Do I need to add my unborn baby to my health insurance before I deliver?
I'm not due until May 19 but I read in a book that if you choose to add your unborn child to your health insurance, you can. But no one can tell me for sure if I need too. Open enrollment for my insurance isn't until September of next year, after my baby is born. What do I need to do?
Newborn & Baby - 15 Answers
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1 :
If you can't add your baby to your insurance than you need some type of insurance for your baby maybe medicaid? Or your going to be paying astronomical bills.
2 :
The baby will automatically be added once he or she is born. I only had to supply my son's birthdate for my employer and then he was added to our HMO.
3 :
Have you talked with HR? I'm sure they would be able to help you with that. And, yes, it makes life much easier (hospital bills, especially) if you add him/her to your insurance before you deliver.
4 :
Most insurance companies won't allow it until the baby is actually born. When my daughter was born I was told to contact the insurance company right away and add her to my policy. Even though it wasn't during the open enrollment period they still allow it because it's considered a life change. Anytime there is a marriage or a birth you can change your policy any time of the year. As for bills since my daughter wasn't on insurance when she was in the hospital the hospital put the bills on hold and as soon as I showed proof of insurance they billed the insurance.
5 :
I would definitely look into it.
6 :
You cannot add your baby until after the baby is born. All you need to do is contact HR after the baby is born with her birthdate and name. Don't worry about open enrollment, you can always change your insurance coverage for major life changes (like a baby!)
7 :
I think an insurance man has to go in and see it first.
8 :
Call your insurance company and let them know that you are expecting and they will let you know what you need to do....Normally you just have to fill out all the paperwork at the hospital and then when you get out call them again and add the baby because you will then have thier name and actual date of birth....most companies give you 30-60 days to add your child after they were born and cover them from their due date still But to be safe and ensure you are on the same page with ur ins company, be sure to call and write down who you spoke with and on what date and what they told you to do. This will come in handly if you have problems later down the road. Hope this helps
9 :
i didnt think you could until you had their actual name and social security number but i could be wrong. either way, you only need yourself covered up to the delivery and when you add your baby afterward the insurance will go back and cover whats needed for the baby. i had a baby in march and i didnt add him to mine until about a month later when i got his social security card but he did have to go to the hospital a few times before that and they gave him temp. insurance for 30 days until i was able to add him. so you definitely need to make sure you add your baby before their 6 week checkup, dont wait till open enrollment. its different if its a new baby, you dont have to wait.
10 :
You won't be able to add your baby until he or she is born. You should have 30 calendar days after the birth of your child to fill out the paperwork with your insurance company and get him or her added to the policy. That means that if baby needs medical treatment within that time frame, he or she will still be covered provided that you submit your request for coverage before the deadline. Best of luck and congrats! ETA: Open enrollment should not apply in this case. Things that are deemed "life events" by insurance companies - the acquisition of a spouse through marriage, or the birth or adoption of a child, for example - do not require a waiting period for coverage. You should have no problem getting your baby added to your policy immediately. Again, good luck!
11 :
Check with your insurance company. Some OB packages include care for the newborn under your insurance for 30 days. Mine did. My baby was covered under my insurance policy for 30 days, which gave us time to find another company. It was a good thing too, because our baby was born a month early!
12 :
I can tell you for certain because I work for an insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield) Coverage for your child begins the day of his/her birth. Some insurances will allow you to call right into the Customer Service Department to add to newborn on the date of birth. Now if you have single coverage your employer might require you to fill out the insurance form to add the child if the addition of your child would change your premiums from single coverage to family coverage, but if you already have family coverage then you should be able to call right into the customer service department on the date of yours child's birth to add the baby. Usually the fathers are the ones who call in at our company after they leave the delivery room.
13 :
They will most likely want you to add the baby after your baby has been born, I've never heard of someone adding a baby before they were born. Your insurance company should allow you to add your baby as soon as they are born, you will probably have about a month afterwards to get them enrolled. Insurance should be able to be changed during open enrollement OR a qualifying event, birth of a child is a qualifying event. If your insurance is through work then double check with whoever is in charge of benefits, if you have your own insurance then you should call them to find out exactly what you will need to do.
14 :
When I asked my insurance company they said that they usually don't allow this, mainly because of names. You may have a name in mind, but then you change it. Or you have a diff. sex baby. You definitely don't have to worry about it now. You have 30 days from the date of birth to add the baby and he/she will be covered since birth. You don't have to wait for open enrollment, having a baby is a life change that entitles you to make any changes to your policy, not just add the baby. So if you want to get more coverage/less, change your deductible, etc, you can.
15 :
Probably not. Most insurance plans allow you to modify your insurance when "life" issues happen for a limited number of days after the event. I had my baby last May but open enrollment wasn't until June. After she was born, we got her social security card and put her on the insurance plan. It worked out fine. Contact your HR consultant for specific details on what you need to do with your plan.
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