I am blogging this live while attending an Anthem Blue Cross conference call. Important news concerning Child-only health insurance coverage in California beginning January 1, 2011 for children under 19.
Per CA AB 2244, children may apply for coverage without a parent being a co-applicant during certain periods. This includes both healthy children and children with pre-existing conditions who need guaranteed-issue coverage. Children receiving guaranteed-issue coverage can be rated up in premium (as of today) but cannot be declined.
The enrollment periods will be as follows:
*January 1,2011 - March 1, 2011 Open Enrollment Period
*The Birthday Month of the Child (regardless of which day in the month)
Outside of these open enrollment windows, children will not be able to apply for coverage on child-only coverage policies. Outside of the open enrollment or birthday month, children will only be allowed to apply with a parent as co-applicant (and the parent must be approved for coverage for the child to be offered coverage).
Anthem will be imposing a 15-day waiting period for effective dates on all individual health plans beginning January 1, 2011. So a child-only PPO application submitted January 1, 2011 will be eligible for a start date of January 16, 2011.
As soon as I find out how the rate-ups are going to be set up for children-only guaranteed-issue health coverage, I will post a blog.
Anthem states that the maximum cutoff age to apply is 18 3/4 years of age.
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