Health insurance
companies must provide no-cost immunizations to insured children.
A parent may wish to purchase individual health insurance for his child for numerous reasons, such as financial hardship or a lack of family coverage through a group employer. Though health laws require that insurance companies approve children for health coverage regardless of the applicant's health condition, the same laws make it difficult for parents to find child-only health policies.
The Affordable Care Act
With the passage of The Affordable Care Act in 2010 came laws reforming the way insurance companies can treat children with pre-existing conditions. The law states that no insurance company can deny insurance to a child based on a pre-existing health condition. Additionally, all policies must provide preventive care to the child, such as vaccinations and regular health screenings, at no out-of-pocket cost to the policy-holder.
Result
Because of the rules in The Affordable Care Act, many health insurance companies ceased to offer child-only health insurance policies. Instead, parents who want to purchase health insurance for their children must add them to an existing policy or purchase a new policy that includes an adult parent. Fortunately, many employers offer family health insurance coverage at group rates. If your employer does not offer health insurance or you are self-employed, you may have to purchase an individual private plan on your own and include your child on the policy.
CHIP
Every state in the U.S. offers a federally- and state-sponsored health insurance plan for children known as CHIP, or the childrens' health insurance plan. Though eligibility for the program varies by state, the program's purpose is to extend comprehensive health coverage, including dental and vision benefits, to children of low-income families. Some states allow families with annual incomes of up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for CHIP coverage. CHIP benefits come at free or reduced premiums and low in-office co-pays.
Considerations
Some states are ordering insurance companies to offer child-only policies. For example, in November 2010, the Kentucky insurance commissioner mandated that insurance companies offer a yearly child-only enrollment period to all children, regardless of whether or not an adult parent applies for health insurance as well.
Tags: insurance companies, health insurance, Affordable Care, health insurance, that insurance, adult parent, child-only health
