Can a Grandchild Be Covered Under a Family Health Plan?
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I have insurance through my employer and my daughter is still covered under the plan, she is 23. She had a child on July 4, 2015. I was first told that my grandson was covered because my daughter is not married, living at home and on my insurance. This week I get a call from my company that he is not covered. I do not understand and feel that they need to cover him since they cover his mother. Does not make sense that we would need a policy for a 2 month old. Is this covered under Obamacare?
concerned
grandparent added child on insurance and parent lives under same roof on insurance . The other parent of child wants to get child own insurance and grandparent refuses to give birth cert and social to parent impeding parent from access to do so . Parent paying state for copies BUT what legal rights does grandparent have withholdong this information.
ObamaCareFacts.com
I am not sure the legality of it. This seems like a question for a family lawyer. As for who is responsible for the child, it is the entity which is responsible in terms of taxes unless there is some other agreement in place.
John
I am 58 and on disability (Medicare but not Medicare). My wife will be 65 in January and will be on Medicare. My 20 year old granddaughter who has lived with and been dependent of mine since she was 3, earns about 7000 a year and is full time student needs insurance. Where can she get coverage??? Even if I don’t claim her on taxes… she just needs something that does not cost all of her income, have a huge deductible and penalize us… I feel like the grandparent raising grandkids in colleges are a niche who are taking a real beating on insurance!!! Any ideas?? Thank you
ObamaCareFacts.com
There are legit issues with grandparents and health insurance in the United States. There is no good way to get dependent coverage when both grandparents are on Medicare. With that said, due to their income, they may qualify for free health insurance from Medicaid.
Whether or not they qualify for Medicaid depends on what state you are in.
If Medicaid isn’t an option there are some low-cost catastrophic and short term plans that may make sense, you can call the marketplace to ask about those or call a broker who offers short term coverage.
Those are my best suggestions for where to look. Hope it works out!
Lynne
Our 18 year old grandchild lives with us, she is a full time college student, we are on Medicare. Us she eligible for ibamacsre
ObamaCareFacts.com
Depending on his filing status and income he will have different options. A good place to start is HealthCare.gov, because for example the grandchild may qualify for Medicaid or his own marketplace coverage if he self files or depending on your income. They can also help point you in the right direction if these options don’t make sense. I would call and talk to someone and make sure the grandchild is around to talk too.
Shandolyn Crouse
So, if I am understanding this (I think). My son lives with me and his girlfriend just had a baby. The baby is going to live with the mother. My son is under my health insurance. And I have the family health plan can I put my grandson under my plan? The baby was born with down syndrome and he will need extra health insurance.
ObamaCareFacts.com
If you are filing takes for the baby and claiming them as a dependent, then you CAN put them on your insurance. If you are not, then it would be up to the girlfriend the baby is living with (assuming she is the one claiming the them as a dependent). The main factor here is tax families and coverage families should be the same, with that said this can get complicated if the baby isn’t living with you at all and/or isn’t living in the same state.
I suggest a call to HealthCare.Gov for more assistance and clarity.
Ree Dean
Please advise if the child is covered under my health plan and has a baby if I can add my grandchild as of the date of birth? My employer says I can add if I am claiming the dependent on my tax return. Since it is a newborn I have not filed one including the Grandchild. Can they make me want until I provide that document. If so would the child be retro covered to the date of birth?
ObamaCareFacts.com
Employers have to offer coverage to dependents, in simple terms that means they don’t necessarily have to offer to a grandchild. However, if they did imply they would offer, you could in this case let them know that you do intend to treat your grandchild as a dependent. This would mean no one else could claim them as a dependent, which would probably mean you would want to simply treat the child and grandchild so there was no confusion in your family about who was filing what forms.
Ok, that said, in many cases newborn qualify for Medicaid. So you / your child could also contact your state Medicaid department and see if that is an option.
In short, the employer CAN but doesn’t have to offer coverage to the newborn grandchild until and if you officially claim them as a dependent, but if you don’t or can’t go that route try Medicaid.
SHAM SUNDAR
Is my Medicare Insurance(Senior citizen 73+) cover the Medical needs of my grand son. Thanks with best regard.
ObamaCareFacts.com
No, Medicare only covers seniors. A child might qualify for CHIP however.
Lynn Kelley
I am very concerned that a healthy baby being born to a dependent of a dependent is not covered under the current Obama care health program. Is this information correct or is there some other way for my grandchild to be covered at birth till added on another plan. Concerned grand parent.
ObamaCareFacts.com
In many states CHIP is an option for babies of that age. I would call the state Medicaid office and inquire about CHIP. If the child is a dependent of the grand parent, then adding them to a family plan is easier. There are options. Try calling healthcare.gov for assistance.
John Denune
even though I have my granddaughter half of the time, and she is financially (somewhat) dependant on me, I am not her legal guardian, so this doesn’t help me.
Bonita Canterbury
I need health insurance on my 13 yr old grandson.
LaDonna Huff
My husband is a conductor on UP. His daughter is a single mom of a 4 and 1 1/2 yr. she isn’t working can we cover the boy on our insurance? Or something?
