How to Add a Newborn to Premera

Premera is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance family, providing healthcare coverage to individuals and families in Washington and Alaska. If you are insured with Premera and have a baby, you need to add the baby to your policy after her birth. Adding your newborn to your Premera policy isn't difficult and only takes a moment. The procedure differs slightly depending on whether or not your newborn shares your last name or if you have an individual healthcare plan rather than a family plan.

Instructions

Add Newborn to Individual Policy

• 1

  Add a newborn to your individual policy within 60 days of the child's birth. If you have an individual health insurance policy, the process of adding your newborn to your policy is the same whether your child has the same last name or a different last name than you; you must change your plan from an individual to a family plan when adding a newborn.

• 2

  Call Premera's customer service line at 800-722-1471. As of April 2011, the office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• 3

  Provide the representative with your name, policy number, Social Security number and your home address. Explain to the agent that you have a newborn and need to add her to your policy. The Premera agent will assist you in changing your plan to a family plan and adding your newborn.

• 4

  Give the agent the name and birth date of your newborn. If you have received your newborn's Social Security card before adding him to your policy you should provide it as well; if you have not received the card you need to call Premera to add the number to the policy once the card arrives.

• 5

  Confirm the changes to your policy and write down the confirmation number given to you. Premera will mail a new health insurance package outlining and detailing your policy within two weeks of changing your information. Your newborn's coverage begins immediately.

Add Newborn with Same Last Name to Family Policy

• 6

  Call the number on the back of your Premera health insurance card to add a newborn that shares your last name to your family policy.

• 7

  Provide the agent on the phone with your name, policy number and SSN. Tell the agent you wish to add a newborn child to your policy.

• 8

  Give the agent your newborn's name, date of birth, sex and the child's SSN -- if the Social Security card has already arrived. You will receive a new health care package in the mail within two weeks of adding your newborn. Her coverage begins immediately.

Add a Newborn With a Different Last Name to a Family Policy

• 9

  Compose a letter to BCBS Premera to add a newborn with a last name different than yours to your family policy. BCBS Premera requires notification in writing to make this change. BCBS allows customers of certain Premera plans to compose their own letters; some Premera plans require customers fill out an application to add newborns to policies. Log into your BCBS online account to see which method is acceptable under your BCBS Premera policy.

• 10

  Include the name of the child, the date you want the coverage to begin, the child's date of birth, sex at birth, address and your relationship to the child. If you have received the child's Social Security card include the number in your letter. Your letter must include your name and policy number as well.

• 11

  Mail your newborn addition request to the address specified online or on the newborn application for your personal type of BCBS Premera policy.