Medicaid Coverage Available to Foster Youth through 26 years old

Did you know: the Affordable Care Act includes Medicaid coverage for youth who “aged out” of foster care, up to age 26?

According to this report:
“Effective January 1, 2014, all states must extend Medicaid coverage to age 26 for all youth who are enrolled in Medicaid and in foster care on their 18th birthday, or enrolled in Medicaid when they aged out of foster care if over age 18.
Youth who aged out in the past several years and are not yet age 26 are covered immediately, and youth currently in foster care are covered when they age out. This provision is intended to ensure these young people can have health insurance without interruption until they are age 26, and parallels the provision currently available to many youth of coverage to age 26 on a parent or guardian’s health plan.”