Colorado Health Insurance for Children, Infants & Students
Colorado Health Insurance for Children
FREE Tips, Brochures and INSTANT Child Health Plan Quotes
When purchasing Colorado Child Health Insurance,
there are a several important factors to consider:
Is Your Child a Newborn?
If so, and if you had an existing healthplan when your child was born, be advised:
Your child is automatically covered under your existing healthplan for the first 31 days of life.
(This rule applies to the mother's health insurance, the father's health insurance or both parents if you have a family policy). Refer to 10-16-104. Mandatory coverage provisions. (Colorado Health Insurance Laws). Consider taking advantage of the grace period, because the child is required to be covered, regardless of whether payment of premium is received. If you decide that you want to add your child to your existing health insurance plan, you'll need to notify your health insurance carrier within 31 days following your child's birthday in order to continue coverage beyond the first 31 days of life. If you don't notify your health insurance carrier, it is possible that your child's coverage will be terminated beyond the first 31 days of life.
Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Oftentimes, and this is especially true with small group health plans, an Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Plan for Children costs the same regardless of the quantity of children that are covered on the policy. This is because the insurance is rated based on an "employee and child" premium or an "employee and family" premium. If you have only one or two children, you may find that an Individual Health Insurance Policy will be more cost effective than an employer-sponsored healthplan....especially if your child(ren) is/are healthy. Look at the featured low-cost health plans for children on the right.
If you have more than two children, you'll probably find that an employer-sponsored healthplan offers the most cost-effective health insurance for children when compared to similar coverage in the individual market. This is because the EMPLOYEE & CHILD or FAMILY rate in the group market is typically the same regardless of how many children are covered on the policy.
Child Health Plans Recommended by EFSBenefits.com
We recommend the following health insurance plans for children for the best overall price, coverage and quality (rates will vary depending on your location).
Student Health Insurance:
You can find plans that are specifically marketed for students, such as the Assurant Health Student Health Insurance Plan and plans offered through colleges and universities, but these plans often have annual limits on major medical coverage and can be priced higher or no better than full coverage major medical plans such as the ones featured on this webpage (to the right). Therefore, we recommend that you consider one of our featured plans before purchasing a student health plan.
A few more things to think about when purchasing
a Colorado Child Health Plan
Preventive Care Coverage:
The State of Colorado mandates that age appropriate immunizations and well-visits are covered at the plan's coinsurance level (typically, 70%, 80% or 100%) without being subject to the plan deductible on ALL healthplans through age 13. See 10-16-104. Mandatory coverage provisions. (Colorado Health Insurance Laws).
Some plans, however, such as Humana One Portrait and Autograph Share 80 and Aetna Managed Choice Open Access, offer first dollar coverage for preventive services beyond age 13.
Be careful about which health insurance plan you choose if coverage for child preventive care is your most important criteria. Although Colorado law mandates that preventive care coverage for children (age appropriate well-child exams and immunization from birth through age 13) must be covered without being subject to the plan deductible, insurance companies are allowed to pay for the coverage at the level of coinsurance on your contract. Therefore, if you have an 80/20 coinsurance split on your health plan, coverage for immunizations will be covered at 80%, and you will be responsible for the balance, unless otherwise specified in your contract. Many of my clients have complained to me that the 20% coinsurance for immunizations has created a hardship for them, and if the same could be true for you, then you should consider a plan that offers 100% coinsurance, like the United Health Care Golden Rule "Plan 100".
Supplemental Accident Coverage:
Most Individual Health Insurance Plans DO NOT cover a trip to the ER under a copay like you may have been used to under an employer-sponsored health plan. Rather, you will pay a copay PLUS your deductible for a trip to the ER. To prevent having to pay the high price for an unexpected visit to the emergeny room, you might want to consider a plan that either has supplemental accident coverage built in or a plan that offers the ability to add supplemental accident coverage as an option. Accident coverage provides first dollar coverage (coverage before the deductible) to you in the event of an accident such as a broken arm or a bad wound or cut. The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Blue Preferred plan has $500 of first dollar coverage included and Humana One as well as UHC Golden Rule offer an option to purchase accident coverage ($500 or $1000) for an additional premium.
Dental and Vision Coverage:
When considering a Colorado Child Health Plan, don't forget to think about dental and vision benefits. Several of Colorado's individual healthplans offer optional dental coverage. These include:
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Standalone Vision Plans:
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Vision Care Direct is a great standalone vision plan for children, students or young adults. It offers coverage for exams only, materials only OR Exams AND contacts or glasses.
When is an Application Allowed for a Newborn?
If your child is a newborn, you'll need to consider the specific underwriting guidelines of the various carriers when choosing Colorado health insurance for children. Some carriers, such as Rocky Mountain Health Plans, require that the child has had its two-month checkup before they'll allow the child to apply for coverage. On the other hand, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and UHC Golden Rule will accept an application for a newborn with medical records from all of the baby's visits with his/her pediatrician. Aetna requires medical records for all children under the age of 5, and this can delay the underwriting process. A child must have had a two-week check up to be eligible for coverage with Humana. Most insurance carriers will require medical records for any child applicant 2 months or younger.
Low-Income Colorado Health Insurance for Kids
Child Health Plan Plus
CHP Plus is a public-private partnership for Colorado's Children and Pregnant Women. It is Colorado's State Children's Health Plan (SCHIP). Here is the CHP Plus Fact Sheet, which discusses eligibility guidelines and information about the plan. |
