ACA Plans During Open Enrollment/Medicaid and IRS Tax Dependent vs. Health Insurance Dependent

When signing up for a marketplace plan during open enrollment (November), if an adult child (who I'm thinking will not be our tax dependent in 2025 as they will not be a full-time student anymore and will be 23 years old) has a low income, and they fill out their own application and it directs the application to Medicaid, does Medicaid make the decision prior to January so the child would have insurance prior to January 1? Or does Medicaid require all of the usual information to make a determination?

Also, I had talked to a CSR at healthcare.gov regarding said child may not be our tax dependent during 2025. They told us child would have to fill out their own application. But, if said child can stay on our health insurance up to age 26, then I'm not following. Why would child fill out their own health insurance application if they can stay on my plan (spouse on Medicare) up to age 26. Or was I misinformed by healthcare.gov??

On the healthcare.gov application, when it asks if we claim dependents, we've always said "yes," because we assumed it was asking for IRS tax dependent. Or, is it asking for health insurance dependent?

I'm confused.

submitted by /u/FollowtheYBRoad
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