by Griz

Created on: May 08, 2008   Last Updated: May 12, 2008

Is there something in your life that's more important that your child's health?

Health care costs are skyrocketing. The number one cause of bankruptcy filings are medical bills. Financial experts agree, every family should have health insurance. Not only do you want to protect yourself financially from mounting child health care costs but you want your children to have every chance to have a healthy and happy life.

Your child should have regular checkups and immunizations. Your child will at some point contract an illness that requires doctor care. If you don't have health insurance then you should count on being out of pocket several thousand dollars per year for each child. Skimping on health care for your child is playing with fire.

There are three main ways you can obtain health insurance for kids. The first is as a dependent on the health insurance plan provided by your employer. The costs for this can vary from nothing, if your employer pays the premiums, to several hundred dollars per month depending on the type of plans and coverage offered. This may seem steep, but consider that the one emergency room visit will cost at least $1500 or more depending on the treatment required. Many employers have more than one insurance plan available. Make sure you do your homework and pick the one that makes the most sense for your situation. Make sure it allows access to the doctors you want to see. Ask your coworkers how the insurance company performs on claims.

The second type of insurance you can get for your child is the kind that you purchase privately. If you do a Google search for child health insurance program you will get hundreds of hits on companies that will insure you, your entire family, or just your children. Be wary and do lots of research to make sure you're getting the best possible plan for your situation. Be certain you are dealing with a reputable company that doesn't have a lot of black marks on its record. Names you know are better than names you don't, although sometimes a company that's not well know will offer a superior product.

If you belong to any clubs or groups, check into any insurance packages they may offer. Group policies are always more economical because a large group can negotiate a favorable deal. If you know other people in the club or group, they may be able to give you a reference as to how well their insurance company performs. This is also a good way to check on child life insurance if you feel it's a good idea for your family.

Most companies that you find on-line provide a form to request a child health insurance quote. Before you fill one of these out, do some research to know what to expect. A lot of health insurance web sites offering quotes do nothing but generate referrals to insurance brokers who may or may not offer what you really need. Before requesting a quote, find out what the company does and whether they will give you a quote on-line or whether a salesperson will contact you.

The third type is public assistance. Most states have some sort of assistance program, such as Medicaid, which will cover health care costs for certain groups of people. These may include single parents, low income families, or at-risk children. Start with your state web site and search for "child health insurance plan". The results of this search will point you in the right direction.

There's nothing more precious than our children. Health insurance can be expensive, but can you afford not to have it?

The answer, without a doubt, is no.

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