What Is a Grandfathered Health Plan?
A grandfathered health plan is a plan that was in existence on March 23, 2010 (when the ACA was signed) and has not made significant changes to its coverage or costs since then.
What Grandfathered Plans Don't Have to Do
- Cover preventive care at no cost
- Provide free annual wellness visits
- Offer an external appeals process
- Cover certain women's preventive services
- Prohibit lifetime dollar limits on benefits
- Extend dependent coverage to age 26 (this one does apply to grandfathered plans)
⚠️ Very few plans remain truly grandfathered today — any significant change (like a major premium increase or benefit reduction) can cause a plan to lose grandfathered status. Ask your insurer directly if your plan is grandfathered.
What Grandfathered Plans Still Must Do
- Cover dependent children to age 26
- Prohibit rescission (canceling coverage when you get sick)
- Not impose lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits
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