What options do I have to get health insurance for my infant?
- If both parents’ health insurance is through their employer, it’s likely that the infant can be added to one of those plans
- If you have an individual or family plan directly from an insurer or through the Health Insurance Marketplace, you may add your infant to your current plan
- If you don’t have insurance, you can enroll both you and your baby in a new health insurance plan. Depending on your household income, you may qualify for subsidies. If you make between 100 percent and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), you may be able to get help with your health insurance costs.
- If you earn less than 300 percent of the FPL, you may qualify for BadgerCare Plus. Learn more about BadgerCare Plus
- If you have health insurance for yourself and would like to get a separate policy for your little one, you can enroll your infant in a health insurance plan for your infant only. This may be a good option if it's too expensive to add your child to your current plan, or if you'd like more coverage for your child but don't need the additional coverage for yourself
What is the best plan for my infant?
Enrolling the baby in a health insurance plan makes sense even if your employer doesn’t cover family members. It’s good to know that any ACA-compliant health insurance plan provides many preventive services at no out-of-pocket cost to you. Your infant will get needed screenings, immunizations and other services. The question is – what type of plan is best?
Choosing a plan with a low premium and higher deductibles, copays or coinsurance
- Pros – Cheaper monthly premium, free preventive care
- Cons – Frequent visits to health care providers for infant illnesses result in more copays and / or coinsurance payments at the time of service. This can stretch a family budget
Choosing a plan with a higher premium and better coverage
- Pros – Lower costs when you take your baby to the doctor or if your baby needs inpatient care, free preventive care
- Cons – Higher monthly premiums
Need help finding the right health insurance for your infant in Wisconsin? Have a look at our health plans and even find out if you qualify for subsidies. Or give our helpful and friendly customer service representatives a call at 800.362.3310.