Can I include my parents in my health benefits at the hospital?

[chariot]

I am working part-time as a NA with benefits for a big hospital. I still live with my parents while working and going to school. My parents work, but cannot afford health insurance. They work for a company, but that company does not offer insurance because the employees work as self-pay. However, after the tax and all the deductions, my parents cannot afford insurance. Is there any way I can include them in my benefits? I know I have to pay extra. I'm willing to do that.

[westieluv]

I've never heard of anyone doing that. We have benefits through my husband's employer and every year we have to send copies of our marriage license and our kids' birth certificates to verify that we really are his spouse and biological children, because no one else is eligible for coverage. Especially with the way that insurance companies are cracking down and cutting benefits to save money, I highly doubt if you could get coverage for your parents through your benefits. It's really sweet of you to care enough to want to do it, and I would check with your HR department, but honestly, don't count on it.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I work for an insurance company and I have never seen a child carrying their parent(s) on their policy. Our company does benefits for many different companies/corporations and all have different policies but ALL only allow the member (policyholder) to carry their spouse, their children (biological/adopted or step) or children the policy holder has legal custody and guardianship over (grandparents who have legal custody/guardianship who raising grandchildren). I have never seen nor heard of an adult child carrying their parents on the policy.

[NewbieNeedsHelp]

That's really nice of you... You remind me of myself with my parents... ;(

Have you tried Medicaid? See if they qualify. And def ask HR about adding them on to yours, it's worth a shot.

But there are programs for people who need low cost or state supplied insurance. I'm in mass but if ur state is anything like mine there should be a state ran low income option

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

They would have to be legally declared incompetent and your dependents. Including for tax return purposes and you would have to be financially supporting them. I looked into this when my father became gravely ill and we needed to have legal guardianship declared. you cannot carry insurance on someone who you are dependent on.

So in other words, it's highly unlikely you would be able to do so...

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

As of this year, I will no longer be a dependent of my Mom. Then, can I put her on my insurance?

[JZ_RN]

Unless they are your dependents and you have a guardianship of them because they are either disabled or incompetent or something, no.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

As of this year I will no longer be a dependent of my Mom. Then, can I put her on my insurance?[/quote']

No, your mother would have to be declared as YOUR dependent which means that you provide more than 51% of her financial support and a court of law declared her as your dependent (generally only due to legally incompetent or mentally/medically/physically disabled) The IRS has very specific rules about this. IRS rules are the ones that dictate open enrollment and benefit start date policies

[a016202]

The answer is no.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I'm in mass but if ur state is anything like mine there should be a state ran low income option

Massachusetts has RomneyCare. So until that provision of ObamaCare goes into effect, there's not going to be similar options for the rest of us in the continental U.S. (I believe Hawaii has some good options for healthcare as well.)

I think that provision is going into effect in either 2013 or 2014, can't remember off the top of my head for sure though.

[sapphire18]

Massachusetts has RomneyCare. So until that provision of ObamaCare goes into effect, there's not going to be similar options for the rest of us in the continental U.S. (I believe Hawaii has some good options for healthcare as well.)

I think that provision is going into effect in either 2013 or 2014, can't remember off the top of my head for sure though.

Haha, never heard it called RomneyCare before...we just call it MassHealth=P

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Haha, never heard it called RomneyCare before...we just call it MassHealth=P

I would think someday we might all call ObamaCare just "U.S. healthcare." Of course, Romney doesn't want the rest of the country to have what Massachusetts takes for granted, so I guess we'll see...