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White's Military Medical Benefits Bill Enacted
HARRISBURG -- Governor
Ed Rendell today signed into law a measure introduced by Senator Don White,
R-41st District, extending the coverage that full-time students called to active
military duty can receive under their parents' medical insurance plans.
The Governor signed the bill
during a ceremony at Fort Indiantown Gap.
“I am very pleased that the
Governor signed this important piece of legislation for our military families,”
said Senator White, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency
Preparedness Committee. “This will help Pennsylvania's young people who put
aside their classroom studies in order to answer the call of duty.”
Currently, most health
insurance policies allow parents to provide coverage for their children until
age 23 as long as they are full-time students. However, some members of the
Pennsylvania National Guard and Air Guard are being called out of the classroom
and into active duty for assignments that can last for a year or longer. Many
of these young people will be unable to complete their studies before reaching
the age of 23.
“This new law requires
insurance companies to permit these families to let health coverage lapse while
the young person is on active duty and have it resume when the student returns
to school, with an extension in coverage equal to that of the term of duty,”
Senator White said.
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