Parents' insurance doesn't cover pregnancy

The U.S. healthcare overhaul allowing adult children to remain on their parents' health plans does not cover a dependent's pregnancy, an advocacy group said. Dania Palanker of the National Women's Law Center said under a 1978 law group health plans are required to provide maternity benefits for employees and spouses but not other dependents, The Washington Post/Kaiser Health News reported. Adult children can stay on their parents' plans until they reach 26 under the healthcare overhaul but it does not guarantee maternity coverage, Palanker said. Wendy Kline learned about the lack of coverage this spring when she took her pregnant 17-year-old daughter to the doctor and her insurer denied the claim for prenatal care. Experts said in some states a pregnant young woman might qualify for Medicaid even if she lived at home with her parents. Starting in 2014, maternity and newborn care is one of 10 so-called essential health benefits that must be offered by all health plans in the individual and small-group markets, including those that are sold through the state-based health insurance exchanges. Large group plans are exempt from those requirements.