Child health insurance can be very reasonably priced, especially for healthy children. The best value in health insurance for kids can be found in buying a plan that has a high deductible, yet has rich preventive and office-based treatment. Many plans have three well-child baby visits and annual physicals that include lab tests and other blood work. It often does not make sense to get a low deductible when buying health insurance for children because it just raises the premium price, and that money could ultimately be saved and used in the case there is a large expense.
Health Insurance For Kids
If an individual is considering child health insurance, he/she may also want to consider a health savings account. These accounts typically have very rich preventive care with high deductibles and, in certain cases, 100% coverage after the deductible is met. This also offers a great savings vehicle if there is additional money to save for a large expense down the road. The Tonik health plans by Anthem are very popular options for child health insurance, as they often include both a dental and vision benefit. Aetna also has excellent child-only plans that have strong preventive care and dental coverage for a small additional cost.
it is also usually affordable to simply add a child to a family health insurance plan. Many family plans cover adult and child health insurance, all under the umbrella of a single plan.
When it comes to your children, you want the right health insurance for kids that is both affordable and provides the coverage they need to grow healthy and strong. With most health policies including so many variables, it can oftentimes leave you with more questions than answers.
Healthcare Options for Your Kids
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, kids have more options available than before these healthcare laws were implemented.
Kids Coverage Included as an Essential Health Benefit
Under the ACA, all health insurance plans are required to have the ten essential health benefits covered when an individual seeks care from a provider within his/her plan’s network. Of these benefits includes pediatric services.
“This includes dental care, vision care, well-child visits, vaccinations, and immunizations. Dental and vision care must be offered to children through the age of 18 (2 routine dental exams; 1 yearly eye exam with corrective lenses).”
Dependents Can Stay On Plan Until Age 26.
For families claiming their children as dependents, one can take comfort knowing that the age for dependents to lose their health coverage has been extended to the age of 26.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “The Affordable Care Act requires plans and issuers that offer dependent coverage to make the coverage available until the adult child reaches the age of 26. Many parents and their children who worried about losing health insurance after they graduated from college no longer have to worry.”
Having or Adopting a New Child is a Qualifying Life Event.
If an individual has a baby on the way or is planning to adopt, the newest addition to his/her family qualifies his/her family for the Special Enrollment Period. This period is open for 60 days and allows families to enroll in a new family plan and find coverage necessary for keeping the whole family healthy.
CONCLUSION
No matter what plan fits best with one’s child’s health insurance needs, it is essential to have coverage in place for his/her child, should anything happen and oftentimes child health insurance is more affordable than adult health insurance. It is very much important for an individual to have his/her child insured.