Health Insurance for Kids
Medical-related expenses have risen dramatically in the past few decades. Children are more vulnerable to diseases than adults and suffer a lot if proper medication is not provided in time. Health insurance for kids ensures that parents can afford the medical care their children require, no matter what the cost maybe. Whenever a person tends to spend money, he tries to look for the immediate benefits. This is not the case with insurance plans, as they take monthly installments, but cover the medical expenses at the time of need and are beneficial in the long term.
At times, when the child falls sick or gets injured, parents are able to deal with it quickly, based on their own past experiences. Although this can be done only in cases of minor injuries and a very few basic diseases, it is always recommended to see a physician or a specialized doctor. Insuring your child’s health provides an opportunity for parents to keep aside their worry of the expenses involved in the treatment of their child and get the best possible medical care.
According to different studies conducted on children across America, it was found that those with insurance are more likely to:
- be in a better position to do well in school.
- get health care service whenever needed.
- receive the needed immunizations as toddlers.
- receive treatment for illnesses such as asthma and ear infections. A survey conducted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Center for Health Services Research (NCHSR) revealed that almost half of the uninsured children with asthma problem and one-third of the uninsured children with ear infections, never consulted a doctor.
- obtain dental and preventive care at regular intervals.
Lack of health insurance is a substantial barrier for low-income families in obtaining timely and appropriate health care for the child. Sometimes, the idea of insurance is taken casually by parents, thinking that the health-related problems can be taken care of, as and when they occur. But, the trouble starts when they fall short of money to cover up the medical expenses incurred during the treatment of the child. So, it is always better to get the child insured in time to avoid problems in future.
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act, which is one of the steps taken by the American Government to ensure child health, is jointly financed by the Federal and State governments and administered by the States. The Social Security Act provides multiple waiver and demonstration authorities to allow states’ flexibility in operating Medicaid programs and SCHIP programs. According to the Federal guidelines, each stState determines the design of its program, benefits packages, eligibility groups, and payment levels for the coverage for the maximum benefit of its people.
According to a survey conducted by Georgetown University Health Policy Institute for the year 2006-07, out of 78,425,000 children in America, 11.7% were uninsured, and the rest insured either through private (59.8%) or public (28.5%) coverage. Texas, with a striking 21.8% of 6,989,000 and Florida with 19.5% of 4,332,000 were two of the states with the largest figure of uninsured children with respect to their population in the state. This large number of uninsured children in the country is because of factors like a family’s inability to pay for either form of coverage, and their limited access and non-eligibility for public programs.
Health insurance is very important for kids, as it gives parents an opportunity to take better care of their children and be relieved, as far as their health is concerned. Issuing a policy for a child and/or children will surely prove to be beneficial, even though it may require a revised monthly budget.