Can my parents take me off their health insurance?

Question

I am 19 years old and am a college student. My dad has Aetna (health insurance) through his work at ConocoPhillips and due to a recent ridiculous argument, they are threatening to take me off their health insurance if I don't do what they want. I was informed that they couldn't do that unless my dad wanted to take my mom off the health insurance also. My informant said it was a 'family package' or something.... I need that health insurance, i'm hypo-glycemic and my immune system sucks, so i'm always at the doctor and I have a ton of prescriptions to take. Can they actually take me off or are they just making empty threats?

Um, hello, I DO pay all my own pills. My medications, yes, are for my mental disorders and my back problems, but I do take a low dose of insulin every night before bed, though i'm not diabetic, or atleast the doctor hasn't informed me that I am. I pay all my own bills, including medication, doctor's visits, car insurance, cell phone, AND I am paying for my college, so biting the hand that feeds me would be biting myself.

Note: These details apply to Mary B, as well as the details before these.

- I was just asking a simple question, and I wanted to give details that I thought were helpful but not tell my entire life story. My 'informant' is my older sister, excuse the **** outta me if i'm not supposed to believe her!

Answer 1

Okay, everyone said yes they could take you off. But….

You mentioned Group Plan. I am an insurance agent but I do not do health insurance. I do know that my group plan through my work just ended it's enrolment/re-enrolment period were I could only make changes to the plan now Like add or remove covered people or change the type of plan. Now that it’s closed I would not be able to remove my wife unless she received benefits through her work plan. They call this a "Qualified change". I would call Aetna and ask them tell them your story they understand and they will help you.

Aetna customer service: 1-888-257-0403

Good Luck!

PS- Why are people attacking her over a medical condition? She never claimed the medication was for hypo-glycolic she just said she is always taking meds. We need to just answer the question not give her a rash of S ***. Plus why would we want to add to her stress.

Answer 2

They most certainly can take you off the health insurance benefits. It doesn't matter whether or not your mom is covered or that its a "family" plan...just because its a family plan doesn't mean that everyone in the family automatically has to be covered. Only the eligible dependents that the employee chooses to add.

Generally, the time to make changes is during open enrollment. However, if there is a "qualifying event," your father can choose to drop you without waiting for open enrollment.

If you cease to be an "eligible dependent" at any time during the year, (eligibility as determined by the employer's benefit contract.) your father can have you removed. Say, for example, a "eligible child" as defined on your father's benefit plan as a child whom you provide more than 50% financial support for. If your father informed his employer and Aetna that you no longer meet that critiera, he can have you removed from the policy.

Not an empty threat by any means. Guess you'll have to make your decision accordingly...if you stick to your guns regarding whatever the argument was about, see if your college has a student plan available to you. Otherwise, you could end up uninsured.

Answer 3

Yes your dad can take you off his insurance at any time. This can also be done without removing your mother from the insurance as well.
Since you are over the age of 18 its about time you start making plans for your own insurance coverage. Many schools offer options for their students. You can also check with your doctors office to see if they offer any financial assistance, or if you would qualify for your states Medicaid program.

Answer 4

They can drop you...you are over 18 now so they can diss-own you, and make you pay all your bills. Being hypo-glycemic means nothing, I am the same! From all I can find out, it is caused by some other condition! What that condition is seems to be some sort of secret.

Answer 5

Yeah, they can. Aetna is one of the few companies that offer "Employee/Spouse" plans. All he'd have to do is go to his HR department at open enrollment time and tell them he no longer has a dependent child eligible. (Which is going to happen when you finish college anyway.) Since it's going to cost less money in premiums, they're not even going to question it either.

Answer 6

Honey, you are soooooo exaggerating.

I have severe hypoglycemia and there is NO medications available to treat that...it is all done through controlling your diet. So I seriously doubt you are on "tons" of medications unless they happen to include Prozac, etc.

Second, as long as you are under them financially, you need to drop the attitude. When you pay ALL of your own bills in your own place...then you get to make the rules. Until then, your parents get to make them.

Third, your "informant" has NO idea of how the contract with Aetna works...each employer cuts their own deal with each insurance company and HE CAN cut you off if he informs his employer that he wants to, and he doesn't have to cut his wife off if he chooses not to.

I think you need to stay in college, learn to get along with your parents, and not bite the hand that is feeding you right now.

Answer 7

Only during open enrollment - which is usually November, but can be any time the employer wants it to be. They can also do it if you drop below full time status at school, or there's another "qualifying event".

Answer 8

Yes, they can take you off the policy. Most employers have only one open enrollment a year where you can make changes to your policy. It is up to the employer when that is, but it is often times Jan. 1st.

Answer 9

They could, but it wouldn't make much sense for them to do that.

Answer 10

what is a qualifying event