Affordable Rates
Child health insurance is a health plan for a child, or children, without an adult on the same policy. Health insurance rates for infants under 1 year old are higher and this is understandable, because all health insurance plans now include well-child baby visits and routine exams that include blood tests and other diagnostic tests. Once beyond the toddler stage, children’s health insurance is affordable. That’s because children in the elementary school age group are less likely to develop serious illnesses. Heath insurance plans that include good coverage for emergency room visits is important at this age, becuase K-8 school age kids are more susceptible to accidents. Teenagers are even more accident prone what with driving and contact sports. For health insurance purposes, they are considered children until age 18.
Child Health Insurance and Health Reform
A provision of the Affordable Care Act already in effect requires that children under 19 years of age in are eligible to enroll in an health plan without regard to any preexisting medical conditions. Enrollment guidelines vary by state. The California guidelines are listed below.
- Annual Open Enrollment Period during the month of the child’s birth date.
- Late Enrollment Period, within 63 days of any of the following conditions:
- Loss of group health coverage because of termination or change in employment,
- Loss of employer contribution,
- Death of primary insured,
- Legal separation or divorce of primary insured causes loss of coverage,
- Loss of Healthy Families, AIM, or Medi-Cal coverage.
- Recently became a resident of California,
- Newborn in California but did not enroll in birth month,
- Coverage of child mandated by court order,
- Child is newly adopted.
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