I'm a 25 y/o f (soon to be 26 in sept) in SC. I'm unemployed and currently enrolled on my parents fed BCBS plan and I'm trying to figure out how this whole thing works. Could anyone point me in the direction of helpful websites?
@humbleboy NOTE: As SC is a non-expansion state, you will not be eligible for APTC subsidies unless your income is above 100% of the Federal poverty Line.
Below that point, the Medicaid expansion was supposed to cover anyone not just parents with kids or the disabled. As a result, you might pay full price for an ACA plan.
Non-ACA plans have significant drawbacks like exclusions for pre-existing conditions, fixed payouts (leaving you with the remainder), or the ability to drop high claimants.
If you are aging out of a parent's plan, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period on healthcare.gov.
What plans you qualify for will depend on income. If your income is below 100% of the poverty line, you would have to pay full price for an ACA plan unless you get Medicaid. In non-expansion states, which is most of the southeast and rocky mountains, Medicaid requires eligible children or being disabled.
Incomes above 100% of the poverty line, but below $51,000, would be eligible for subsidies.
@lizzie18 I did not know aging out of parents plan would automatically qualify, thank you for clarifying that. Are there specific dates for the special enrollment period?
@briehat You have 60 days before or after the coverage end date (usually end of 26th birthday month) to enroll on healthcare.gov. Generally, you want to apply early, because if you wait past the 15th, the new plan will not start until the month after next.
Other insurances like vision and dental will end around the same time. You can apply for those year round directly with the insurer. However, if you apply more than 30 days after your parents plan ended then waiting periods for certain coverage (e.g. non-cleaning dental) will apply.
