Open Enrollment for Children’s Health Insurance
Special for Washington State applicants!!! Children under age 19 Open Enrollment for medical insurance is September 15 through October 31st.
No child in Washington State can be turned away. This is very important for children looking for individual or family coverage who have had medical conditions. Even with perfect health no changes can be made to coverage out side of the specified open enrollment periods. It is not clear when the next option will be made available after October 31st.
There is no question one of the best parts of the Health Care Reform is the ability to enroll children for health insurance with no medical screening and all pre-existing conditions will be covered. The trade off is with only a few exceptions children can only purchase or change coverage during the special open enrollment time periods. September 15th to October 31st is the current “Open Enrollment Period” . This is the time to act. You can get rates up to and after Thursday Sept. 15. Applications themselves can not be made until the open enrollment starts September 15th and nothing is excepted after October 31st..
One of the biggest problems in the insurance industry has been the ability for companies to turn people down for coverage when they needed it the most. No longer can children be turned down because of a health condition. The key factor to allow this to happen but stop people from just not having any insurance until they get sick is to limit the time periods when a new applicant can purchase coverage or lower their deductibles. No child should be uninsured or underinsured any longer.
If you fail to unroll a child during this open enrollment time period there could be a fall back plan. Individuals under age 19 who have experienced an involuntary loss of coverage are eligible to apply for coverage in a Washington Individual plan within 31 days of their prior coverage end date, even if this timeframe does not coincide with a State-defined open enrollment period (March 15 – April 30 or September 15 – October 31). There are very limited situations that will allow for them to get coverage otherwise applications must be submitted within 31 days of the following:
A child under 19 loses employer-sponsored insurance.
A child under 19 loses insurance coverage due to a divorce.
A child under 19 loses insurance coverage under Medicaid, Washington Basic Health or other Federal or State programs. A child under 19 moves to another residence where their current health insurance company does not provide service.
Newborn or newly-adopted children can apply as a subscriber or dependent outside an open enrollment period within the first 60 days of birth or placement. Outside of the first 60 days, the criterion associated with “under the age of 19” applies as described above.
It is ever so important to act as an educated consumer when looking for insurance in today’s complex health care reform era. Get free information and quote comparisons on line at our website and blog. www.healthinsuranceandlifeinsurance.com Make sure you act now as this is the time you are able to be in control as a consumer.
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