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Act Before March 1^st to get Lower Premiums for the Health Care Your Children May Need!!

Due to many employers cutting back on employers health insurance, more families are resorting to purchasing insurance on their own for their child or family. That being said, Californians need to start shopping around in these “individual markets” to find the right protection. However, it can be expensive. The California Department of Insurance had announced new health care options for uninsured children. Keep these in mind when you are shopping around:

• No More Denials for “Pre-Existing Conditions”
  Because of the new federal health care law, all children must be offered health coverage if they apply. Insurance companies can no longer deny kids coverage because of a “pre-existing condition” like asthma or diabetes.
• Apply Before March 1^st to Avoid Much Higher Costs
  If you wait and apply after the “open enrollment period” ends on March 1^st, you could face much higher premium costs since there are no limits on premiums outside the open enrollment period. After March 1st, the next “open enrollment period” is the month your child was born. For example, if your child’s birthday is August 8^th, you can apply during the entire month of August, without facing significantly higher premiums. (There are other open enrollment periods based on changes in family circumstances such as a birth, divorce, job loss, or loss of public coverage.)
• Keep Your Children Insured to Avoid Higher Costs
  You may face a significant penalty premium increase (20 percent) if you let your child’s coverage end and then apply again, so keep your children insured.
• You Have Protections if Your Child is Denied Coverage
  Remember, the health care law means that no child should be denied insurance for health reasons. If your child is denied coverage for any reason, call the state health insurance hotline at 1-888-466-2219.