Have You Checked Your Child's Health Insurance Status?

Health care is one of the country’s leading sources of debt, according to NPR, which reported that more than 100 million Americans are knee-deep in medical debt. Starting 2023 with an insurmountable debt is the last thing you want to do, so it’s important that you make sure that you and your children have health insurance coverage. Families enrolled in subsidized federal and state programs for insurance coverage (Medicaid, CHIP) should automatically be enrolled this year, which is a relief during the "tridemic" of RSV, flu and COVID-19. It’s important to note that once emergency guidelines for COVID are lifted, you’ll need to re-enroll each year. If your income has changed, you may need to buy an ACA plan or private health insurance. If you have private insurance, make sure your child is listed on your health insurance policy. If you have a subsidized (ACA) plan, you can check your child’s status online. With your private plan, it’s a good idea to call your provider to double check your status. If you and your child are not insured, you still have time to get coverage that is set to begin January 1, 2023. Here’s how to check your status.

On This Page

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  How Do I Check My Child’s Health Insurance Status??

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  How Do I Check My Child’s Health Insurance Status With a Private Health Insurance Plan?

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  How Do I Check My Insurance Status With Medi-Cal or CHIP?

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  Health Insurance Status FAQs

How Do I Check My Child’s Health Insurance Status??

Verify your enrollment online if you have an ACA or subsidized health plan like Medicaid or CHIP (if you have a private plan, skip to the next section). Your child may be a dependent on your plan or the other parent’s plan:

1. Log in to your HealthCare.gov account.
2. Click on your name in the top right and select "My applications & coverage" from the dropdown.
3. Select your completed application under “Your existing applications.”
4. Here you’ll see a summary of your coverage. Your coverage start date depends on when you enrolled or changed plans.
5. If you don’t see your summary or still aren’t sure you’ve finished enrollment, call your insurance company. They can confirm if you have enrolled and paid your first premium.

How Do I Check My Child’s Health Insurance Status With a Private Health Insurance Plan?

If you enrolled in a health insurance plan for you and your child(ren), you should have received a membership package that includes your benefit cards. If you did not receive this material, it’s a good idea to call the provider. You need your benefits card to get service.

If you have been paying premiums on time, you should have no problem reinstating your plan if you’re no longer covered, as long as it’s within the Open Enrollment period, which ends mid-December in most states. However, you may want to compare prices and benefits with an insurance agent or two if you’re not completely happy with the plan you had the prior year.

If you’re not covered and do not qualify for an ACA plan or Medicaid/Medicare, it’s important to buy health insurance, even if there is no mandate fine in your state. Medical bankruptcy is very real, and children need health insurance more than ever with the spread of RSV and COVID co mingling with the flu.

Verify your enrollment online if you have an ACA or subsidized health plan like Medicaid or CHIP.

How Do I Check My Insurance Status With Medi-Cal or CHIP?

1. Contact local welfare office
2. Speak with Case Manager
3. Request Medi-cal to activate your status
4. Use MyBenefits CalWIN online portal

Get Personalized Health Insurance Quotes Here

If you have a private insurance plan and did not receive benefits cards, it’s a good idea to call the provider.

If you’re not eligible for a state subsidized plan or employee health plan, you should still buy health insurance. It’ll cost you more but not as much as one bad accident or illness. Children, especially, need to be covered with a reliable plan that you can afford. Let SmartFinancial find you the best plan at the lowest price. Just enter your zip code and answer the questions for free health insurance quotes.