portions of their student loans, or a combination of the above.
Lastly, some youth may not be going to college full-time, may not be eligible for health insurance through work, or may not be able to get insurance through their parents. These youth may want to look into other options such as state-run Medicaid programs or insurance-buying pools in their state. These programs were also greatly expanded due to the healthcare reform law passed in 2009. Each state will have different rules, eligibility standards, and enrollment requirements. Youth should contact their local Department of Job and Family Services to learn more about the options available to them in their home state or go to www.healthcare.gov to research more options.
Resources
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Articles
- Adolescent Parenting Introduction
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Healthy Teens: Food, Eating & Nutrition During Adolescence
- Teenage Caloric Requirements
- Nutritional Guidelines for Teens
- How Can Parents Help Teens to Develop Healthy Eating Habits?
- Common Nutritional Challenges for Teenagers: Adolescent Obesity
- Common Nutritional Challenges for Teenagers: Eating Disorders and Unhealthy Dieting
- Common Nutritional Challenges for Teenagers: Adolescent Diabetes
- Adolescent Diabetes Continued
- Healthy Teens: Exercise and Sports
- Healthy Teens: Sleep
- Parenting Teens: Clothing Clashes, Housing Decisions, & Financial Management
- Parenting Teens: Skincare, Cosmetics, Tattoos, & Piercings
- Caring for Teens: Healthcare for Teens and Young Adults
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Parenting Teens: Discipline, Love, Rules & Expectations
- Parenting Teens: Discipline, Love, Rules & Expectations
- Discipline and Guidance: Early to Middle Adolescence
- Discipline and Guidance: Early to Middle Adolescence: Time Management and Family Commitments
- Discipline and Guidance: Early to Middle Adolescence: Socializing, Dating and Driving
- Discipline and Guidance: Older Adolescents and Young Adults (18 Years and Older)
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A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Teens’ Health and Safety
- A Parent's Guide to Protecting Teens' Health & Safety
- Understanding the Risks of Adolescent Drug Use: Part II
- What Can Parents Do to Prevent Teenage Alcohol and Drug Use?
- Steps Parents Can Take to Protect Their Children from Alcohol and Other Drug Use
- Steps for Parents: Part II
- Driving Privileges and Safe Driving Practices for Young Drivers
- Parental Guidelines for Teen Driving Privileges: The Family Driving Contract
- Protecting Teens from Abusive Relationships and Dating Violence
- Protecting Teens from Teenage Fights, Gang Violence, Exposure to Sexual Predators and Graphic Internet Violence
- Protecting Teens from Teenage Bullying
- Protecting Adolescent Safety: Independent Living
- Personal Security While in Public Places
- Adolescent Parenting Summary & Conclusion
- Adolescent Parenting: References & Resources
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Questions and Answers
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Book & Media Reviews
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Links
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Videos
- Feeling down? Let's talk - Prevention of suicide among adolescents
- Teen Drug Use: 2014 Monitoring The Future Survey Results
- NPW 2017: Suicide and Substance Use in Young People
- Are We Feeding Early Puberty
- Why Teens Are Attracted to Vaping
- Is My High School Student Ready for College? (And Is My College Student Ready to Go Back?)
- Advice to Parents | Drugs & College 101
- Teen Depression Screening
- Let’s talk about depression – focus on adolescents and young adults
- The Flu Shot- Who Really Gets It
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45 more
- Child Development: Stepping Stones - Lesson 21: Adolescence: Biosocial Development
- Child Development: Stepping Stones - Lesson 22: Adolescence: Cognitive Development
- Child Development: Stepping Stones - Lesson 24: Adolescence: Summary
- Are Your Kids Addicted to Social Media?
- Is My Child Too Young to Get the HPV Vaccine?
- Do Boys Need the HPV Vaccine?
- The Perils of Adolescence
- Tackling Concussions
- Adolescent Risk-Takers: The Power of Peers
- Energy Drink Sparking More ER Visits
- Children and Social Media: What Every Parent Should Know
- Drugs: Shatter The Myths
- The Impact of Changing Social Behaviors on Teen Drug Use
- Teen Substance Use
- Youth Suicide Risk
- Take Healthy Habits to College
- What Boys Want to Know About Puberty
- Am I Normal (Girls and Puberty)
- Money Tips for Millennials
- E-Cigarette Use in Middle and High School Students
- Teens Using E-cigarettes More Likely to Start Smoking Tobacco
- Tips For Teens With Diabetes: Be Active
- Help Teens Lower Their Risk for Type 2 Diabetes
- Adolescence: Preparing for Lifelong Health and Wellness
- Back to School: A Good Night's Sleep
- How to Talk to Teens: A Developmental Approach
- Bedtime Wake Up Call
- Game Change! Focus on Families - Engaging Young Adults and Their Families
- Endocrine System
- Behavioral Health on College Campuses
- Notebook: Sexual Harassment
- Flu Shots: Young Adults Need Immunity
- Most Teens Need a Rest
- Screen Time vs. Bedtime
- What is Puberty? Decoding Puberty in Girls
- All About Boys Puberty
- Inside Puberty: What Are the Stages of Puberty?
- Puberty Explained - What Is Happening To Your Body?
- Another Reason for Teens to Eat Their Vegetables
- Dangers of E-Cigarettes
- HPV Vaccine: A Pediatrician’s Recommendation
- Healthy Weight
- Getting through to your teenager with ADHD
- Back-to-School: A Time to Think about Health & Academics
- Impact of Cyberbullying: Addressing the Needs of Children and Youth
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