How to Add a Newborn to Your Health Insurance Policy

So, you are having a baby. Lot’s to think about: names (depending on what the gender is), getting the guest room and house baby ready, buying supplies, contacting friends and relatives to tell them the good news, which cord blood banking service to donate the umbilical cord to and much, much more. The list is really endless and the last thing you are probably thinking about or planning is health insurance for your newborn. It’s not that you forgot – it’s just that you have so many other things to plan and think about. However, getting your baby health insurance is crucial, because as soon as they leave the hospital they will have their completely own set of medical bills as a result of their postpartum care. Here are some ways to add a newborn to your health insurance policy.

Your first step is to contact your insurance provider the moment you find out you are pregnant. Doctors will usually recommend that you contact your health insurance company roughly around your first trimester, but a week or few weeks after shouldn’t really effect anything. You can then discuss with them some of the best options for a policy for when the baby is born.

Next, make sure that you tell your insurance provider if there are any problems in the pregnancy along the way. Key up with regular prenatal check ups and make sure your provider is informed of any complications that might result in a premature birth. In this case, your health insurance provider is required to cover medical expenses for up to 30 days, under the parent’s policy. Keeping up to date and informed is your best defense in being covered for any unexpected medical complications that could leave a pretty hefty financial burden, which is the last thing you want when your child is born.

Make sure that you don’t risk any overlapping costs. Contacting your health insurance provider the day your baby is born can prevent this. It could take a few weeks for paperwork and other things to take effect. If you wait too long you can risk coming out of pocket on many medical expenses. This can be particularly devastating if there are any complications with the mother or the child. If you know that the due date is imminent, you can probably call your health insurance company around then just to be totally prepared.

Lastly, make sure that you call your health insurance company at least 30 days after you called to ask to put your baby on your plan. It is unlikely, but your insurance provider might have been backlogged or the policy might have been delayed for some reason. Checking to make sure that your baby’s coverage has gone through is the best way to make sure everything is going according to plan. If your insurance company has messed up in some way, they are typically liable for any out of pocket medical expenses you might have to cover. Having a baby should be an exciting time for parents and you shouldn’t have to deal with being nickeled and dimed by your health insurance company.