Child Only Health Insurance is increasing popular over the last few years. Many families purchase a family health insurance plan to keep all of their medical coverage in one place. This is convenient, but this is not always a practical solution. Some parents cannot extend employer medical benefits to their kids because it costs too much or the plan does not cover their child’s needs. Other parents live and work in a different city than their kids, so their HMO or PPO network will not help the children. The best health insurance companies offer affordable child only health insurance for babies through teens, so it is quite simple to buy kids their own health insurance policy.
Are you ready to shop for child only health insurance for your children, grandchildren, or other dependents? If so, simply begin by providing your home ZIP code. This quick and simple online insurance quote tool will show you the best providers in your kid’s town or city. If you need more help, you can find phone numbers to get personal service from experienced health insurance agents too. We can also help with medical plans for adults and senior citizens.
To demonstrate that not everybody is entitled to group medical benefits from work, note that the Kaiser Family Foundation says less than half of Americans benefit from employer medical plans.
These are some percentages of people who get group medical coverage in selected states:
About 17 percent of Americans get health insurance from Medicaid and other private health insurance plans for people with lower incomes. In some states, children from families with moderate incomes might rely upon CHIP (The Children’s Health Insurance Program), but this is not the solution for every family.
In many cases, the custodial parent, relative, or other adult might not be the person who is responsible for providing health insurance. These figures illustrate the number of children who do not live with both parents or even any of their parents:
With public programs, the application process includes proving income. Income requirements vary by state, and in some states, they might be very strict. Typically, applying takes a while too. Meanwhile, private insurers offer affordable plans for all types of kids, and they issue coverage quickly. When many families need to cover their kids, they need to do it quickly to get required physicals and immunizations for school and other activities.
Also, typical public programs use a restrictive HMO with limited doctors on the plan. Private companies sell less restrictive PPOs and different kids of plans, so families have the flexibility to choose doctors and other health care providers.
Public health plans provide a valuable safety net, but they are not the right solution for every family. It is also important to note that many children may be able to buy private health insurance from a private insurer via the ObamaCare health insurance marketplace, and this may help middle class families earn a tax credit. A health insurance agent or company representative can help you learn more about that too.
When faced with a lot of new health insurance terms, it can get difficult to know what kind of health insurance to look for. Today, these are some popular alternatives:
Which type of health insurance is right for your child only health insurance? In the US, PPOs are the most popular because they do control costs and allow some flexibility. HSAs are a good choice for disciplined savers who can use a tax deduction. HMOs are the most restrictive, but they do a very good job of controlling costs.
Even plans of the same type may be very different depending upon the health insurance company and options that the member selects. Some things that can vary include copays, deductibles, and benefits. However, having lots of choices is a good thing because it allows families to select affordable child only health insurance that provides the benefits that they really need.
For example, children with certain chronic medical conditions may need to visit doctors and specialists quite a bit. In this case, it might help save money to select a plan with copays, low deductibles, and lots of access to specialists. Other children may only need a yearly checkup for immunizations and coverage for accidental injuries, and these families may save money by choosing a high deductible plan with cheaper premiums and less robust coverage.
These are some common chronic medical conditions in children to consider because they may require more attention from doctors and therapists:
Some things that may impact your own choice of child only health insurance companies are your child’s medical conditions, available insurers in your city, and local HMO or PPO plan networks. Beyond that, all insurance consumers have to balance the cost and benefits of each choice.
These are some of the largest U.S. private heath insurance companies, but choices might vary by your local area:
Also, these insurers may or may not have health insurance marketplace plans in your state. For some families, choosing ObamaCare may be a good decision because families without access to other affordable health insurance who make between one and four hundred percent of the poverty level may qualify for subsidies. For other families, the health insurance marketplace isn’t helpful, and it is fine to choose a non-marketplace plan.
The good news is that children with preexisting medical conditions cannot get denied for coverage. Also, insurers may offer additional dental or vision coverage that was not associated with major medical in the past.
The cost of child only health insurance depends upon location, type of plans, deductibles, and plan options. For example, raising a deductible from $500 to $1,500 may save hundreds of dollars in premiums each year, but it means that families could pay more out of their pockets if they do need to seek care for their kids.
Typical policies have general deductibles, but they may also services like prescriptions, doctors office visits, and trips to the emergency room that are covered by a modest copay. With these copay health insurance policies, families might really only need to worry about the deductible for hospital visits or major outpatient services.
The best way to balance the cost and the benefits of any company and policy that you are considering is to begin by comparing rates and plans in your city or town. Enter your ZIP code in the box on this website to find affordable health insurance for children in your local area.
Once you see a list of top health insurance companies and agents, you are free to click each entry for more details and contact information. If you need help, you are also welcome to call us and ask to speak with a licensed health insurance agent. We offer health insurance quotes for children only, adults, and senior citizens, and we work hard to find all of our clients the best benefits at the right price.