Does Moving Out of My Parents' House Count as a Qualifying Life Change in Health Insurance?

It really depends on the policy. Some policies count the loss of a dependent as a qualifying life change or event. Your parents should check their policy paperwork or call their health insurance company to ask. However, even if moving out does count as a qualifying life event, recent changes to the laws that govern health insurance mean that you shouldn't lose any family health care insurance.

Impact of Obamacare

Due to changes in health insurance because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, family health insurance coverage now covers children up to the age of 26. Children under 26 are still covered by their parents' insurance even if they move out of their parents' home . This is true even if the child is married, but her spouse and any of her own children will not be covered.

References

• OPM: Health Care Reform
• OPM: Federal Employees Health Benefits
• eHealth. "Health Insurance Price Index Report: 2018 Open Enrollment Period," Page 5. Accessed June 26, 2020.
• U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "National Health Expenditures 2017 Highlights," Page 3. Accessed June 26, 2020.
• Kaiser Family Foundation. "Average Annual Single Premium per Enrolled Employee For Employer-Based Health Insurance." Accessed June 26, 2020.
• U.S. Census Bureau. "Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2018." Accessed June 26, 2020.
• U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "How to Get or Stay on a Parent’s Plan." Accessed June 26, 2020.
• Vermont Agency of Human Services. "Report on Health Insurance Affordability and Merged Markets 2019: Report to the Legislature," Page 22. Accessed June 26, 2020.
• U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "Health Savings Account (HSA)." Accessed June 26, 2020.
• Cigna. "HSAs, HRAs, and FSAs." Accessed June 26, 2020.
• eHealth. "How Much Does Health Insurance Cost Without A Subsidy?" Accessed June 26, 2020.
• U.S. Census Bureau. "In Over Half of U.S. Counties, More Working-Age Men Than Women are Uninsured." Accessed June 26, 2020.
• U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "Qualifying Life Event (QLE)." Accessed June 26, 2020.
• Kaiser Family Foundation. "Women and Health Care in the Early Years of the ACA: Key Findings From the 2013 Kaiser Women's Health Survey." Accessed June 26, 2020.

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