Free Printable Checklist
Turning 26 Coverage Checklist
Aging off a parent's health plan is the biggest coverage deadline of your twenties. This one-page checklist walks the whole 90-day runway so there's no gap and no surprise.
Prints on a single page — worth going through with your parents, since some steps are theirs.
Jenkins Insurance & Retirement
Turning 26 Coverage Checklist
About 90 days before your birthday
- Confirm the exact end date of your coverage — employer plans usually end at the close of your birthday month; a parent's Marketplace plan runs through December 31 of the year you turn 26
- Ask your parent to confirm the date with their HR or plan documents — don't guess
- If you have a job, ask HR whether losing a parent's coverage lets you join the employer plan (it usually does) and what the deadline is
- Decide who claims you on taxes this year — dependent status decides whose income counts for subsidies
About 60 days before (your enrollment window opens)
- Estimate your income for the calendar year — wages, freelance, everything (loans and tuition scholarships don't count)
- List every doctor and prescription you want to keep
- Check whether your income puts you in Utah Medicaid range (roughly under 138% of the federal poverty level)
- Compare Marketplace plans on healthcare.gov — or have a free advisor run the comparison for you
- If you're under 30 and healthy, price a Catastrophic plan against a subsidized Bronze/Silver plan before choosing
About 30 days before
- Enroll — pick a start date that begins the day after your old coverage ends, so there's no gap
- Save your enrollment confirmation number
- Set up automatic payment for the first premium — coverage isn't active until it's paid
After the switch
- Confirm the first premium payment went through and your coverage shows active
- Save your new member card (photo on your phone counts) and register on the member portal
- Tell your doctors and pharmacy the new plan information before your next visit
- Mark your calendar for Open Enrollment (November 1 – January 15) to re-compare next year
This checklist is general education, not personalized advice. Missed your 60-day window? You may still qualify for Utah Medicaid any time of year, or for another Special Enrollment Period if a new life event occurs.
Jenkins Insurance & Retirement · (435) 538-3474 · jjenkins@crsgadvisors.com
Printed from jenkinsir.com — free Medicare & insurance guidance for Wyoming and Utah
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