Children need health coverage to protect them at home and at school.
Health insurance is a necessary expense, particularly if you have young children. Health insurance can cover the cost of illness or injury, which most children experience at some point during childhood. If you do not have access to health insurance through your employer, you may be wondering get health insurance for your child. There are a number of affordable health insurance plans for children which are both publicly and privately funded.
CHIP
According to InsureKidsNow.gov, CHIP, or the Children's Health Insurance Program, was first created in 1997 and received expanded funding under legislation signed in 2009. CHIP is a partnership between state and federal agencies to provide affordable health insurance coverage for children whose families make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but are still unable to purchase private health insurance coverage. Each state is has its own version of CHIP, although the name of the program may be unique to each state. Each state is granted authority to determine eligibility and set the benefit and payment levels depending on the needs of each family. Each state is required to cover routine check-ups and immunizations as well as dental care, hospital visits, laboratory and x-ray services.
Medicaid
Similar to CHIP, Medicaid is a federal program administered at the state level to provide health insurance coverage for preventive care in doctors' offices as well as hospital visits, medical screening and treatment of various health conditions, vision care and dental care. Medicaid is designed to provide health insurance benefits to low-income families and individuals. InsureKidsNow.com indicates that each state has its own eligibility requirements and list of benefits, but coverage usually extends to pregnant women, infants and children up to age 21 who meet the state's income qualifications. Generally, Medicaid is generally open to children of families living at or below the federal poverty level.
Private Insurance
Even if your employer does not offer a health insurance plan through work, you may still be able to enroll your child in an affordable group health insurance plan. Many public and privates schools, daycare centers, clubs and camps offer open enrollment in health insurance that is designed to provide coverage for your child throughout the year. UnitedHealthcare.com offers a K-12 plan to insure children from kindergarten through grade 12. The plan offers a low yearly deductible and affordable rates along with immediate coverage upon enrollment, 24-hour coverage and an unrestricted choice of doctors and hospitals. Check with your child's school, sports teams or other organization to see if a group health insurance plan is available.
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