“Child Only Health Insurance Policy “big disappointment in CA

In the last quarter of 2010 with the exception of Blue Shield no insurance carrier offered anymore child only policies for children under 19 years, due to the fact that accordingly to the healthcare reform they had to accept all children, even the unfortunate one’s with severe health problems. Than the insurance commissioner threatened, if the carriers would not offer child only policies, the carriers would be banned for 5 years in the CA market.

Now most carriers have an open enrollment window for “child-only policies” for children under 19 years, which most carriers offer from January 1st to February 28th of 2011.

After investigating the individual insurance plans, I can only find PPOs plan with very high deducible Anthem, Aetna offers a $3500 deductible Plan. Blue Shield , Cigna offers a $ 5000 deductible -Healthnet and Anthem are offering also a HMO but rates are higher than any available PPO plans.

Before the Healthcare reform we were able to offer insurance PPO plan with $ 500 and $ 1000 deductible – these plans were very affordable for children. They are not existing anymore and this creates a hardship for all families in CA.

I do understand the insurance carrier having to protect themselves from the financial loss of huge claims for children with health problems, but it is not fair that all CA children cannot find suitable policies.

I will not offer a child policy with a deductible of $ 3500 or $ 5000, it is to easy for children to get sick and have to go to the emergency. Just to open the door of an emergency room cost $ 500, Parents should not take this risk!

Please offer more insurance plans for children under the age of 19 years.

The CA State should support the insurance companies with the unhealthy children in CA, and not just demand that the insurance companies carry the burden of the unhealthy children.

Last year we could offer plans of