Brittany
Im wanting to get insurance on my daughter but i cant bc im claiming her on my taxes. Would my mother, whitch is her grandmother be able to get insurance on her
Rosie Montoya
MY grandson have lived with me and I have never put him in my dental insurance his mother does not live with me what do I need from her to be able to insure him. I claim him as my dependent in my tax papers
Erin
As long as you claim him as a dependent than you are responsible for ensuring that he has minimal essential coverage throughout the entire your. Assuming he has medical insurance for minimal essential coverage, you may start with his current insurer and ask if they have a dental plan. You can also apply for Medicaid and/or CHIP with him as your dependent in your household depending on your household income. You can also try calling a dental provider that you plan to take your grandson too and ask what insurers they work with and ask for recommendations.
Holly
What about children under grandparent’s health insurance (cause it will be cheaper) but lives in another city with parents and dad claims the kids on tax? Can that be done or would that be consider cheating the system?
Lidia Diaz
My daughter is 21 living with me has 2 children i have always supported my granddaughter and i have been claiming her since birth…my daughter supports her other baby why cant i put her my granddaughter on my health insurance….??????
ObamaCareFacts.com
Whoever claims the child on their taxes can put them on their insurance for the purposes of marketplace tax credits. So, as a grandparent filing for the granddaughter you should be able to put her on your health plan and get credits. You can always contact healthcare.gov directly (or your insurer) for advice.
Elizabeth
I’m at a loss, my granddaughter has no health insurance coverage. She’s 2 years old. Her last name is the same as the fathers, not my daughters, ours. The father is not providing any support and my daughter will not file for child support. My daughter is covered under our health insurance but our 2 year old granddaughter is not and can’t be because her last name is not the same as ours.
My daughter says she makes too much money for our granddaughter to qualify for Florida Medicaid and doesn’t qualify for Floridas kid plan either. What can we do?
ObamaCareFacts.com
You can get a short term plan. That isn’t always the cheapest option, but it is pretty much always an option.
Terry Welty
She needs to file for support from the Father. Why should the rest of us pay for the healthcare of the child when the Father is left to skate. It might sound uncaring, but he’s responsible for his share of the child rearing expenses.
Alice C Lee
Do not understand these insurance, why can we we put our grandchildren on our insurance, reason is the mother is trying to work and the child get hurt and has surgery and no money to spend on the medical bill. Need help please. where else can I look or answers. Why do we have insurance, when we can not use it for ourselves or someone that needs help. This is crazy.
Janice Kay Sexton
So I am on medicare and retired with a health insurance for 65 and over and now no one can be added. Since insurance companies allow children under 26 to be on insurance why cant I add my 21 year old granddaughter that lives with me and I support to my Medicare LOL. Obamacare told her she does not qualify because she has no income. Then I called to see how much and it was still too much for me. I have bills and a budget and this was not possible and anyway the Obamacare said they had to speak to my granddaughter and my granddaughter told them she had no income and Obamacare refuse to talk to me about insurance for my granddaughter so then I called about medicaid and was told she does not qualify and if she would get pregnant she would qualify for free health care and other help. So I was basically told she needed to get pregnant…All my granddaughters friends are single and pregnant and have a baby so they can get welfare, My granddaughter is trying to find a job . Her mom has no job nor insurance and my granddaughters dad is dead. Anyway the deal now is I am claiming her as a dependent and now being penalized because she has no insurance and this is just cray because I have been supporting her and now the government is punishing me because I can not pay my granddaughter health insurance bill but I been feeding and housing and sheltering her , now tell me what is wrong with all this….I also am paying off doctor bills and I have dental work to be done plus my house needs repairs …the government keeps taking and taking and taking from us old people…..What the heck …I called and wrote the whit house but I have received no answer….
richard
My son is 21 year old and doesn’t live with us .he and his girlfriend is expecting a baby. Can I put my grandchild on my wife insurance plan his mother?
ObamaCareFacts.com
Kids can stay on a parents plan until 26, everyone in a coverage family must file taxes together.
Mary
My coworker covers her 25 y/o daughter and 2 grandchildren, but they still have Medicaid. 25 y/o lives in an apartment with the 2 kids. Why isn’t that questionable? What about having to pay taxes together? There are insurance laws, really?
ObamaCareFacts.com
Hmm, well Medicaid is based on income. Honestly we should have Medicare / Medicaid for all and get it over with. So I am less worried about someone having a safe home for children and coverage than I am about corporate greed over life saving drugs and money being shipped to tax havens. At least said coworker is putting money back in the economy when they get it. I get what you are saying though, think everyone wants to feel like they are getting a fair shake. Giving and taking too much are both “unfair” on some level.
Fred
Another stupid law that breaks up the normal family. The parent of the grandchild can not live in the house. Repeal this Insurance company scam law
Pissed
If you are supporting the parent and grandchild, they should be covered. Dumb %#(!
Kirsti Wright
Thank u, so working grammas income needs to be included on chips form since gramma, pop pop, non working mom and 3 yr old daughter live in same household? I guess we truly are responsible until the day we die. Young folk put the hammer down on your offspring. I wasn’t hard enough on mine. Too busy working to provide. No fancy houses, phones or vehicles here; just dead beat dad’s that can’t hold a job.