When Do You Add a Baby to Insurance?

Bringing a new baby into your family involves new responsibilities. Securing health insurance for your newborn is an important step. Prompt action ensures your baby has access to necessary medical care, providing coverage for potential healthcare costs.

Enrollment Deadlines for Newborns

The birth of a child is a qualifying life event, triggering a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for health insurance. This allows parents to add their newborn to an existing health plan or enroll in a new one outside the typical Open Enrollment Period. For employer-sponsored health plans, the window to add a newborn is 30 days from the baby’s date of birth.

For health plans obtained through the Health Insurance Marketplace, this Special Enrollment Period extends to 60 days following the baby’s birth. Act within this timeframe because coverage for the newborn is retroactive to the date of birth, covering medical services received from day one if enrollment occurs within the SEP. Missing this deadline means waiting until the next Open Enrollment Period to secure coverage, which can result in a significant gap and unexpected out-of-pocket expenses for medical care.

Required Information for Adding a Baby

Gathering specific details and documents is necessary before enrollment. You will need your baby’s full legal name from their birth certificate and their date of birth.

Proof of birth is required, such as a copy of the baby’s birth certificate or hospital discharge papers. While a Social Security Number (SSN) is often requested, it may not be immediately available. Many plans allow initial enrollment without an SSN, but it will need to be provided later for tax purposes or full processing. Having the primary policyholder’s insurance policy number or group ID available will streamline the process when contacting the insurance provider.

Steps to Add Your Baby to a Health Plan

Once information is gathered, contact the appropriate entity to begin enrollment. For employer-sponsored plans, reach out to your employer’s Human Resources department or benefits administrator. If you have an individual health plan, contact your insurance company directly or the Health Insurance Marketplace.

You will be provided with enrollment forms. These forms require the details you have gathered. After completing them, they can be submitted through various methods, such as secure online portals, mail, or fax, as instructed by your insurer or employer. Following submission, confirm the enrollment has been processed, which may include receiving a confirmation notice, a new insurance card including your baby’s name, or an updated policy document. Adding a new dependent will result in an adjustment to your monthly premium.