Legislation is on its way to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s desk that would allow parents and grandparents to keep children up to age 26 on their health insurance policies. The Louisiana House signed off on the measure on an 85-3 vote Monday morning. The state Senate followed suit a short time later on a 39-0 vote giving the bill final legislative passage.
House Bill 244 sponsored by state Rep. Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, adopts in state law a feature of President Barack Obama’s federal health care revamp. Kleckley promoted the legislation as a way to reduce the high number of uninsured Louisiana residents and improve health care.
The legislation would increase the age for dependent coverage on health insurance plans to age 26. It also would delete a requirement that the child or grandchild be unmarried. State Office of Group Benefits plans would be exempt from the requirement.
