Given everything that’s going on today, everyone needs health insurance — not only for yourself but for your kids, too. It isn’t optional anymore. After all, parents who can afford to buy health insurance but don’t do so or don’t have their children covered by it might get penalized each year.
So, to help everyone with the process, both the state and federal governments set up a healthcare exchange. It’ll help make it easier for all people to get the right coverage. But where do you start?
Finding the right insurance for your child
Before looking for anyone selling Medicare insurance, you need to see if your child can acquire health coverage in any other way. Keep in mind that the US government grants insurance coverage if their parents have an existing Medicare or Medicaid. It will also consider it if the child has a CHIP or a child health insurance plan run by the state.
If you’re inquiring about health insurance for you and your child, you can check the government’s comprehensive healthcare website to look at plans. However, it’s crucial to note that you can only get insurance coverage through the government’s health care marketplace during the duration of the open enrollment. This period starts in the middle of November until the end of February.
If you couldn’t do it within that period, you and your child can still purchase an insurance plan. You can do it through a private insurer so that you’ll get the right coverage for that year.
Applying for an insurance plan
You can apply for a plan online via the healthcare.gov website or call the government’s helpline for assistance. Another option is by filling out a form and sending it through regular mail to complete the process.
Before you complete the form online, you need to create your account. You can do it on your state’s official marketplace or through the government’s website. You need to prepare your social security numbers as well as your income. You should also prepare the information about your employers and your existing policy numbers.
Meanwhile, for those who aren’t happy with the health insurance their employer provides can still have the option to apply through healthcare.gov. But before you do, you must fill out the Employer Coverage Tool to give the government the necessary information.
Essential aspects that you need to look for in a policy
When looking at policies, you need to note the premium and deductible. The premium refers to the amount that you need to pay every month for your insurance coverage. Meanwhile, the deductible applies to the fee that you need to cover every year. It’ll cover the medical services that you get before your health insurance gets activated.
Generally, plans that have low premiums often have high deductibles and vice versa.
Getting insurance plans for you and your child is crucial to ensure your safety. You can learn more about it, so you can have the peace of mind that you and your child is protected in case medical emergencies happen.
