"The president loves to cite the fact that college students are now able to stay on their parents' policies until age 26.... But ... the cost of continuing coverage from 18 to 26 could run as high as $3,400 per child per year. Much of that additional cost is passed back to companies that provide insurance coverage to dependents of their employees. The predictable result: Companies are dropping dependent coverage altogether.... [and] new rules and regulations ... are forcing many colleges to discontinue their coverage or to dramatically raise premiums.... [A] ban on insurers' discriminating against preexisting conditions for children [means] parents with healthy children were less likely to get coverage, especially since the inflow of sick children drove up premiums..... [I]nsurers in 20 states have responded by discontinuing 'child only' insurance coverage ... Politicians often act as though government programs are cost free.... But there are always costs and unexpected consequences. "  MORE >>