KP no longer doing individual insurance for children?

SJBride05 · October 2010

DH and I have health insurance through our employer. It would cost us about $800/month to add Dovey to our insurqance, so we planned to get individual insurance for him. We just contacted KP and they said CA no longer offers individual insurance just for children (aside from their Child Health Plan which we're over qualified for.) In order for us to insure him DH or I have to get an individual plan and then add him.

We're headed to Member Services first thing in the morning to get clarification. In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone has dealt with this recently? If this is true I'm not sure what we're going to do.

:::stressed:::

jbrooke81 · October 2010

I heard this was coming. I think it has to do with the new healthcare legislation. Insurance companies are changing policies in anticipation of the new plan going into effect.

kala1682 · October 2010

We are right in the middle of this! I am seriously beyond frustrated and annoyed!

We applied for L in the begining of Sept, the plan was suppose to go into effect 10/1. We never heard anything. I have been calling trying to find out what is going on and yesterday I finally got an answer.

We are in a holding pattern because of the health bill. We should not have been effected by this since it went into affect after we applied, but for some reason we didn't make it through. No one could give me an answer as to when I will hear something or if she will even get coverage. The people I talked to were suppose to be passing it along to their supervisors, but I haven't heard back yet (that was yesterday).

Long story short - I have no idea if they are not doing individual coverage for kids anymore. Let me know if you can get an answer!

Mrs.BoomBoom · October 2010

jbrooke81:
I heard this was coming. I think it has to do with the new healthcare legislation. Insurance companies are changing policies in anticipation of the new plan going into effect.

Nice unintended consequences...so, the health bill that was supposed to bring health care to everyone is making it so that kids can't get insured ::shakes head::

legaleagles · October 2010

This is absurd! Most of the healthcare reform plans don't go into effect until 2014 - 3 1/2 years from now. WTF?

SJBride05 · October 2010

I want to cry right now. I'm not sure what we're going to do.

legaleagles · October 2010

SJBride05:
I want to cry right now. I'm not sure what we're going to do.

HUGS. Is this something just KP specific or are there other plans like BC/BS to look into? I've only ever had KP so I don't know how other insurance plans work, but that might be worth looking into (though it sucks to have D go to a different place than you).

legaleagles · October 2010

So I'm doing some research and there is a bill that was introduced (I'm trying to figure out the current status) that would make this illegal in the state as of 1/1/11. AB 2244

           SUMMARY  :  Requires guaranteed issue of health plan and health  
          insurance (collectively carriers) products for children  
          beginning in January 1, 2011.  Conforms provisions related to  
          guaranteed issue with federal law, as specified, and any rules  
          or regulations adopted pursuant to federal law.

I'll see what I can find about the current status, though it doesn't help children born between now and then. Other than maybe putting D on your insurance at work and then remove him at open enrollment for next year?

legaleagles · October 2010

https://centurycitynews.com/article/POLITICS/California/GOVERNOR_SIGNS_FEUER_LEGISLATION_TO_EXPAND_HEALTH_COVERAGE_FOR_CHILDREN_WITHPREEXISTING_CONDITIONS/75065

Looks like The Govenator signed the bill and my understanding is that if a company refuses to deny child only plans they will be forbidden from selling any new insurance plans (to adults or families) for 5 years - that would be a massive loss to the companies. I think this wont go into effect until January 1, so you might want to inquire about it at KP tomorrow. Maybe you can add D to your work plan now as a qualifying event and then remove him starting in the new year.

Definitely verify with KP and maybe the other insurance carriers as well to see what the plan is for January 1. Seems absurd that if this is the case, why they are going to deny children for the next 3 months.

legaleagles · October 2010

I did a quick search on ehealthinsurance.com and just entered Joe Smith w/ D's DOB and got some quotes, and no message that they don't insure children. I also did the same with Blue Shield website and put in a child of 0 years old and got some quotes as well. Of course I don't know if this would change after the actual application, but it might be worth looking at.

NCSW · October 2010

legaleagles:
I did a quick search on ehealthinsurance.com and just entered Joe Smith w/ D's DOB and got some quotes, and no message that they don't insure children. I also did the same with Blue Shield website and put in a child of 0 years old and got some quotes as well. Of course I don't know if this would change after the actual application, but it might be worth looking at.

Before I enrolled Madison with Kaiser, I had her on a different plan. I think it was Blue Cross. The pricing was fine (much more affordable than the $500+ through our employer), but I don't remember exactly how much.

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, Char. Hopefully it all gets straightened out soon.

kittylove · October 2010

You can get around this by doing it on e-health insurnace. We ran into the same issue just a month ago.

mrscerruti2be · October 2010

::Shaking my head:: We live in such a prosperous country and we just can't seem to get the health care thing right. $800 a month is f'ing ridiculous and then to say that kids can't be insured individually? Shouldn't health care to our children be a right not a privledge? I hate hearing crap like this. I hope you get it worked out soon.

futrkingsley · October 2010

I can provide a little background but the situation is changing daily as insurers and federal and state governments go back and forth on this issue several times a day.

On Sept 23, one provision of the new health care law went into effect that said that insurers who issue individual policies to children (those under age 19) can't deny them for pre-existing conditions. Prior to that date the nation's largest for profit insurers announced they would no longer be offering child only policies at all to protect their bottom lines from having to insure potentially or already sick children.

The federal government and various states (including ours) are racing to change the rules and laws so that this isn't possible as in practice this means that hte insurers are basically flipping off the federal government and Congress. In the past week there has been lots of talk about how to fix it and force the companies to insure kids on individual policies but since this is a matter usually regulated by states, it's tough going.

I think you are going to find it really difficult to find him an individual policy in the timeframe you need it. You likely won't have a concrete answer before he is 30 days old and if you don't sign him up before then with your employer policy you'll have to wait for their open enrollment.

pink.dutch.tulips · October 2010

i just spoke w/ kaiser b/c dd has her own plan through them (cheaper for her to have her own that to add her through my work one) and her's is still in effect. i asked them if they still would be offered child only policies in the future and they said yes.

i hope this helps.

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