<p>For those opting for a Gap Year -- How are they covered under health insurance? The only health insurance policies I'm aware of only covers dependents if they are full time students. </p>
<p>I realize some Gap programs, like AmeriCorps City Year, has health care. But after the Gap Year ends & student enrolls in a 4 yr school, can the student be added back onto a family policy?</p>
<p>Our insurance would not let us have daughter drop out for a year and then come back. We decided against gap year because of it…she has a condition and we couldn’t risk shopping for new.</p>
<p>Check your coverage. mine happens to cover both kids till 25 - students or not.</p>
<p>ours covers kids until 21.
I would also mention that some gap years can earn you college credit- my daughters could but she didn’t want to jump through the hoops or write the papers- however, as long as dependents are enrolled at least part time ( which is considered to be usually 6 qtr credits), then they can be considered students.</p>
<p>If you are already accepted to the college you want to attend- ask them if taking college credit would alter your freshman status.</p>
<p>Definitely check your policy - call the number on your card. Plans vary - don’t take any advice from others except to get this information yourself. Our plan is full-time student to 25, no gap except 30 days illness. </p>
<p>Union and government plans are usually pretty generous, salaried not so much - but again, check for yourself and ask specific questions, don’t assume they will let you know.</p>
<p>I had no idea various health plans permitted coverage after child was age 18 without child being a student.</p>
<p>I just checked both my policy (kids currently on mine) and husband’s policy. Mine is age 18, husband is 19. As our healthcare changes annually I will be sure to look at this aspect of the policy annually. </p>
<p>Thanks all – as always CC shows me daily how to be a more educated consumer.</p>
<p>My company’s coverage is good until 12/31 of the year a kids turns 19. So, a child born in January can remain covered until (almost) his 20th bday.</p>
<p>We insured our son through COBRA during his gap year (he paid the very expensive monthly cost). When he started school he was back on our policy.</p>
<p>As lots of health care is changing- it is good to find some bifocals and read the fine print.
( Also before the gap year- make sure glasses etc are up to date- we found that as a high school student D could get her required immunizations much cheaper than after graduation. If going abroad, there may be series of shots that need to be started several months ahead of time)</p>
<p>We had a son take a year off. All we had to do is prove he returned to college to be re-instated under our employers’ policies.</p>