Are Parents Required to Provide Health Insurance?

There's a lot of confusion out there about whether or not it's necessary for parents to provide health insurance to their children.  4x4 insurance companies  think that they can simply opt out of the provision at any time without repercussions. This isn't always true, and here's why.

Health Care - The act of opting out of providing insurance on your children's health care is considered a form of negligence. So if you fail to provide health insurance to your child, you are actually causing them to suffer financially and possibly end up in court because you failed to act as a responsible parent.

If you don't have the means to care for a child of this age, you have the responsibility to provide for them. This includes paying for doctor visits, prescription drugs, and any treatment you may be able to afford. If you're unable to provide for their healthcare, you may find yourself facing a long court battle if you don't act responsibly. The court can order you to pay child support to the other parent in the event that you cannot afford to provide for your child's healthcare.

The State You Live In - Every state has different laws regarding who needs to offer insurance. States such as Oklahoma and Texas require that all children are insured. If you do not, you could be found guilty of neglect.

States like California and Washington allow people who are self-employed to provide for their children's healthcare without having to buy health insurance. If you decide to ignore these laws, you could face fines and jail time.

Health Insurance - When you think about what your kids will need to survive, the best way to think about health insurance is "all-inclusive". A health insurance plan that covers everything from preventative care to hospital care can be very beneficial to your family. It's important to realize, however, that this plan will also cover any medical expenses that you or the other parent incurs. If you fail to purchase adequate coverage, you could end up in the hospital and out of pocket.

It's important to have a comprehensive health plan available for your family. Whether or not you want to give your child health insurance through your employer, you can get coverage through an insurance agent. If you feel uncomfortable paying for coverage through your employer, you can even get coverage from an independent company. For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield is often a great provider to consider.

Parents - There's no need to force your kids to have health insurance. If you think it would be irresponsible to pay for the medical costs of someone else, then it's probably best to avoid providing for their healthcare. You're just as responsible if you choose not to. There are plenty of other ways to help your kids cope with the stresses of medical issues, and you don't have to go broke doing it.

Many employers offer health insurance, but you may have to ask for it if you aren't already covered. Many small business owners don't want to provide coverage because they feel it is too expensive, but you can still find affordable plans online that are similar to what most employers offer.

You should also consider some of the most affordable health insurance options. Many companies offer a health plan for employees at a much lower rate than for their own employees. If you want the same benefits but are concerned that your employee will not be able to pay for them, you can buy coverage separately.

No Coverage - You can even opt for no-coverage policies. if you don't believe that you will need to pay for coverage for yourself or your kids. Most of these policies will provide coverage for hospital visits and emergency room visits, and prescription drugs, but it will be cheaper for you to skip that part.

If you're worried that you'll have trouble paying for your children's healthcare, talk to your employer about a health insurance policy for yourself and your family. You may be surprised to learn that many employees feel as though they are responsible for their child's healthcare.