The purpose of Michelle’s Law was to avoid dependent children losing group health coverage through a parent if they drop out of school because of illness. This law became effective Jan. 1, 2010. However, due to the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the provisions for coverage of adult children were expanded.

Michelle’s Law requires employer-provided health plans to continue coverage for an employee’s dependent child who is a college student when they take a “certified medically necessary leave of absence.” The extension of eligibility is to protect group health coverage of a sick or injured dependent child up to one year. This law applies regardless if the plan is fully insured or self-insured.

Your employer may extend medical coverage for dependent children if they lose eligibility for coverage because of a medically necessary leave of absence from school. Coverage may continue for up to a year, unless your child’s eligibility would end earlier for another reason.

Extended coverage is available if a child’s leave of absence from school — or change in school enrollment status (for example, switching from full-time to part-time status) — starts while the child has a serious illness or injury, is medically necessary, and otherwise causes eligibility for student coverage under the plan to end. Written certification from the child’s physician stating that the child suffers from a serious illness or injury and the leave of absence is medically necessary may be required.

If your child will lose eligibility for coverage because of a medically necessary leave of absence from school and you want his or her coverage to be extended, contact your Human Resources department or benefit administrator for details and administrative responsibilities specific to your situation.