VICTORY- YOUNG ADULT HEALTH CARE OPTION

Good News — The state Senate voted late this afternoon to accept the Governor’s Amendatory Veto of House Bill 5285 by a margin of 35-17, with 1 voting present. This means that the young adult option legislation that we have pushed for several years is now law.

Families will now be given the flexibility to continue health coverage offered by their employers for their young adult children up to their 26th birthday or, if they are active duty military or veterans, through their 30th birthday. Approximately 325,000 young adults ages 19-25 are uninsured in Illinois, so the need is great. We believe this provision will help a thousands of families to get good coverage for this age group at affordable prices.

In addition, the underlying House Bill 5285 is now also law. This bill allows for a 1 year grace period for young adults covered on their parents’ health plans as full-time students in the event they become ill or are injured and can no longer maintain a full-time course load. These students would now have a one year period to get well without the stress of maintaining a full-time class schedule in order to keep their health coverage.