Health Reform and Kids

In general, the health care reform bill expands coverage for kids, adolescents, and young adults.

No denial for pre-existing conditions. Health care reform prohibits insurers from excluding from coverage children with pre-existing health conditions. This provision takes effect immediately. The law also prohibits insurers from excluding adults with pre-existing conditions, but may not be mandatory until 2014.

Older children and parental insurance. Dependent children up to age 26 will be able to stay on their parents' family policy. There’s no special regulation as to what this will cost, however.

Children's health insurance program. Kids' eligibility for the popular Children's Health Insurance Program CHIP which helps lower-income families, must be maintained. . States will not be able to cut children from the program until 2019.

More preventative care. Qualified health plans will have to provide – with no cost-sharing – immunizations and other preventive health services for infants, children, and adolescents. This provision takes effect within six-months after the health reform bill became law.

Less reliance on emergency rooms. And of course with more preventative care and having a pediatrician or family physician there will be less need for trips for children to emergency room.