You’ve got the balloons and the cake. You’re ready for your party—but are you ready for your 26th year? Health insurance coverage is probably not the first thing you would put on your birthday wish list, but if you are still a dependent on your parents’ health insurance, it’s time to start shopping for some of your own.
Your coverage through your parent or guardian's health insurance coverage may end at the end of your birth month or the calendar year, depending on what type of insurance you have.
Turning 26 is considered a qualifying life event. That means you can sign up for health insurance outside of the traditional Open Enrollment period.
If you experience a qualifying life event, you can enroll with UPMC Health Plan even if it is not during Open Enrollment. Turning 26 and aging out of your parents’ health insurance plan is a qualifying life event.
When you enroll with UPMC Health Plan, you’ll be giving yourself the gift of coverage and starting your 26th year with access to outstanding care!
Learn About Qualifying Life Events
We know efforts to improve or maintain your health happen mostly outside the doctor’s office. That’s why we offer additional benefits and services for an affordable price. Take a look at what it means to be a UPMC Health Plan member.
Have you heard about UPMC VirtualCare?1
UPMC VirtualCare connects you to convenient, low-cost care your way—virtually or in person.
Providing access to care to help keep you healthy.
Helping you take care of your mental and physical health.
- Six free counseling sessions through LifeSolutions®6
- Free health coaching to help you make healthy changes in your life
- The RxWell app to support your total well-being
Supporting you when you need it.
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Questions? Call us toll-free at 1-877-563-0292.
1Available in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Erie, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
2Preventive care will be covered at 100 percent only when it is received from a participating provider and it is billed as preventive. A separate cost share may apply if additional medical services are received during the same visit or if your preventive care appointment becomes diagnostic in nature.
3Tier 5 preventive medications on UPMC Health Plan’s Advantage Choice formulary will be covered with no cost share for members who meet certain criteria in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.
4Go to upmchealthplan.com/BEST for award information.
5UPMC Health Plan commercial members and their dependents who reside or are traveling in Ohio will continue to access care through the SuperMed PPO Network and, while traveling outside of the state of Ohio, can also utilize the Cigna PPO Network.
6UPMC Health Plan members located in Pennsylvania at the time of a virtual visit may select a UPMC-employed provider or a provider from Online Care Network II PC (OCN), subject to availability and discretion of the provider. Members located outside of Pennsylvania will receive service from OCN. OCN is not an affiliate of UPMC.
7Only the virtual visit with the provider will be covered at 100 percent. Prescription drug and other costs related to the visit or recommended by the provider will not be included in the virtual visit coverage and will be your responsibility. If you are enrolled in the UPMC Advantage Silver HSA $4,000/$0; UPMC Advantage Gold HSA $3,000/$0 plan or the UPMC Advantage Catastrophic $9,100/$0 plans, UPMC AnywhereCare virtual visits will be covered at 100 percent after you meet your deductible. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply.