?Child-only? health insurance plans are individual health insurance policies made available to children age 18 and under with no parent or guardian listed on the same policy. The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act prevents insurers from declining health insurance applications for children due to pre-existing medical conditions. As an unintended consequence of the law, however, some health insurance companies stopped offering child-only insurance plans altogether.
In response, certain states and insurance companies have designated ?open enrollment? periods for child-only plans ? specific annual or biannual enrollment windows when parents or guardians can enroll children in their own individual health insurance plans without danger of being declined due to their medical history.
So, what?s the story on child-only plans for 2012?
Well, compared to last year?s Child-only Health Insurance Plans for 2011, the picture has improved a bit for people who want to enroll their kids in coverage. Overall, there are most states with child-only health insurance options in 2012, though some states have reduced the frequency of open enrollment periods. Some states are also allowing health insurance companies more freedom in deciding when or if to hold open enrollment for children?s plans.
Below is a breakdown of states where child-only plans are available at least part of the year, and when open enrollment periods may apply. You can also download a PDF version of this information by clicking here: Child-only Health Insurance Plans for 2012. This is not necessarily a complete list and the details here are subject to change, but we offer it as a hopefully-helpful guide parents and guardians in 2012:
Arkansas ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company.
California ? Open enrollment occurs during child?s birth month ? Applications submitted at other times may be approved with a higher premium due to pre-existing conditions.
Colorado ? Open enrollment occurs in January and July 2012.
Connecticut ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company.
Delaware ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company.
District of Columbia ? Insurers offering child-only plans may hold January or July open enrollment.
Hawaii ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company.
Idaho ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company.
Iowa ? Open enrollment occurs July 1 through August 14, 2012.
Illinois ? Open enrollment occurs in January and July 2012.
Kansas ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company and by locale.
Kentucky ? Open enrollment occurs in January 2012.
Maine ? Child-only policies available all year long.
Maryland ? Open enrollment in January and July 2012.
Massachusetts ? Open enrollment occurs from July 1 through August 15, 2012.
Missouri ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company and by locale.
Montana ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company.
New Hampshire ? Availability of child-only plans may vary by insurance company.
New Jersey ? Child-only policies available all year long.
New Mexico ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company.
New York ? Child-only policies available all year long.
Ohio ? Open enrollment occurs in March 2012.
Oklahoma ? Open enrollment from January 1 ? February 29, 2012 and from July 1 ? July 31, 2012.
Oregon ? Child-only policies available all year long.
South Dakota ? Open enrollment from July 1 through August 15, 2012.
Utah ? Availability of child-only plans and enrollment periods may vary by insurance company ? A certificate of insurability is required and can be obtained by applying and being denied coverage under the state?s high-risk pool, HIPUtah.
Vermont ? Child-only policies available all year long.
Washington ? Open enrollment from March 15 ? April 30, 2012 and September 15 to October 31, 2012.
States were included in the list above when eHealthInsurance was able to obtain information indicating that there was at least one health insurer in the state offering major-medical child-only coverage in at least some circumstances. This is not a complete analysis of the child-only market, however, and rules and conditions in any specific state may be subject to change.
While the data collected above provides some guidance for consumers in states where child-only coverage is available, rules affecting consumers in specific states and with specific health insurance companies may vary.
- In some states, child-only health insurance plans may be obtained through licensed agents while in other states they may only be obtained by applying directly through the health insurance company.
- A qualifying event (such as birth or adoption, the death of a parent, the loss of employer-sponsored coverage, etc) may be required in some states in order to qualify for child-only health insurance outside an open enrollment period.
- Some states allow insurers to charge child-only applicants with pre-existing medical conditions higher rates than those without pre-existing medical conditions.
- Insurance companies in some states may be allowed to add a surcharge to the monthly premium for applicants who were previously uninsured.
- In some states, insurers have opted on their own to accept child-only applications year-round while others may choose not to offer child-only policies at all.
To learn more about the status and availability of child-only health insurance plans in your area, contact a licensed health insurance agent or your state department of insurance.
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Source: http://blog.ehealthinsurance.com/2012/02/childrens-health-insurance-plans-2012/
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