‘Children’ covers 20 plus years of rapid physical and mental change. The best way to manage health insurance cost (and use) is to stay healthy. That requires different resources about emotional and behavioral health, exercise, nutrition, and relationship health for young children, teenagers, and young adults.

Child care and insurance starts with maternal health. The US has the highest mortality rate among high income countries. The ACA market is open to people of all ages. That means it’s always an option whenever you need it. The ACA is an extension of Medicaid, and can provide means tested tax credits to make medical insurance affordable for low-income families starting out. Some people don’t qualify, but Medicaid’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can still help them. Regardless of the type of CHIP coverage each state elects it must provide well-baby and well-child visits, dental coverage, behavioral health care, and vaccines. The objective is to cover pregnant women, detect problems, and treat them early.

For most of the Family years, children are covered under a parent’s policy, usually as a part of an employer plan or an ACA plan. Employers’ benefit plans may have important maternal and paternal leave benefits, child care assistance, wellness and other benefits to help with life-work balance and raising children.

Family plans (ACA or private) cover all members from pre-birth up to age 26. A child may stay on your plan even if they’re married, a parent, not your dependent, and eligible for an employer plan. They do lose coverage on their 26th birthday. Then they qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP) and must get their own coverage.