By DEBORAH STAYMAN
It’s hard to say who looks forward more to Graduation Day — students or parents.
But some of that joy can sour when they learn dependents over the age of 19 usually lose family health insurance coverage once they leave school. But coverage can be extended for a while if you act quickly.
So, if you have a child who is age 19 or older enrolled in the NYS Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) as your dependent, make sure right away if he or she is still eligible for coverage.
Your unmarried dependent children ages 19 through 24 are eligible if they are full-time students at an accredited educational institution.

Dependent student coverage continues over the summer months only if your child is enrolled for the fall semester and was enrolled in this spring semester as a full-time student.
If your child is not enrolled in school for the fall semester, NYSHIP coverage will end on the last day of the month in which your child completes his or her course requirements (exams), not graduates.
If you want your child to continue to be covered without interruption, you must act quickly in one of two ways: Either continue coverage in NYSHIP under COBRA (the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), or convert to direct-pay contracts.

The health-care benefits your child may continue under COBRA are the same benefits you receive as an active employee enrolled in NYSHIP. COBRA requires that your child have the opportunity to continue coverage for up to 36 months. The cost of COBRA coverage is the full premium (both the employer and employee share), plus a 2 percent administrative fee.
You have 60 days from when coverage ends to extend the coverage under provisions of COBRA by notifying the Employee Benefits Division (EBD) of the state Department of Civil Service.

To obtain a COBRA election form, send a written request to:
NYS Department of Civil Service
Employee Benefits Division
Attn: COBRA Unit
State Office Building Campus
Albany, NY 12239

Include your Social Security number, the dependent’s name, the reason for the request, the date coverage ended, and a telephone number where you can be reached.
If your child is trying to get into a school but hasn’t yet been accepted, you could continue coverage through COBRA. Once he’s enrolled for the fall semester, his dependent-student status will be reinstated back to the date he lost eligibility and the COBRA premiums you paid during the interim will be refunded.

Another option is to convert to a direct-pay contract for your child.
But both rules and deadlines for applying and the benefits available vary among the NYSHIP health-care plans, so contact your carrier or HMO directly.

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