Can I buy health insurance just for my child?

by Guest » Mon Aug 19, 2013 05:51 am
Guest

I've a group insurance coverage from my employer so I don't need one. The same goes with my spouse. So we want to get one for our kid. Could I buy health insurance just for my child who is 8?

Total Comments: 3

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 01:17 am Post Subject:

Do neither of your group health plans allow dependent child coverage? That would be quite unusual. If either of you work for employers with more than 100 employees, unless their health plans are "grandfathered" under the PPACA (Obamacare), they must already offer dependent coverage (starting with plan years beginning on or after Sept 23, 2010).

Nevertheless, you can purchase health insurance for your child as an individual policy.

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 04:55 am Post Subject:

Both of us are web designers and work for small development firms (each having employees around 25-30 or less)! Still, thanks for the guidance. I'll try to make this clear with the authorities.

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 05:01 pm Post Subject:

I'll try to make this clear with the authorities.

What authorities? Are you even in America?

There is currently no legal requirement for employers in America to provide health insurance to any of their employees. On Jan 1, 2014, even the so-called employer mandate will not take effect as America was promised in 2010. That's been pushed back to 2015 for now. And even then, it only applies to employers with 50 or more full-time employees (30 hours/week or more). [Some states may have changed their laws to coincide with the PPACA, and this will certainly create some conflicts, unless those states modify their laws again.]

Individual plans for children under age 19 have been available on a guaranteed issue basis since Sept 23, 2010.

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