Minneapolis, MN, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the Class of 2025 gears up for graduation, the job market – and the economy at large – may feel uncertain. But there’s no question health insurance is an important part of young adults’ financial future. Healthinsurance.org has useful information for college graduates – no matter their next steps.
“College graduates in their 20s may face many ‘firsts,’ including purchasing health insurance on their own,” said Louise Norris, health policy analyst for healthinsurance.org. “While navigating health insurance can seem intimidating at first, a little information can go a long way.”
Norris is the author of healthinsurance.org’s coverage guide for college students and graduates, which provides a crash course on shopping for health insurance as a young adult.
Her main advice, especially for graduates who had insurance through their school: Act fast. You probably will not continue to be eligible for that coverage after graduating.
Here are options to lock in coverage and avoid costly gaps:
Option 1: Employer plan. Land a job with benefits? Congrats! Employers may pay a portion of the monthly premium, with the remaining portion deducted from the worker’s paycheck. But beware of eligibility requirements, which may include a minimum work period or weekly hours. Employers may also have waiting periods of up to 90 days before new employees become eligible for health benefits.
Option 2: Through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – also called Obamacare – Marketplace. Students turning 26 or losing their student health plan coverage have 60 days from the end date of their old coverage to sign up for a Marketplace plan. After that, they’ll need to wait until the next annual open enrollment period, typically Nov. 1 through Jan. 15 in most states, unless they have a qualifying life event that makes them eligible for a special enrollment period.
But a heads up: The federal government is considering changing enrollment deadlines for Marketplace plans and hasn’t extended enhanced Marketplace subsidies for 2026. That may impact enrollment deadlines for 2026 plans and your costs of coverage .
“The Marketplace is essentially a one-stop online shop for health insurance,” said Norris. “But don’t fixate on the plan price, or premium, alone; that’s a common mistake for first-time shoppers. Look at the total cost, including deductibles, copays, and coinsurance, as well as the provider network and the covered drug list.”
Option 3: Stay on your parents’ plan. Young adults may remain on a parent’s health insurance plan until their 26th birthday. But if you live in a different state than your parents, provider network limitations might limit access to care.
Option 4: Through Medicaid. You might qualify for Medicaid – available year-round in most states. There’s usually no monthly premium, and eligibility is based on income, not assets.
“Shopping for health insurance may seem daunting, but young adults have numerous options,” Norris said. “The key is to tackle the search head-on – because waiting can cost you.”
Healthinsurance.org provides online resources for consumers about individual and family health insurance. Healthinsurance.org, owned by HealthInsurance.org, LLC, has been providing consumer information about health insurance and health reform for over 25 years.
healthinsurance.org hiomedia@afmcommunications.com
