§300gg–14 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

§300gg–14 Extension of dependent coverage

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 6A— - PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XXV— - REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE › Part Part A— - Individual and Group Market Reforms › Subpart Subpart II— - Improving Coverage › § 300gg–14

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

If a group health plan or an insurance company offers dependent coverage for children, it must let an adult child stay on that coverage until the child turns 26. The plan or company does not have to cover a grandchild (a child of that adult child). The Secretary must make rules that say which dependents are covered. This does not change how "dependent" is defined under title 26 for tax purposes.

Title 42, §300gg–14

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage that provides dependent coverage of children shall continue to make such coverage available for an adult child until the child turns 26 years of age. Nothing in this section shall require a health plan or a health insurance issuer described in the preceding sentence to make coverage available for a child of a child receiving dependent coverage.

(b)The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to define the dependents to which coverage shall be made available under subsection (a).

(c)Nothing in this section shall be construed to modify the definition of “dependent” as used in title 26 with respect to the tax treatment of the cost of coverage.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2714 of act July 1, 1944, was successively renumbered by subsequent acts and transferred, see section 238m of this title.

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–152 struck out “(who is not married)” after “adult child”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective for plan years beginning on or after the date that is 6 months after Mar. 23, 2010, see section 1004 of Pub. L. 111–148, set out as a note under section 300gg–11 of this title.