If you haven’t got health coverage in the US yet, don’t worry – it may not be too late. Having or adopting a child qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period.
All Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth. This is true even if your pregnancy begins before your coverage takes effect.
This means that after you have your baby you can still enroll in or change Marketplace coverage even if it’s outside the open enrollment period. You can do this through the Special Enrollment Period option.
When you enroll in the new plan, your coverage can be effective from the day your baby was born. Alternatively, if you already have Marketplace coverage, you have two options when your baby is born. First, you can keep your existing plan and simply add your child to your plan. The second option is to change to a different Marketplace plan that may suit you, your partner (if you have one) and your new child.
In all states, Medicaid and CHIP provide health coverage for some individuals, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly with certain incomes, and people with disabilities. In some states, the program covers all adults below a certain income level.
Find out if you are eligible through the Marketplace website.
