Is Turning 26 a Qualifying Event for Health Insurance?

It’s your 26th birthday, or it will be soon. Another turn around the sun. Happy birthday from all of us at BuyHealthInsurance! Your 26th is a special year in the world of health insurance. The not-so-inspiring-news first: in most cases, your parents can’t keep you on their plan any longer. The silver lining: a hidden opportunity. Turning 26 and losing your parent’s coverage is considered a qualifying event, meaning you can enroll in health insurance throughout a special enrollment period—outside of the official open enrollment period. This special period spans the 60 days both before and after your birthday. Do take advantage of this period if you can, because missing the deadline means waiting for up to 10 months for the next open enrollment period, and you may have to contend with looking into short term coverage options until then. Totally doable, but keep it simple if you can. Overwhelming as this may seem, shopping for your very own health insurance coverage plan is actually a golden opportunity to find the one that suits you and your unique needs the best. But you’re not being thrown to the wind. That overwhelming part? That’s why we do what we do. If you’re wondering where on earth to start, or how you’re possibly going to afford this on top of rent, bills, groceries, and gas, we get it. It’s probably uncharted territory for you, and that’s normal.   We’re here to help. Leave it to us to clarify all the options your new opportunity has afforded you. Our team can and will help you determine what type of plan you want. We can assist your search for coverage that meets your personal healthcare needs. We can also help you assess your healthcare budget. And finally, help you shop, compare, and understand what it is you’re seeing. Visit us at BuyHealthInsurance for more detailed information on what’s out there. Give us a call anytime at 1-800-793-3803 to chat. Or book an appointment today to get started on the road to full-blown adulthood. It’s a lot more promising than it may seem! 26 is the new 18.