There are few things more exciting than welcoming a new family member and our team at Lowdermilk & Associates understands that you want nothing but the best for your child. So when it is time to bring home your new son or daughter, you want to ensure that there will be no unanticipated gaps or delays in the health insurance coverage for your little one.
Maternity Care: Are You Covered?
In 2011, the average hospital bill charged to insurance companies for an uncomplicated birth was $10,600. Complications or a caesarian section can quickly multiply the costs to as high as $24,000, and uninsured mothers are often charged at higher rates than what insurance companies pay.
Maternity care is one of the more complex areas of medical insurance as state and federal laws vary depending on the type of insurance you have in place. Laws exists to protect expecting mothers and their newborns from discriminatory cost-saving practices, but the type of plan you have and how you acquired coverage could impact the regulations that apply to you and your child
The Affordable Care Act includes provisions to ensure that prospective parents are able to get quality maternity care, even if already pregnant when acquiring health insurance. It is important to note, however, that if you elected to keep a “grandfathered” plan that is not fully ACA-compliant, these provisions may not apply and your coverage could create problems for you and your baby.
Medical Needs of Newborns and Adopted Children
Whether the new member you’re welcoming into your family is your biological child or an adopted child, we know that your primary concern is for his or her health and well-being. Fortunately, laws passed in 1993 and 1996 closed loopholes in previous legislation, and mandated that insurance providers that provide benefits to biological children were required to provide the same benefits to adopted children. Coverage starts when the adoptive family takes financial responsibility for the child. It is important to note that coverage does not start prior to the adoption being finalized, and while the adoptive family’s insurance can cover costs of a newborn adopted child, they do not cover the biological mother’s maternity expenses.
With few exceptions, the vast majority of medical insurance plans must allow coverage of a new baby to begin immediately. Parents have 30 days to formally enroll the child under their own insurance plan or under a different plan. Missing this deadline can cause serious gaps in coverage that could cost you thousands if a health problem arises after birth.
We all hope that our children will be born without complications, and that they will lead happy and healthy childhoods free from any serious illness. When the unexpected happens, lifesaving medical treatments may be necessary. Dealing with a child’s illness or injury is difficult enough without worrying about how you will pay for medical bills.
Health insurance plans now cannot deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and set a limit on out-of-pocket expenses to the family. Prepare for your new addition now by looking into your insurance options. Contact us here at Lowdermilk & Associates, a local agency, to find the medical coverage that is the right fit for your family.