About Temporary Child Health Insurance

Children can be prone to frequent illnesses and injuries and need regular well child visits to help prevent serious health conditions. Paying for these services out of pocket may be prohibitive for families. Temporary health insurance for children might help parents get the services they need for their children at an affordable rate.

Types

• Private as well as public insurance plans are available to children on a temporary basis. Public plans are funded by the state and federal government, while private plans are purchased by families. Children from Haiti or other regions with temporary protected status might be eligible for a special free temporary public health insurance program due to environmental disasters or armed conflict, according to the Legal Aid website.

Features

• Receiving temporary health insurance means children can have regular checkups and both sick and well office visits. Children might also have access to specialty services and specialists, as well as hospital care and services. Temporary health insurance plans for children might also cover vaccinations, prescription drugs and medical supplies, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Many plans offer preventive, diagnostic and treatment services.

Benefits

• Temporary health insurance for children can decrease out-of-pocket medical costs for parents. This coverage can also help prevent parents from incurring large medical bills if their child suffers a catastrophic health problem or requires regular medical care for a chronic condition. Health insurance coverage can provide parents peace of mind in the event their child becomes injured or ill.

Considerations

• Rates for temporary child health insurance might differ depending on the age, sex and medical history of the child. Insurance plans often exclude pre-existing conditions, dental and vision services from coverage, according to Short Term Health Insurance. Children must be under age 18 to qualify for most temporary health insurance programs.

Limitations

• Some temporary health insurance programs for children require the parent or guardian to apply for coverage and add the child as a dependent. Plans might impose limitations on the length of term of the coverage and a lifetime benefits maximum. In addition, plans might require that children only see doctors or go to facilities from a specified list, Short Term Health Insurance says.

Warning

• Failing to provide required documentation such as proof of residency, guardianship or parental income might result in loss of the child's temporary health insurance coverage. Changes in family size, income or residency might lead to ineligibility for public temporary health insurance programs. Parents who voluntarily drop private insurance coverage might not qualify for public temporary health insurance plans for children, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.