Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110
§300gg–14 Extension of Dependent Coverage
Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER XXV — REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE › Part A — Individual and Group Market Reforms › Subpart II — Improving Coverage › § 300gg–14
Summary
Health plans and insurers that cover children must keep covering an adult child until age 26, but they do not have to cover a child’s child (a grandchild). The Secretary will define which dependents are covered. This does not change the tax meaning of "dependent" under title 26.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §300gg–14
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)In general
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)Regulations
The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to define the dependents to which coverage shall be made available under subsection (a).
(c)Rule of construction
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.
Legislative History
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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 300gg–14
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110