One question I am often asked is, “How do I get health insurance for my kids?” Usually this comes up with the pending arrival of a newborn.
Getting health insurance for your kids isn’t too complicated. Usually, the answer is to talk to your own health insurance company to find out how to add a child to your plan.
If you receive your health insurance through your employer, go to your human resources department. They will be able to tell you how to add a child to your health plan and can give you the forms to fill out.
If you receive health insurance from another carrier, contact that company directly to add your child to your health plan.
If you don’t have insurance (remember: under current regulations, everyone should) or can’t insure your child on your plan, the next place to look is Medicaid. Medicaid offers a Children’s Health Insurance Program, aptly named CHIP. It offers early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment, just as other health plans do.
CHIP has income restrictions, however, so if your income doesn’t qualify you, then you’ll want to go through the health exchange to insure your kids.
One standard that Obamacare brought with it, which now applies to most health plans, is that parents can keep their children on their health plan until the age of 26 if the child is enrolled in school. With the health care discussions happening in the government, check for the latest information about current rules.
As you would for your own health plan, shop around to find the best solution for your family. Make sure your children have a health plan that covers their specific needs. If you know your child will have particular health care needs, review your coverage to make sure it suits those needs.
Want to know more about choosing health plans? Get my ebook set Easy Healthcare: Set Two. It included Choosing Your Health Insurance, and Obamacare, as wells as What You Need First. It is available in all major ebook formats. Get it here.
