Coverage for Newborn baby

[expectingmama]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

I am expecting my 3rd child. My employer is now offering open enrollment insurance and since the deductibles are less than my husband's insurance, I will be switching over to this new insurance. When the baby is born, is the baby's hospital stay put under my name or does the baby count as a new person and then has it's own deductible? Also, then can my new baby and I join my husband's insurance within 30 days of the birth and then I can stop paying my insurance since my husband is already paying for himself and children (my 2 other children) so he'll just switch over to family?

[boiler5838]

Based on my experience:

The baby's hospital stay will be under the baby's name. I remember that this caught me slightly off guard when my wife had our first child. She had met her deductible so I was paying 20% coinsurance on all of her charges, but our child's stay was under his name and subject to a new deductible (or family deductible).

Having a child is a qualifying event for health insurance changes, so your husband should be able to add both you and your new child to his coverage within 30 days of your child's birth.

[ecmst12]

Not exactly. Husband can add child within 30 days of birth as a qualifying event. Wife can be added now because it's open enrollment, but once open enrollment is over, wife will NOT be able to be added again until next year, or unless she experiences her own qualifying event. BEING born is a qualifying event. GIVING BIRTH is not, mom's employment and insurance status does not change because she has a baby!

Your husband's open enrollment and being added to his policy MIGHT allow you to drop your own employer's coverage before OE. But check with your HR dept to be sure. You will have to make sure you fill out the proper forms within 30 days of the new coverage taking effect, so try to get everything in order ahead of time.

In almost all cases, the baby will have its own deductible applicable to the initial nursery charges. It is a separate person and has separate bills.