The Web site BusinessInsurnce.com posted an article on May 19, 2009 reporting that the Pennsylvania general assembly has passed a bill which would require employers to extend coverage to their employee’s dependent children until they reach the age of 30. S.B. 189, which is expected to be signed into law by Govern Rendell, permits a child to retain coverage through their parents employer provided they are: unmarried, have no dependents, reside in

Pennsylvania or are enrolled full time at an accredited institution of higher learning, and are not already insured under another group or individual health insurance  plan.

The article reports that employers can raise employee premiums to cover the cost of extending coverage. Self insured employer plans are exempted from the coverage of the bill. The Bill does not require that plans offer coverage to children of employees. Therefore, the bill will not affect plans which only cover the employee and not their dependents. For a full version of the article click here.