Adding your parent to your health insurance plan can be complicated. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), your kids can be on your health insurance plan until they are 26 years old, but your aging parents are not given the same protection. If you want to add your parents, there are things you need to know.

Review Your Insurance Plan
You need to research and read through your policy before adding your parent to your plan—insurance companies list who qualifies as a dependent. Most insurance companies only allow children and spouses as a dependent, but a few companies can allow you to add your parents to the plan. For instance, Veterans Insurance will allow you to add your father or mother to your insurance plan if they meet the required qualification.

Adding a Parent
Congratulations, if your insurer allows parents as dependents. Keep in mind that adding your parents, it’s not as simple as calling up and requesting a change. You need to meet the dependent requirements. Some policies might require your parents to live with you physically and financially provide for them. Other plans may ask you to prove that parents don’t file a W-2 with the IRS.

Other Options

If your current health insurance plan doesn’t allow you to add your parents, you might use the annual enrollment period to shop around for an insurance plan that considers them. Open enrollment runs from November 1 through December 15 every year, although some states extend it.