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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Josh Shapiro |
  
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Shapiro bill would extend health coverage to part-time college students with disabilities
HARRISBURG, May 16 – State Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, today introduced legislation that would provide health insurance to students who are enrolled in college part time rather than full time due to a disability.
Currently, many parents' insurance policies offer coverage for dependent children until age 23 as long as they are full-time college students. However, many students can only attend college part time due to challenges posed by disabilities such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
"It is unfair to continue allowing insurance companies to deny health coverage for a significant number of college students because they're dealing with the rigors of college at a slower pace due to a disability," Shapiro said. "My legislation would allow young people to pursue their dreams while still being afforded the health benefits everyone needs."
Under Shapiro's bill (H.B. 2554) – the Health Insurance Coverage for Dependent Children with Disabilities Act – if the parents' insurance policy provides coverage for a full-time college student dependent, the coverage would also have to be extended to students who are part time due to a documented disability.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 8 percent of Pennsylvania's children between 4 and 17 are dealing with ADHD – that's nearly 300,000 children. Shapiro said children with ADHD already have much lower rates of college graduation than their peers.
"From the bottom of my heart, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Representative Shapiro for championing this legislation," said Natalie Knochenhauer, Philadelphia coordinator for Children and Adults with ADHD.
"Not only did he listen to the concerns of a working mom with four bright, wonderful children diagnosed with ADHD who have dreams of going to college, he then took action to ensure that all of these students could maintain the health benefits they need to treat their ADHD while attending school part time, which is often the only manageable course load for college students with documented learning disabilities. Most of all, though, I will always be grateful for the respect and seriousness that Representative Shapiro demonstrated when listening to my young son describe both his difficulties with ADHD and his college dreams, as it empowered him to stand up for himself and others and to keep dreaming his big dreams," she said.
Shapiro is deputy speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and represents the 153rd Legislative District in Montgomery County. More information about Shapiro is available at www.pahouse.com/Shapiro.
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