Part of President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) requires that health insurance companies must give a policy to children. However, the insurance companies found a loophole that allows them to deny child-only applications. Currently, no major insurance company in Arizona is offering a child-only policy.
Here are a few possible ways to get coverage for your child:
– Add a parent to the application
If an adult applies for a policy with a child (and the adult gets approved), then the insurance company must approve the child as well, regardless of any pre-existing conditions the child has. If you want to view rates that include a parent, please fill out our online quote request form.
– Purchase a short-term policy
There are a couple high quality short-term plans that will still accept a child alone. I recommend one from Assurant Health. You can keep it for up to 6 months. Your coverage can start as soon as tomorrow. Deductibles range from $1000-$5000, with a maximum out of pocket cost of $2,000 after the deductible. The rates are inexpensive, however no pre-existing conditions are covered.
Click here to download the Assurant Health brochure:
Click here to view rates and/or apply online:
- PCIP (Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan)
If a child has been without coverage for at least 6 months, he/she can qualify for a government plan called PCIP. There are 3 plan options, ranging in monthly cost from $104 to $141 per child. More info is available here:
http://www.lehrmangroup.com/blog/apply-for-arizonas-preexisting-condition-health-insurance-plan/
- Group coverage
If you have the option to join a group plan through an employer, that plan will be required to accept children (although it might be expensive).
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-600-9663.
It is major drawback, insurance have to be available for every age group individuals regardless he/she is child or over 65. Arizona insurance agents to revise the children insurance policy and make some good plans for children.
This is exactly what’s happening in Utah. No one is accepting child-only plans anymore. Some companies are only accepting children with adults during the two open enrollment periods each year (Jan 1st and July 1st). I agree with you. It’ll be interesting to see how all of this integrates once 2014 comes.
Jared Balis
Utah Health Insurance Agent
The state of Oregon a few months ago restructured child only individual enrollments, by switching to open enrollment periods, similar to that of a group open enrollment period. Child only applications are only accepted during the months of February and August every year with effective dates of either March 1st or September 1st. Other states should pass similar laws to prevent insurance abuse and keep companies from making these drastic changes that regulate risk and keep companies on board. There does need to be some regulation to keeping premiums from skyrocketing due people only obtaining coverage after they have a claim, because there’s no consequences to for waiting to obtain coverage. Open enrollment periods so far look like the answer.