Health Insurance for Newborn Babies

The birth of a new child can be one of the most joyous experiences of your life. However, a number of serious concerns do accompany this happy occasion. One of these concerns is the question of health insurance for your child. Newborn babies face the possibility of developing health issues just like any other person.

Time Frame

• When a woman delivers a child in the hospital, the Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act requires that health insurance companies and health management organizations that cover the mother must also cover the child for all issues related to delivery for 48 hours after a vaginal delivery and 96 hours following a cesarean delivery. After that, the law also requires coverage of the baby for an additional 30 days.

Function

• As it is with anyone else, the purpose of having health insurance for newborn babies is to make sure that you will be able to pay for any health complications that may occur to the baby. As with other demographic groups, newborn babies have specific health issues that tend to threaten them, such as birth defects, chronic asthma, immunal deficiencies and complications related to premature birth. For this reason, some insurance companies provide policies specifically for infants with rates and coverage tailored to their needs.

Benefits

• When you purchase insurance for your newborn child, not only are you making sure that you will be able to pay for much-needed medical procedures that may arise, but you are also making sure that such procedures can be performed in the most advantageous time frame. In addition, as insurance companies know that preventive care is almost always cheaper than treating problems that have already become very serious, many policies for newborns will cover frequent check-ups that can catch potentially dangerous issues before the danger has become great.

Misconceptions

• Many women in the United States have health insurance coverage before they even become pregnant, and that insurance often covers their needs while they are pregnant. However, even if your plan covers costs related to pregnancy and delivery, that does not guarantee that similar coverage will extend to your child. Once the required 30-day period has expired, many insurance policies will not cover costs related to your infant's health needs unless the child is specifically added by you.

Prevention/Solution

• The only way of knowing for sure whether your infant will have coverage after the 30-day period has expired is by contacting your health insurance provider or by carefully reading your policy yourself. If your health insurance policy does not cover your infant, you may be able to increase your premiums to expand coverage to the child. If you cannot do this or if it is too expensive, find a provider that has policies specific to newborns and infants.