Who Can You Add as a Dependent for Health Insurance?
Posted: July 10, 2024
Health insurance plays an essential role in keeping you and — if you enroll in a family plan — your spouse and children safe. If you’re interested in purchasing a family health insurance plan, it’s a good idea to see who qualifies so you can ensure everyone has the coverage they need. This guide will answer some common questions about group health insurance plans and who is eligible.
What Is a Dependent for Health Insurance?
A dependent is anyone who qualifies as an additional person on your health insurance plan. Your dependents can access all of your health plan benefits and use them as if they were the policyholder.
What Is a Beneficiary for Health Insurance?
A beneficiary is typically the primary policyholder of the insurance plan and receives health care benefits. The term “beneficiary” can extend to other individuals who receive benefits, like your spouse or child.
Why Add Someone as a Dependent for Health Insurance?
Besides the main benefit of coverage for minor and major medical needs, adding a dependent to your insurance plan allows you to take advantage of many tax deductions and credits.
Anyone who qualifies as a dependent for your health insurance plan generally also qualifies as a dependent for tax purposes, which means you can take advantage of benefits such as:
- Head of household status.
- Child tax credit.
- Dependent credit.
- Increased earned income tax credit.
- Deductions for medical and dental expenses.
Depending on your filing status, you may also qualify for some tax deductions or a reduction in the amount of taxes you owe.
Do You Have to Be Married to Share Health Insurance?
Many couples have forgone traditional marriage in favor of domestic partnerships, sharing a home and financial responsibilities without getting married. In California, domestic partners can enroll in a health insurance policy and access the same benefits as a married couple.
To qualify as a domestic partnership, couples must:
- Share a common residence.
- Split financial responsibilities.
- Be at least 18 and mentally competent to offer consent.
- Not be married to each other or another person.
- Not be related in any way that would interfere with legal marriage.
If you qualify for a domestic partnership, you can also add your children to your health insurance plan.
Can I Add My Parents to My Health Insurance?
California is one of the few states permitting adult children to add their parents to their health insurance coverage. To qualify, the parent must be a dependent of the child, not be eligible for Medicare and live in the health plan’s service area. Children can add their stepparents to their health insurance plan as dependents as well.
Can I Add My Girlfriend to My Health Insurance?
You can add your girlfriend to your health insurance if you qualify for a domestic partnership. In California, there isn’t a specific duration couples must live together before establishing a domestic partnership.
If you meet the state’s established criteria, such as being at least 18 and not married to each other or another person, you can register as a domestic partnership and add your girlfriend to your health insurance.
Can I Add My Boyfriend to My Health Insurance?
Like adding a girlfriend to your health insurance plan, you can only add a boyfriend if you qualify and register as a domestic partnership. Before adding your boyfriend to your health insurance plan, you should register as a domestic partnership with the state of California, which allows you to receive the same benefits as married couples.
Can I Add a Friend to My Health Insurance?
In most cases, the state of California does not permit residents to add their friends to insurance policies. With the exception of common law marriages and domestic partnerships, you cannot claim people who aren’t related to you as dependents.
Generally, you can only add a friend to your insurance plan if they meet the IRS criteria that consider them a dependent. You typically can’t add a friend to your health insurance unless special circumstances are at play, such as:
- You have a defined relationship with the friend and provide financial support for over half of their expenses.
- A court order or exceptional circumstances require you to include them in your health insurance plan.
How to Get Health Insurance for Your Child
Most insurance plans grant health coverage to children by qualifying them as a dependent. You can put biological kids and stepchildren on your health care plan, as well as adopted and foster children.
Technically, both parents can add their child as a dependent on their health care plans. However, the primary policyholder is typically the only one with their child on their health insurance plan. Most insurance companies use the birthday rule to determine who holds the child’s policy — the parent born first in the calendar year will add the child to their insurance plan.
Children continue to receive coverage on most insurance plans until they turn 26. This means your children can remain on your health plan even if they are in school, aren’t dependents, are married with their own children or choose not to enroll in coverage with their own workplace. If your child is in school, their coverage may become more difficult, as your insurance plan may not provide coverage out of state or overseas.
How to Add a Dependent to Your Health Insurance
With most insurance plans, you can add a dependent to your policy during open enrollment — a yearly window where you can select a new health insurance plan or adjust your current one. If you experience a life event like the birth of a child, marriage or the loss of a job, you can make changes to your insurance plan as soon as the event occurs.
Once you add a dependent to your insurance, they can access the same insurance benefits you do. They will also receive their own ID card to show at doctors’ offices.
Find the Coverage You Need at Health for California Insurance Center
At Health for California Insurance Center, we make applying for insurance coverage feasible, fast and free! Instead of working your way through multiple insurance options, we’ll help you find the best plan for your needs and budget. We understand insurance policies often feel like another language. That’s why we use simple, everyday language throughout our website so you can easily understand each plan and whether you qualify.
Let us help you obtain coverage with our easy-to-use platform and wide range of affordable health insurance options. Shop and compare our many insurance plans to find one that works for you today!
