Health Insurance Laws for Dependents in Georgia

Health insurance is a contract between you and a health insurer to protect you, financially, from an illness. These contracts are regulated at the state level and subject to state laws. Health insurance laws in Georgia are specific to that state. If you live in Georgia and you have children, you may need to know the laws concerning dependents, as it could affect your health insurance coverage.

Automatic Coverage

• When your child is born, your health insurance policy will automatically cover your child for 31 days. For this coverage to apply, your health insurance policy must already provide coverage for dependents. Normally, this will be a family plan. This coverage also extends to adopted children.

Change in Policy Requirement

• After 31 days, your health insurance company, depending on the insurance company you are doing business with, may require that you pay additional premiums to reflect a new subscriber beyond the 31 days to ensure the child is still covered. You will also need to change the policy to reflect the new subscriber (child) on the policy.

Disabled Children

• Disabled children are normally not covered once they reach the age limits specified in the policy. However, Georgia law requires insurers to allow disabled individuals to remain on their parents' health insurance beyond the maximum age, provided that the parents can prove that the child is disabled and incapable of self-support and is primarily dependent on the policyholder for care. Proof must be submitted to the insurance company within 31 days of the disabled individual reaching the maximum age limit for coverage under the parents' policy.

Coverage for Child Wellness

• Georgia law mandates that all health insurance policies cover minimum services. One of those mandated coverages is childhood immunizations.